Art, Science, & Design: Collaborations for Climate Resiliency & Water Futures

In this four-part series, we’ll hear stories from artists, ecologists, engineers, historians, teachers, technologists, and more to explore what climate means to us today, and how science and art can work together to generate creative expressions connected to climate change and resilient communities. Each session will include a short presentation, small group discussion with space for imagination and design, and share outs in the hopes of sparking new collaborations and inspiration for your practice as an artist, scientist, teacher, or however you see yourself!

This workshop is designed for those interested in a multidisciplinary approach to ecological and social issues of climate change, resilience and water. We value diverse forms of knowledge, including those garnered from personal experience, storytelling, grassroots organizing and data. Although primarily designed for artists (broadly defined), the class is open to anyone interested in the topic.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: SOIL TESTING AND ANALYSIS

April’s Topic: Soil Testing & Analysis

What's the science behind thriving plants? Have you tried out your green thumb at home during the pandemic? Are you a new plant parent or an expert? See what it takes to get your plants thriving and healthy just by testing its soil!

In this lab, you’ll learn how to sample your soil, prepare it for testing, and complete 4 different types of analytical chemistry tests to determine what the pH, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus levels of your soil are. The chemistry portion of the lab tests are essential and important as you measure, add chemicals, mix and add the results together. We'll use this soil testing kit as a starter tool for studying the effects of soil nutrients on plant growth or to overall improve your garden.

Introduction to Bioplastics

In the face of climate change and environmental pollution, bioplastics present a unique opportunity to design with nature rather than against it. These plastics, which are made from a variety of plant and biological materials instead of petroleum, are often biodegradable and help to diminish our reliance on fossil fuel-based materials.

In this workshop, we’ll dive into the science behind biomaterials, explore potential forms of fabrication, and discuss how the field is evolving. You’ll learn how to create a gelatin- or agar- based bioplastic and an eggshell composite biomaterial. We’ll also explore the history, chemistry, and impact of modern plastics.

Growing Mushrooms for a Healthy Garden

Have you ever wondered what is going on in the soil of a garden? Why do some plants flourish and grow more than others and why can't we eat plants and mushrooms grown in certain areas? Why do mushrooms grow the way they do?

Mushrooms are curious creatures who can bioaccumulate, bioremediate, extend plant roots, and make a wonderful addition to your diet. If adding edible mushrooms to your garden has ever been on your to-do list, this course is for you!

In this course, we’ll examine the soil around you using two easy-to-get soil tests (a full supply list will be sent out to you weeks before the event). We’ll also go over case studies of the ecological role that fungi play and will teach you how to inoculate your garden with beautiful mushrooms.

Slime Mold BioArt

Slime molds have fascinated scientists with their ability to make decisions, anticipate change, and cleverly navigate their surroundings. These “molds” are not actually fungi, but instead a mass of cells that gather together to form a seemingly smart and mobile “superorganism.”

In this workshop, we’ll explore slime mold not only as an interesting biological phenomena, but also as an artistic medium and non-human creative collaborator. We’ll dig into the science behind why slime molds behave the ways that they do, and teach you how to grow slime mold for use in your artistic practice. (Note: slime mold is safe for at-home use.)

City Nature Challenge 2021

Join cities around the world to explore urban biodiversity! Help us discover the breadth of biodiversity in our NYC backyards.

The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is a bioblitz that mobilizes people around the world to observe and identify the biodiversity in their own backyards - and to show off the nature of their city. Let’s seek out all the amazing plants and animals that call NYC home. You can learn more about the CNC here, and join the challenge by downloading iNaturalist to your phone and gathering observations of the life around you.

Check out the Genspace City Nature Challenge iNaturalist page here.

Seeing Science: 3D Molecular Modeling with Viruses & Vaccines

As the COVID vaccination campaign gains momentum, words like mRNA, lipid nanoparticles, antibodies, and spike proteins, have entered our vernacular. Never before has biochemistry been at the forefront of our everyday lives. In this course, we’ll make these technical words concrete by exploring the biochemistry of a COVID vaccine. We will view and explore these biochemical structures at high resolution using vivid 3D computer renderings with the Pymol program. Both advanced and novice students will gain a better understanding about the virus and vaccine strategies through these powerful modeling tools.

During the workshop, you’ll learn about the most important components of the virus and the novel mRNA-based vaccine technology through a highly visual presentation and discussion. You’ll learn how to search the Protein Data Bank for relevant and interesting protein structures that are central to how the vaccine works. Then, we’ll learn how to render these structures using a free molecular modeling software called PyMol. The skills learned in the workshop will transfer many other biomedical fields giving you tools for future scientific inquiry.

Intro to 3D Printed Molds for Biodesign

Mold with mycelium. Grow your own furniture. Biofabricated fashion. We’ve heard these ideas in the biodesign world, but how do we actually do it ourselves? Join us to start from scratch and learn the basics of 3D modeling and 3D printing for biodesign projects! 3D modeling is a powerful tool used to visualize and share ideas, and it can be used with complementary technologies like 3D printing, augmented reality, virtual reality, animation, game design, 3D rendering, and more.

For biodesign projects, 3D modeling and 3D printing are especially helpful because you can efficiently design and 3D print reusable molds to create unique geometric structures and shapes for live biomaterials to grow in.

Engineering biology everywhere: a threat or key to a sustainable future?

What would happen if everybody could have access to the tools to engineer biology? Would it be the beginning of the end of the world as we know it? Would it be the beginning of a more sustainable era? Would it bring fairness or increase inequalities?

Join us in this conversation to try to untangle this complex topic with sociologists, DIY biologists, journalists and documentary filmmakers.

