Bio Labware Review

It begins…

As the lab preparations are running, we have begun working on a DIY labware review. One of our goals at symbiolab, is making a complete collection of affordable and DIY laboratory equipment, which is required for common methodology in a biological research lab. To do this, we will begin by making a list of required equipment, describing the hardware, its use, commercial costs and the current DIY status. The review will be separated into methodological categories, which are common in a biological laboratory:

• General wet preparation

• Microscopy

• Spectroscopy

• Chromatography

• Immunohistochemistry

• Genetics and Proteomics

• Cell culture

• Organic 3D printing

• Various other methods we find useful.

We will post and regularly update our findings on our GitHub repository bio-labware, which should function as a database for DIY labware for anyone who is interested. Saying this, while we plan to collect as much DIY equipment as possible, it is important to point out that it doesn’t make sense to make EVERYTHING DIY. Many tools, which are commonly used in a laboratory, are simply easier and cheaper to buy than to make from scratch. This includes glassware (beakers, measuring cylinders, petri dishes, glasks,…), basic utensils and consumables (spoons, spatulas, scalpels, tweezers,…) and basic kitchenware (fridge/freezer, dishwasher, microwave oven,…).

As there is an overflow of possibilities and devices for laboratory use, it is not unlikely, we will forget something in our list. If you should find that something is missing, we will be glad to hear from you and add/discuss your suggestions.

The first section - “General wet preparation” - is already online! Here we focus on the methods, used for creating buffers and other solutions, sample preparation, extraction and so on. This is the foundation of any chemical or biological laboratory and is the prerequisite for most other methods. The tools which are most commonly used include:

• a fine weighing scale,

• a magnetic stirrer and a pH meter,

• pipettes,

• a centrifuge,

• a vortex mixer and more.

Much DIY equipment for wet preparation is already available on the web and some tools seem to do their job very well. The problem with most is, however, that they are not yet standardized and often have poorly written instructions, making it difficult to make an exact replica.

In retrospect, it is possible to reconstruct most, if not all commercial laboratory equipment, suitable for preparation, from cheap, available or printable parts.

Read more in our GitHub repository bio-labware.