Create a DIYbio Open Lab in Chicago, Anyone?

[neurobionetics]

I forgot that this google group existed - I actually was about to
create another on the same topic focused on creating an open physical
lab in Chicago. It's nice to stumble upon sixty people interested in a
Chicago DIYbio scene.

First, would anyone reading this be interested in collaborating to
create a DIYbio open lab in Chicago? Even modest contributions when
pooled could help immensely in that effort - in terms of skills and
knowledge, volunteer hours, and eventually donations that are handled
in an accountable way (or favors, e.g. free or discounted use of
space).

Second, if you think you would actively participate in such a lab,
what part of the city would work for you? What part of the city
wouldn't work? My bias would be to create the lab on the north side
around one of the major universities or on the near west side around
UIC, and maybe only create a satellite lab in Hyde Park eventually, as
that location is isolated due to its being surrounded by severely
economically depressed areas.

Although I won't have much time to work on it over the next few years
as I'm getting a masters degree in nursing and then looking for a job,
I've announced to some transhumanist friends in Chicago that I would
like to undertake two local projects over the next several years or
decade: (1) catalyzing the establishment of a DIYbio hackerspace and,
probably later, (2) organizing and helping to coordinate a large
cryonics intervention team for the area (maybe associated with Alcor).

I am not at all interested in serving in a hierarchical leadership/
management position and don't think my cell biology/biotech lab
background would qualify me for that anyway (it's mostly in cognitive
neuroscience and neurobiology with a microbiology class and soon an
organic chem class and a year of anatomy & physiology), but I have
some experience organizing and coordinating, and along with any
helpful Chicagoans you could put me in touch with I would like to
start a
project to recruit people with biotech credentials to represent the
group and serve as leaders in it, as well as seek out local
institutional partners (Pumping Station One [http://
www.pumpingstationone/ ] being a natural fit), sponsors, and a
workspace for an open lab.

I would be grateful for any advice and resources you care to send my
way. I have just gotten in touch with Joseph Jackson about the idea.


Sincerely,

Ben Hyink

neurobi...@gmail.com
Cell: 708-990-3990

[neurobionetics]

I got permission to repost the message below by my friend Edward
Miller.

I think Edward is right that we should try to locate the DIYbio
hackerspace as close to Pumping Station One as possible to create the
opportunity for synergies to develop between the groups. Becoming a
branded franchise of an existing hackerspace also sounds like a good
idea if a hackerspace is willing to lend us its name and maybe even
some carefully monitored seed funding. We definitely should
communicate with community labs like BioCurious in the San Francisco
area and Genspace in New York as well as the techie hackerspace
Pumping Station One in Chicago. Earlier in my twenties I could have
dropped everything to pull the project together within a year but now
I need to complete some grad school education and get a full-time job
asap, which will take up most of my time in the next few years.
However, I'm announcing my intentions to network with people for the
day when I will have more free time and I wouldn't begrudge anyone for
taking the project and running with it before I am ready.

As for involving people with relevant biology credentials, one person
in Chicago has contacted me and Joseph Jackson said he knows of
another who might be taking a job in Chicago soon. Please spread the
word about this idea to anyone you think would be interested and have
people who express interest contact me personally or through this
DIYbio list.

We should create a google group specifically for the new community lab
at some point but I would like invested co-founders to agree on the
name we originate or brand name we accept from another group as part
of a franchise (being taken under the wing of an existing group might
make our objectives significantly easier to accomplish).

Edward Miller:

"My recommendation is to target having a website, brand, core team,
and a video marketing pitch by the end of the year. Then post it all
on Kickstarter.com much like BioCurious did.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1040581998/biocurious-a-hackerspace-for-biotech-the-community

You might even consider becoming a franchise of another branded
hackerspace. I would set it up as a mutual organization. The consumers
are the owners, and would have voting rights, though their power would
be limited by a strict set of by-laws established at the beginning,
and changes to the by-laws would require virtual consensus to enact.
The by-laws should state that the venture is not for profit, and all
revenues go directly towards the construction and maintenance of the
hackerspace.

I suspect that there will be some mixture of permanent staff and
rotating volunteers. Talk to the other hackerspaces about this, and
also ask them what sorts of rules work best to prevent freeloaders and
reach a sustainable revenue stream, without pissing anyone off too
much.

A final idea would be to locate this very close by to Pumping Station
One, if not right next door. Thus, both places could make use of the
tools and personnel of the other location... and you could come up
with joint promotional offers and joint activities.

Last, but not least. For publicity purposes it is best to do some
gimmicky things. For instance, hosting a bio-luminescence art show or
competition.

In the longer term, you should absolutely figure out how to modify
reprap 3D printers in order to print cells. Then try hold competitions
to see who can print the best stuff... whether it be patterns, in
vitro meat, or even simple organs if they are really advanced."

Best,
Ben

> institutional partners (Pumping Station One [http://www.pumpingstationone/] being a natural fit), sponsors, and a

> workspace for an open lab.
>
> I would be grateful for any advice and resources you care to send my
> way. I have just gotten in touch with Joseph Jackson about the idea.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ben Hyink
>

> neurobionet...@gmail.com
> Cell: 708-990-3990