This event was part of the 2021 Cambridge Science Festival.

Fabricating with Fungi

Our world is in need of sustainable, bio-based products and materials. Biotech companies are quickly adopting fungi into their processes because they continuously outperform existing substances. Examples of emerging fungal materials are leather-like textiles, faux-meats and industrial food & cosmetic dyes. The more we learn about fungi’s versatility, the more warranted the exploration.

This class is meant to reveal the current state of fungal applications and provide foundational understanding of innovative applied mycology. We’ll learn the basics of working with fungi using Ecovative’s Grow-It-Yourself Kit, a classic myco-material beginner experiment with infinite possibilities featuring Ganoderma species mycelium.

Analyzing Brain Waves with Python

Neurons in your brain are constantly producing waves of electrical activity. The patterns of these brain waves change depending on what you are doing, thinking, and feeling. Neuroscientists use a variety of technologies to listen in on brain waves. These technologies have made it possible for people to control devices with their brain activity (often called brain-computer-interface), and for healthcare providers to identify electrical activity linked with brain diseases.

In this workshop, you will learn how an electroencephalogram (EEG) is used to detect waves of electrical activity in your brain. Instructors will use the Heart and Brains Spikerbox from Backyard Brains to demonstrate an at-home EEG recording. You will also learn how to use Python, a popular programming language, to analyze and interpret EEG data.

¡Al borde de la ilusión! ¿Lo que ves y escuchas es real? [Programa Juvenil]

Nuestra percepción de la realidad es posible a través de la interpretación que hace nuestro cerebro del mundo físico. Quizás lo que vio fue un truco de la mente, o lo que escuchó nunca sucedió. Estos engaños entre nuestro entorno real y lo que percibimos han emocionado a los científicos durante décadas. Únase a nosotros en este evento en celebración de la Semana del Cerebro y descubra cómo la información visual y auditiva viaja a nuestro cerebro, y como nuestro propio sistema nervioso podría engañarnos.

En esta conferencia interactiva, trazaremos los caminos que recorre la información sensorial para llegar a nuestro cerebro, cómo el cerebro luego traduce esa información y cómo los neurocientíficos están resolviendo estas preguntas. Exploraremos algunas ilusiones visuales y auditivas y hablaremos sobre cómo nuestros sentidos llegan a “engañar” a nuestras mentes. Obtendrá una mejor comprensión de cómo nuestro cerebro interpreta el mundo físico y qué preguntas los neurocientíficos estamos todavía tratando de responder.

Introduction to Biomimicry: Learning From Nature’s Genius

There is little doubt that the future of our planet will necessitate tapping into the most cutting edge emerging technologies. But perhaps even more crucial is the need for the next generation of technological innovation to solidify its long-term strategic partnership with a stakeholder that has in recent history, been largely ignored: nature.

We’ll need cooperative efforts that minimize harmful impacts on the environment, and to develop new innovations that leverage nature’s time-tested strategies for how we actually build technologies and products. Estimates suggest that biologically-inspired innovation will grow to $425B by 2030.* By integrating nature’s 3.8 billion years of R&D into our portfolio, and investing in systems, processes, materials, and products that truly embed fundamental principles of efficiency, adaptivity, optimization, resiliency and regeneration, we can rethink how we design and build our future and catalyze new models to transform the way we live.

*Bioinspiration: An Economic Progress Report

Synthetic Biology for Creatives

The emerging multidisciplinary field of synthetic biology promises to be infinitely transformative; to problem solve in the realms of agriculture, medicine, manufacturing, and beyond. From new types of vaccines, to hornless cattle, to fabric made from spider silk, synthetic biology is focused on the notion of engineering life to collaborate productively with humans.

As exciting as these innovations are, it often seems abstract and unclear how to get started. So how do we begin to understand synbio–and how it can be used–in a manner that cuts through jargon and makes it relatable? How can everyone (especially those of us who are not biodesigners or bioengineers) participate? And as a human, what does it mean to design collaboratively with microbes?

We’ll look at some existing and some imagined applications, and consider how the development and implementation of these applications could impact the world we live in. We’ll also tinker with synbio from home by creating paintings using living bacteria.

Fakebook: Using Data Science to Spot Fake News

As fake news permeates throughout social media outlets (like Facebook), it's more important than ever to identify what is fact vs. fiction. This is especially true in the age of COVID where the spread of misinformation can impact the spread of the virus. Data scientists are emerging on the front lines of this fight, using programs to help them identify fake news sources.

Led by Dr. Teon Brooks, Josh Modeste, and Steven Azeka from CiELabs, this workshop will explore the “life cycle” of scientific research and how scientists come to consensus about how we interpret data. We’ll examine what to look for in credible news sources, and the consequences of leaning on not-so-trusty pseudoscientific sources. Then you’ll put that knowledge to work by learning to code your own news validation program. No experience necessary!

Kombucha Papermaking: Grow Bioart in Your Kitchen

For centuries, kombucha has been brewed as a tangy beverage made of tea and a symbiotic glob of bacteria and yeast known as SCOBY. In this paper making course with a bioart spin, you'll explore another way to enjoy kombucha. Not only is it a great source of probiotics, but its live culture can also be used to create a renewable art material! We'll discuss brewing techniques, take you through the process for creating a parchment-like kombucha paper, and contextualize the process in the greater lens of bio art.

Let's Get in Those Genes: Computing Genetic Ancestry

Have you ever wondered how commercial genetic testing companies calculate your ancestry? Or how this genetic information can be useful for making medical decisions in the era of precision medicine?

