Bio Hackers

One of my professors recently told me about a popular new hobbyist movement, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Garage Biology Also known as DYI-Bio (that means do it yourself bio).

DYI-Bio is a term that has been derived from the new trend of hobbyists who have set up rudimentary bio-labs in their home garages. These non-professional scientific experimenters have been performing an array of different types of biological experiments in their homes. Hobbyists even gather together in meetings to discuss their current experiments and to brainstorm about future ones.

Sounds bizarre, does it not? Though at the same time it sounds very intriguing and it has both its good components and potentially negative ones.

On the bright side, proponents of DYI-Bio have sparked the public’s interest in science once more. This means that children are becoming more interested in biology and that this new interest could carry over to future careers. It also has increased interest in science at school by bringing it into the home. Increasing interest in scientific experiment and discovery could help continue American advances in science in the future. Furthermore, by lowering the barrier of entry into the science field by allowing hobbyists to perform their own experiments, the chances of new discoveries increase. There is potential here for professional scientists to collaborate with hobbyists who are loaded with brilliant ideas.

On the not so bright side with these experiments being preformed behind private doors there is a very clear amount of danger involved for a number of different reasons. For instance, the authorities cannot monitor a private experiment, which leaves room for hobbyists to hurt themselves due to negligence. It also means that people could be performing negative experiments that both violate morality or experiments that are intended to harm others. (Does the idea DYI-bomb making pop into your head?) These dangerous possibilities have become a real concern for the government. In fact, the FBI has been attending DYI biology meetings and has inspected known garage labs. Local fire and police departments are told to be on the look out for unknown home DYI biologists.

Aside from a lack of practical experience, a lack of actual technology also is a large issue of concern. Garage bio labs are unclean and are not equipped with even the most basic scientific technology that professionals take for granted. Without this equipment, important safety procedures such as the proper disposal of hazardous chemicals cannot be carried out thoroughly. At the same time, the creativity and determination that radiates from these hobbyists to conduct experiments in unfit conditions is radically inspiring.

Certain measures that can be put into place in order to make DYI-Bio more productive, interactive and safe include some of the following. If professional scientists attend the hobbyist meetings or advise them on their experiments many unnecessarily dangerous mishaps may be avoided. Furthermore, in order to help complete the garage labs of the most devoted hobbyists, science labs in schools and private facilities could donate old equipment and teach their adoptive parents how to use them. The development of basic safety guidelines could be developed by professionals with the input of hobbyists.

The concept of DYI-Bio is certainly very interesting. It is wonderful that people are excited about a subject matter that is traditionally considered boring by the general public. On the other hand, it is producing a problem and huge worry for authorities in an already trying time in our Country’s history.