In this two-part workshop, we’ll dive into the basics of population genomics — a branch of genomics focused on using a large-scale, population-level comparison of DNA sequences to understand evolution and demographics — and teach you the basic computational skills you’ll need to calculate and interpret global ancestry using publicly available genetic data.

BIG Discussions about CRISPR: A Black History Month Conversation

Join Genspace, In Those Genes, and Black in Genetics to watch the documentary film Human Nature, followed by an informal discussion with Black geneticists in honor of Black History Month. We’ll highlight the significant contributions Black people have made to research and medicine both as researchers and participants, examine the ethical and social issues of CRISPR and the legacy of medical apartheid, and explore why it’s important for Black people to be engaged in these emerging scientific fields today.

We’ll be joined by special guests David Sanchez, whose story was featured in the film, and producer Meredith DeSalazar. Stay tuned for more updates later this month!

Microbial Memories: A Speculative Design Workshop

Take a sip of wine. Eat a bite of good chocolate. Try different ones. Can you tell the difference? Does it evoke memories? Do you associate those bites and sips with particular places?

In this workshop, we'll explore the unique ability of different kinds of life forms to sense, encode, and interpret information. We’ll then dive into the potential for metagenomics to give us new tools for encoding histories. Finally, we will take what we’ve learned and create speculative applications of microbial archives to come up with our own science fictions and potential futures. No previous experience needed!

This workshop is a follow-up to a speculative project between the facilitators, which you can view here: www.timeplaceculture.com

Fermenting a Revolution

What do fermenting and protest have in common?

Today, amidst a crisis of injustice, activists have rallied together in the pursuit of equity and change. In a pandemic that has been peppered with a growing enthusiasm for creating sourdough starters, it seems fitting to begin to unveil the long linked history between food, revolution, and technology. Join new media artist Ashley Jane Lewis to learn how to ferment a sourdough starter while cognitively fermenting on the swift, strategic, and seldom known history of food as a conduit to revolution.

3D Printing for Biofabrication

Mold with mycelium. Grow your own furniture. Biofabricated fashion. We’ve heard these ideas in the biodesign world, but how do we actually do it ourselves? One critical step is making the right structures and shapes for your biomaterials to grow in - and we can do that with 3D printing.

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD (computer assisted design) model or a digital 3D model. In this workshop, we’ll explore using 3D printing and modeling to make molds for art and design applications. You’ll design your 3D modeled form, which can be printed to design the growth and shape of your favorite biomaterial— especially mycelium. We’ll also show the step-by-step process of making the molds, including growing times and post-growth fabrication of mycelium.

Understanding Neurodegenerative Diseases with Bioinformatics

Many neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease are driven by genetic factors, and while some of these genes are well-known and studied, others are not. But how do geneticists dig through millions of datasets to identify novel genetic contributions for various neurodegenerative diseases?

In this two-day workshop, we’ll learn how to use genome-wide association studies (or GWAS, a type of analysis that scans the genomes of many different people to identify genetic markers that can be used to predict the risk of developing a disease) and polygenic risk scores (PRS) to uncover the genetic basis of neurodegenerative diseases.

You’ll explore the fascinating complexity hidden in our genome with a series of hands-on data explorations using command line, the statistical programming language R, and a suite of analysis tools including FUMA, PLINK, and GCTA.

Tools of the Trade: Bacteria & Gram Staining

February’s Topic: Bacteria & Gram Staining

Bacterial Gram staining is a frequent lab diagnostic test used by scientists to make bacteria more visible under a microscope and to help identify the specimen. In this workshop, we’ll take you through a basic overview of bacteria morphology and proper aseptic techniques used in a lab setting. You’ll also learn about bacteria commonly found in the home, those that can cause infection, and a brief history of antisepsis.

With your registration, you’ll get access to a short list of lab supplies you can purchase online to follow along, including a mini microscope, bacteria growing kit, and a gram staining kit — all from the comfort of our homes! You can also sit back, relax, and watch along without supplies, or participate using the free lab simulator we’ll share during the workshop. We welcome plenty of questions and discussion in our workshops.

3D Molecular Modeling & the Central Dogma of DNA

How does a gene become a protein? Many of us are familiar with the central dogma of biology: DNA codes for mRNA, which is translated into a protein. But how does that process work at the molecular level? Even in the last few years, the understanding of these processes has grown by leaps and bounds, and we now have the power to understand these processes at the atomic-scale resolution. In this class, we will use 3D molecular modeling to investigate the incredible molecules that facilitate the decoding of our genetic material, and the creation of proteins and enzymes.

This is an interactive class where students will not only learn how these molecules work, but will also learn how to locate, load, and render their beautiful 3D molecular structures. To do this, they will be trained on how to use a free, 3D molecular computer modeling program, PyMol. Even though we will be exploring some of the most complex structures in biology, we will start the class with the chemical basics, reviewing bonding, molecular geometry, and interactions. We can then begin to explore some of the molecular machines of the central dogma, such as DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, and the ribosome. We’ll also be discussing the theory behind some important laboratory techniques like DNA sequencing and PCR.

Viral sequence analysis using covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an unprecedented look into how science plays out in real time. Never before in human history has the scientific community engaged in such a global collaborative process with rapid changes to research practice, data sharing, and publication of preliminary data to advance progress toward a vaccine and better treatments.

One element of understanding the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, that causes COVID-19 was the rapid sharing of viral genomes. Analyzing virus sequences is critical to understanding how the virus spreads and how effective vaccine candidates may be.

In this workshop, we’ll introduce the basics of bioinformatics and help you dive straight into the belly of the computational beast. You’ll learn where to find publicly available data (your taxes paid for this!), and how to use this data to run a few common analyses to investigate questions about viral evolution using the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology curriculum.

Myco-cultivation: Grow Your Own Edible Mushrooms with Food Waste

Mushrooms are repairers, recyclers, and regenerators of damaged environments. Through their mycelial networks, they protect neighboring species from parasites, decompose surrounding toxins, and send other species nutrients. Mushrooms are also very delicious and a high-nutrient food source for humans!

In this workshop, we’ll cover the different DIY methods of growing edible mushrooms at home. You’ll learn how to grow our own oyster mushrooms using a combination of food and agricultural waste as substrate. We’ll also dive into the critical role that mushrooms play in remediating and healing ecological damages by growing from waste materials and in toxic landscapes.

Cyborg Reading Group

January 2021’s topic is: Monoclonal Antibodies and the Nature/Culture Boundary. Invented in the 1970s, monoclonal antibodies have recently come to public attention as a potential treatment for COVID-19. In this discussion, we’ll explore how monoclonal antibodies challenge the boundaries between natural and artificial. See Eventbrite for reading materials.

Who Benefits from Genomics Research? A Conversation with Variant Bio

Scientific research is replete with examples of extractive and exploitative practices, and the people who contribute biological samples or data, particularly from marginalized communities, rarely benefit directly from that research. Researchers are working hard to address this gap, and creative solutions are needed.

In the private sector, there is little to no precedent for sharing the proceeds of genomics research with the communities and individuals who contribute their data to science. For this reason, Variant Bio has developed a unique approach to benefit sharing, one that guarantees benefits for all of their partner communities.

As part of their formal commitment to benefit sharing, Variant pledges to share 4% of revenue with their partner communities plus 4% of the company’s equity value if they are acquired or go public (complete an IPO). 4% is in fact a groundbreaking number, and up until now, no genomics, pharma, or biotech company has ever come close to this amount.

Join us for a conversation with Variant Bio’s cultural anthropologist Dr. Sarah LeBaron von Baeyer to explore what this means for participants and for the industry in the future.

This live event was co-hosted with our fellow community biology labs: BUGSS, SoundBio, and BosLab.

Introduction to CRISPR Technology for Teens

CRISPR-Cas9 has completely revolutionized the field of biology as it allows for efficient genome editing. This complex of DNA and protein has the capacity to cut genomes at will, giving scientists the ability to silence genes, insert nucleotide sequences into DNA, and remove regions of an organism’s genome. With this technology, researchers may be able to develop treatments for hereditary conditions or produce more effective vaccines. As CRISPR becomes more important within the scientific community, younger students need opportunities to take a closer look at the basic components of this technology and how it is used. By the end of this two-day course, you'll fully comprehend CRISPR technology and, most importantly, be able to develop ways to better the world with this tool.

How to Grow Your Own Dye Using Algae

Learn about petrochemical colors and a promising carbon-negative alternative: cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae). These little microorganisms are some of the most colorful microbes, producing a full spectrum of natural pigments. Across two sessions, you’ll be able to test out the industrial process of growing, harvesting, extracting and purifying these natural pigments at a small scale. At the very end, you’ll come away with some of your own algae pigment to test in the kitchen, on your clothes and for DIY projects! No previous experience necessary.

Personalized Medicine: DNA, Drugs, and Data

Personalized medicine (also known as precision medicine) combines genomics, big data analytics, and population health information to treat diseases. In this two-part class, we’ll dig deeper into the potential of personalized medicine by exploring pharmacogenetics — the study of how our genes impact our response to certain drugs — and discussing how polygenic risk scores are used in clinical settings to determine medication use and response.

In the first part of this course, we’ll learn the basics of genetics, pharmacology, pharmacogenetics, and direct-to-consumer genetic testing, and discuss how you might decide on a direct-to-consumer test and interpret your results. Then, we’ll explore the basics of genetic epidemiology and the emerging relevance of polygenic risk scores in predicting patient disease and medication responses.

Painting With Bioluminescent Bacteria

Bioluminescence, or the ability of organisms to emit and produce light, is a phenomenon that is both aesthetically beautiful and scientifically intriguing.

In this workshop, we’ll explore bioluminescent bacteria as a material for experimental art and design applications. You’ll design your own Vibrio fischeri bioluminescent bacteria culture and use experimental art techniques to design the growth and shape of your culture. We’ll also dive into some of the science behind why bioluminescence occurs, and speculate on the potential of using sustainable bioluminescent life as a light source.

Plants & Processors: Remote Plant Monitoring With Arduino

Have trouble keeping your plants alive? Can’t remember when you last watered your plants? Join a duo of lazy engineers to learn how you can monitor your plants with simple sensors and keep them alive for a little bit longer!

In this hands-on class, you’ll learn to quantify basic environmental characteristics to help you determine if your plant is getting what it needs to survive. Using a few low-cost sensors, we’ll monitor characteristics, like light and soil moisture, and then program an Arduino to tell us whether the conditions are optimal for the type of plant you are growing.

Synthetic Biology 101

Imagine the future. What if we could convert the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the environment to automobile fuel using algae, clean up oil spills by using engineered bacteria, or even light our streets using plants that glow? Such advances, historically reserved for science fiction writers, are theoretically possible and might be around the corner if the fast-growing field of synthetic biology has its way.

At a very basic level, synthetic biology is about building biological systems from scratch. By applying this engineering approach to biology, we can understand the rules by which biological systems are constrained, and then apply this knowledge to construct useful biological systems for society. Individual molecules, cells, and even whole organisms can be engineered. Currently, research in this field ranges from the synthesis of novel proteins that are not found in nature, to the ‘writing’ of new, custom genomes of organisms, and even de-extinction efforts of species such as the wooly mammoth.

In this two-part class, we’ll explore the potential of synthetic biology through hands-on experiments using a simple cell-free system called BioBits to experience the cutting edge of this burgeoning field and demonstrate the central dogma of molecular biology in real time. In addition, we’ll discuss the ethical, legal, and social implications and impact of synthetic biology technologies.

Introduction to Bioplastics

In the face of climate change and environmental pollution, bioplastics present a unique opportunity to design with nature rather than against it. These plastics, which are made from a variety of plant and biological materials instead of petroleum, are often biodegradable and help to diminish our reliance on fossil fuel-based materials.

In this workshop, we’ll dive into the science behind biomaterials, explore potential forms of fabrication, and discuss how the field is evolving. You’ll learn how to create a gelatin- or agar- based bioplastic and an eggshell composite biomaterial. We’ll also explore the history, chemistry, and impact of modern plastics.

Seeing Science: An Introduction to Molecular Modeling

What does a protein, enzyme, or nucleic acid actually look like? To help answer this question, life scientists use molecular modeling software to visually represent these biomolecules and their molecular structures. The atomic-scale images rendered through molecular modeling are not only beautiful to look at, but they also contain valuable information about the structure and function of DNA, RNA, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipid membranes, and inorganic material.

Join us to learn how to modify, mutate, and even build your own biomolecules from scratch using the freely available 3D molecular computer modeling program, PyMol. We’ll start by reviewing basic concepts in bonding and biochemical structure, and then explore some Nobel Prize winning molecules, using PyMol to gain an appreciation of how they work, and how their structures give them their unique applications to biomedical research. You’ll also learn how to download molecules of your choice from molecular databases to begin answering biological questions of your own.

COVID-19: Learning to Separate Fact From Fiction

Information about the coronavirus and the current state of the pandemic can at times be confusing, contradictory, and even downright wrong. How do we discern what is true from what is false without becoming overwhelmed by jargon, statistics, and figures? Scientific literacy has always been important, but now, in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, it feels even more urgent & necessary.

Join us for an interactive discussion on scientific literacy, mis/disinformation, and how we can effectively navigate and evaluate the copious amounts of information available to us. We’ll learn how to identify reputable resources to fact-check information and consider how our own biases might come into play.

Bad Science: An Introduction to the Legacy of Racism in Science Research

This class seeks to explore the history of racism endemic in science, specifically science research, in the context of race in the United States. We’ll cover past and ongoing injustices including medical research on marginalized bodies, legacies of eugenics in institutions of higher learning, and current tech research that aids in surveillance and criminalization. We will read an interdisciplinary set of texts, drawing from life sciences, science and technology studies, humanities, and journalism.

We’ll attempt to answer questions, such as: How does STEM research produce and reinforce concepts of race? How is racism propagated in science workplaces? What are some ways that scientists have resisted against racism, and how can we hold our institutions accountable? We’ll wrap up with an exploration of past and ongoing resistance movements in science organizing for justice.

This class is designed for those interested in a multidisciplinary approach to social issues valuing diverse forms of knowledge, including those garnered from data, grassroots organizing, and storytelling. Although primarily designed for scientists (broadly defined), the class is open to anyone interested in the history of race and science in the United States.

SESSIONS:

• 09/14/20, Week 1: What is race? How do social, political and biological factors produce race? What is the history of race in the US?

• 09/28/20, Week 2: What is the history of race in the context of science? Part I: Research

• 10/13/20, Week 3: What is the history of race in the context of science? Part II: Health

• 10/26/20, Week 4: How is science research used to produce, reinforce and commercialize race?

• 11/09/20, Week 5: How is racism sustained in STEM research and work environments? What can we do about it?

• 11/23/20, Week 6: What are some past and present resistance movements in STEM?

Sculpting with Mycelium

Designed objects are increasingly being made with materials from nature, specifically nature’s ultimate decomposer, fungi. Fungi is one of the most exciting sources ripe with design potential, and creative applications for fungi-based materials range from biodegradable styrofoams to leather-like textile alternatives.

In this workshop, we’ll explore mycelium (AKA the vegetative fibers of a mushroom) as a material for experimental design applications. You’ll grow a variety of samples, starting from a mycelium substrate, to mycelium grown using experimental techniques, to sculpting mycelium composite materials grown to shape. We’ll also dive into some of the science behind how fungi is evolving alongside us to break down our waste, and discuss the potential of using sustainable mycelium to replace current packaging and building materials

The Zombie Insect Apocalypse: A Halloween Lecture

Insect-killing fungi are a source of endless fascination. Perhaps you’ve heard of zombie ants, but have you heard of zombie flies, cicadas, or beetles? These diverse fungi have inspired foundational scientific theories and their strategies to overtake insects have led to medical breakthroughs.

In this interactive lecture, we’ll revel in the profound influence these fungi have on our world, exploring their biology as a window into the extremes of fungal biology and host-pathogen interactions. We’ll explore what is known about these zombie systems, how they may relate, and what distinguishes them. We’ll also discuss the impact these fungi have had on society.

tools of the trade: Lab basics [monthly series]

October’s Topic: Primer Design

Polymerase Chain Reaction (or PCR) is a common laboratory technique used to “xerox” or amplify pieces of DNA into millions of copies. But the genome is 3 billion A’s, T’s, G’s, and C’s — how do we copy certain regions of DNA and not others? That’s where PCR primers come in. In this session, we’ll explore the basics of PCR and learn how to design primers to amplify specific regions of the genome that we’re interested in investigating. You’ll learn about the characteristics of a good primer and how to optimize your primers for your specific experimental goals and interests.

Bioinformatics for Beginners

With the advent of new technologies, there is a vast and growing amount of biological data at our fingertips. But how do we find that data and actually use it? That’s where bioinformatics, a field all about leveraging computational tools to analyze complex biological data, comes in. Bioinformatics makes it possible for us to analyze our genetic code to answer questions about evolution, health, and ancestry, regardless of programming experience.

In this two-day workshop, we’ll introduce the basics of bioinformatics and help you dive straight into the belly of the computational beast. You’ll learn where to find publicly available data (your taxes paid for this!), and how to use this data to run a few common analyses to investigate questions about evolution, disease, and genomes. We’ll guide you through a real dataset to extract interesting details about life directly on your laptop and then help you explore your own questions!

slime mold bioart

Slime molds have fascinated scientists with their ability to make decisions, anticipate change, and cleverly navigate their surroundings. These “molds” are not actually fungi, but instead a mass of cells that gather together to form a seemingly smart and mobile “superorganism.”

In this workshop, we’ll explore slime mold not only as interesting biological phenomena, but also as an artistic medium and non-human creative collaborator. We’ll dig into the science behind why slime molds behave the ways that they do, and teach you how to grow slime mold for use in your artistic practice. (Note: slime mold is safe for at-home use.)

GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY MUSHROOM WALK

Join us for an all-ages, socially-distanced, family-friendly afternoon walk through Green-Wood Cemetery in search of mushroom specimens!

Green-Wood Cemetery is a favorite for novice and expert mycologists alike, and just so happens to be across the street from the Genspace lab. Join us for an afternoon walk through the cemetery to learn how to differentiate the delicious from the deadly and start putting names to some of the city’s more common fall fungi. At this time of year we can expect to see hen of the woods, agaricus, amanita, boletes, blewits, puffballs, honey mushrooms and perhaps even a stinkhorn or two!

Mushroom Identification Workshop

Mushrooms are all around us, decomposing, recycling, and regenerating our ecosystems. But how do we know which mushroom is which? And how can we as community scientists accurately document the mushrooms in our communities to better understand how mushrooms are thriving or disappearing as our climate changes?

In this workshop we’ll explore and practice two key methods to identify and describe mushrooms — DNA barcoding and morphology. Using mushrooms gathered on our family-friendly Green-Wood Cemetery Mushroom Walk, your neighborhood, or even from the grocery store, we’ll practice morphological descriptions, and explore the basics of how DNA barcoding works. We’ll use a common bioinformatics tool called BLAST to practice identifying mushrooms based on their DNA.

Finally, we’ll discuss how we can share our observations on common community science platforms like iNaturalist and Mushroom Observer, so that others can use our data to better understand and protect fungi and their habitats.

tools of the trade: Lab basics [monthly series]

September’s Topic: Molecular Cloning

Learn how scientists design and express whichever genes they chose using molecular biology visualization software SnapGene! Before we jump into the software, we’ll review the basics of DNA, molecular cloning, and restriction enzymes. By the end of the workshop, you’ll be able to (virtually) design a new genetically engineered organism in SnapGene.

The Art and Science of a Classic Cocktail

In this workshop, we’ll explore the history and science surrounding craft cocktails, covering the maceration, distillation, and legislation of cocktails in the United States from past to present. You’ll learn all about common cocktail practices, such as iced/chilled and shaken/stirred, as well a range of cocktail additives, including egg whites, syrup, and citrus. We’ll also dive into alcohol by volume (ABV), sugar, and acidity and how those ratios can impact the flavor and taste of a cocktail...and of course, you’ll apply these newly-learned principles of cocktail chemistry and physics to make your own drinks!

tools of the trade: Lab basics [monthly series]

August’s Topic: Fermentation

Curious about the basic science behind fermentation? Want to explore the world of fermented foods? Join us for an evening of science, food, and exploration! We’ll start with a crash-course in the science behind fermentation, covering a few different fermentation processes and methods. We’ll then explore a range of simple and complex fermented foods, sharing recipes for making yoghurt, bread, kombucha, and even dosas (South Indian pancakes).

tools of the trade: Lab basics [monthly series]

July’s Topic: Winogradsky Columns

Explore the wonderful world of microbes by creating a Winogradsky column using samples from your local surroundings! A Winogradsky column, sometimes described as "mirobial ecology in a bottle" is a beautiful (sometimes colorful!) visual demonstration of the diversity of microbes and microbial processes occurring in the soil around us.

In this interactive workshop, we'll walk you through how to make your own Winogradsky column using materials that you've probably already got lying around, and review some basic concepts in microbial science. No previous science experience needed!

Exploring Kombucha Papermaking

Kombucha has been brewed for centuries as a tangy beverage made of tea and a symbiotic glob of bacteria and yeast known as SCOBY. But SCOBY can also be the basis for creating a renewable parchment-link paper.

In this course, artist Nikki Romanello will teach you how to grow paper from a living kombucha culture, discussing brewing techniques and the process for creating a parchment-like kombucha paper. Please BYO SCOBY (you can find it for ~$10 on Amazon).

tools of the trade: Lab basics [monthly series]

June’s Topic: DIY Disinfectants

Can’t find hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes? Learn how to make your own with this month’s Tools of the Trade on DIY Disinfectants. We will learn a bit about disinfectants and soaps and learn how they keep bacteria and viruses away. In our time together, we will go over how to make a few common cleaners when the supply is low. We will be making a disinfectant spray, hand sanitizer, and 2 kinds of disinfectant wipes.

Bioinformatics For Beginners

Technological advances have created myriad biological data, and this breadth of data means that biologists need to be just as savvy at the command line as they are at the lab bench. Enter...bioinformatics! In a single weekend afternoon, we’ll teach you the fundamentals of bioinformatics, using beginner-friendly data analysis tools that are suitable for those with little to no programming experience. You’ll mine publicly-available databases, compile genetic information, and run analyses about evolution, disease, and genomes.

Proteins in the Pantry: A Hands-On Introduction to Protein Engineering

In this hands-on virtual course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of proteins and their role in food, health, disease, the environment, and art. We’ll start by performing simple experiments on common proteins you probably have in your kitchen and then discuss the role of proteins in everything from cancer research to architecture and art. Finally, we’ll wrap up by learning to use specialized online tools to explore the beauty and versatility of protein crystal structures.

Whether you’re interested in the role of proteins in medicine, food, art, or the environment, this course will empower you with a new perspective — literally — by zooming in on these molecules with atomic precision.

tools of the trade: Lab basics [monthly series]

May's Topic: Bioplastics

Join Genspace's Expressive Matter Community Project Team for a foray into the world of bioplastics, or plastics made from renewable biomass sources such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, food waste, and more. 

We’ll experiment with a variety of DIY bioplastic recipes, discuss the initial processes used in material sciences exploration, and share ways to get started in your own kitchen. You’ll leave this workshop knowing what tools and ingredients you need to make bioplastics at home, how to document your process, and where to go for the most up-to-date research.

Protein Engineering for Medicine, Art, and Our Planet

This course introduces the fundamentals of proteins and their role in health, disease, and the environment. In this three-day course, we’ll start by performing protein analysis experiments in the lab and discussing their use in everything from cancer research to architecture and art. You’ll then use specialized software to explore the beauty and versatility of protein crystal structures with a choose-your-own adventure protein docking experiment. By the end of the class, you’ll have made a protein docking movie and walk away with your own unique GIF. Whether you’re interested in applications to medicine, food, art, or the environment, this course will empower you with a new perspective- literally- by zooming in on these molecules with atomic precision.

Introduction to Vaccine Science with Dr. Steve Kaminsky

What does it take to develop a vaccine? How does a vaccine actually work? 

In this interactive lecture, Steve Kaminsky, Ph.D., Professor of Research in Genetic Medicine and an Associate Director of the Belfer Gene Therapy Core Facility at Weill Cornell Medicine, will provide an overview of the vaccine development process and a brief primer on immunology science relevant to vaccine function. Dr. Kaminsky will draw from his own work developing a candidate vaccine to treat cocaine addiction by outlining the problem, strategy, and studies that provided a path from concept to clinical trial. He’ll also cover vaccine construction more generally, touching on the challenges of vaccine design, how animal studies can provide a proof of concept, and the role of safety and toxicology studies through clinical trial design. 

If time permits, Dr.Kaminsky will share a bit about the work going into developing a vaccine for the novel coronavirus and the variety of challenges that can be expected. 

Myco-Materials 101: How to Make Mushroom-Based Paper, Ink, and Dye

In this interactive webinar, participants will get a broad introduction to myco-materials (AKA mushroom-based materials), and their myriad applications in industry, art, and beyond. We’ll share tips for how you can make your own myco-materials and provide you with a bunch of online resources that you can reference along the way.

Instructor Lera Niemackl will demonstrate a few experiments in her lab and then guide you through a series of experiments that you can do at home, using tools and supplies that you likely already have.

Biomimicry [From your home]: learning from nature’s genius 

Ever wonder what makes a peacock’s feathers so vibrant? Or how ants can communicate along complex scent trails to find and distribute food? How do honeybees use swarm logic to regulate the internal hive temperature? And why do trees and other plants grow in a similar and repeating patterns?

These questions encompass the underlying inquiry and ethos of biomimicry, looking to nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies to help solve our human challenges. Join us for this interactive workshop where you will learn not about, but from nature with a new lens of discovery. We will examine the fundamentals of biomimicry by looking at nature’s form, function and ecosystems.

Mining human genome data with r

Genetic sequencing is cheaper than ever and publicly available genomics datasets are everywhere. But how do we make sense of the petabytes of A’s, T’s, C’s, and G’s? Enter...bioinformatics!

In this two-part course, we'll learn how to write code in the statistical programming language R to access publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a massive NIH-funded project to profile the genetics of thousands of patients with 30 different common cancer types. Then, we'll discuss different sequencing technologies, consider how different types of data allow us to answer different questions, and download RNA-sequencing data from TCGA. Finally, we'll apply what we've learned to explore the genetics of glioblastoma (a deadly brain cancer), using our own code to brainstorm how researchers might develop next-generation personalized targeted medical strategies.

Biohacker Boot Camp: Weeknight Edition

Join us for this hands-on introductory lab class and discover the foundations of modern biotechnology. After learning about the history of biotechnology and the structure of DNA, we'll get in the lab. Course topics include: polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, comparative genomics, DNA editing (using restriction enzymes and ligases), uploading DNA circuits (using bacterial transformation and plating techniques), synthetic biology (using modular analysis and design of DNA circuits), Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Bio, and more! 

Neurohacking 201: Machine Learning

Machine learning has led to impressive advances in a range of technical and scientific fields, including human neuroimaging with MRI. In this day-long course, we’ll teach you how to use Nilearn and Scikit Learn, a popular Python package for machine learning and analyzing neuroimaging data, to examine the human brain and its myriad functions.

We’ll focus on the brain’s visual and attentional systems, and discuss how these systems work in conjunction with other parts of the brain to produce a coherent representation of the world around us. We’ll also explore a range of popular techniques in advanced neuroimaging, with a particular focus on using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) to decode patterns of brain activity related to visual and attention systems.

This course builds off of content presented in our Neurohacking 101 course and assumes some familiarity with Python programming. Please contact info@genspace.org with any questions regarding course eligibility.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: LAB BASICS

March's Topic: Automating Experiments with Opentrons

In this session, we'll teach you how to test protocols on the Opentrons OT-2 liquid-handling robot and walk you through writing and debugging customizable scripts. By the end of the workshop, you'll know how to find ready-to-use, automated workflows to streamline your wet lab projects.

Biohacker boot camp: weekend edition

Did you know that you can now get your whole genome sequenced for less than an iPhone? And that an organism with specific genes removed doesn't count as a genetically modified organism?

Biotechnology touches many aspects of our lives and is changing with blinding speed. This introductory course covers the major characteristics of the molecular heart of the modern biology era: DNA. Learn the techniques that facilitated the biotechnology revolution, get hands-on experience, and find out where the future is going in the Biohacker Boot Camp.

microbial minutes in vivio with julie wolf

What's hot in the microbial sciences? Join Julie Wolf for an informal discussion of some of the most recent research from microbiology journals. This monthly gathering features a loosely structured conversation centered around two recent scientific articles. Participants of all scientific backgrounds are welcome to join this in vivo version of the American Society for Microbiology YouTube series.

BIOMATERIALS CRASH COURSE

Step into the fascinating world of biomaterials in this four-week course. Together we'll explore working with kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), mycelium, slime mold, and bioluminescent bacteria and fungi. In addition to learning the practicalities of growing and caring for these microbe-based materials, we'll also discover their applications for art, design, textiles, sustainability and more. Prompts will be provided for specific projects, but each participant will also be free to develop their own concept to build on with each organism used throughout the course. Each person will go home with a variety of their own living creations!

tools of the trade: Lab basics [monthly series]

February’s Topic: Microscopy

In this session, we will teach you how to use Genspace’s microscopes. Bring in your favorite environmental sample or just something you want to see up close! We’ll teach you how to prepare slides and find what you’re looking for under different magnifications and how to avoid those pesky eyelashes. Plug in our handy camera to capture what you see!

neurohacking 101: analyzing and visualizing brain networks

Learn some of the basic techniques used in the cleaning and analysis of fMRI data. We will study brain networks using open source Python tools, pull brain data from servers, and show you how to create your own workflows for manipulation and visualization!

The (GIF)t of Life: Engineering Proteins for Medicine, Art, and Our Planet

This course introduces the fundamentals of proteins and their role in health, disease, and the environment. In this three-day course, we’ll start by performing protein analysis experiments in the lab and discussing their use in everything from cancer research to architecture and art. You’ll then use specialized software to explore the beauty and versatility of protein crystal structures with a choose-your-own adventure protein docking experiment. By the end of the class, you’ll have made a protein docking movie and walk away with your own unique GIF. Whether you’re interested in applications to medicine, food, art, or the environment, this course will empower you with a new perspective- literally- by zooming in on these molecules with atomic precision.

Coloring Textiles with Bugs: Old [Cochineal] and New [Bacteria]

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn both the history and the science of coloring textiles with organisms using historical techniques and new scientific developments. Explore the long tradition of dyeing cloth brilliant shades of red with cochineal insects. Then, discover new cutting-edge techniques of printing textiles with colorful microbes. We will delve into the world of sustainable natural dyes and create artful textile collages.

Cordyceps Cultivation & the Weird World of Mushrooms

In this workshop, participants will get an introduction to mycology, with emphasis on cultivating the bizarre, macabre mushrooms Cordyceps militaris. Topics will include the evolutionary history, life cycle, cultivation, molecular mycology and more!

Biocultures as Interactive Storytelling with Slime Tech Lab

Slime mold is a bright, vivid, living monoculture. Due to its ability to grow in the pattern of nodes and branches, technologists have been using it as a tool and medium to represent a wide array of efficient systems, from the functionality of the Internet to the decision making patterns of algorithmic artificial intelligence. In week one, we’ll learn about the wonders of slime mold, looking at its ability to solve puzzles as well as its model behaviour for equitable societies, decentralized social cooperation, diversity, and empowered futures. You’ll learn how to inoculate, cultivate and care for your slime mold. In session two, we’ll discuss the experience of witnessing this collaborative performance piece and discuss ways in which you could design new variations. This project will live on the Slime Tech Lab and be available for viewing for the course of the exhibition.

Biological membranes and DIY Soapmaking

How is it that soap cleans? In this 3 hour class, we will discuss the chemistry of soap, detergents, and dry cleaning. We will use interactive molecular building exercises and 3D computer modeling to get a feel for how lipid molecules bond and flex and we will learn how specific lipids are relevant to diet and health. The class will culminate in a soap making lab where we create a batch of artisan quality bar soap that can be used at home.

DIY Neuroscience: Mind Reading 101

In this class, you will learn how to use an electroencephalogram (EEG) to collect the ongoing waves of electrical activity in your own brain. Then, you will learn how to interpret this activity and use it to control things in the world. We will conclude with a discussion about the use of such technologies in law and society more generally

The Artistic World of Histology

In this workshop, participants will explore the structure and functions of cells and their affiliated tissues. Students will get a chance to prepare their own wet mount slides for view under the microscope.

IOT 101: Circuits, Computers, NEtworks

Have you ever wished that your plant could tell you when it wanted to be watered? Or maybe you have a project that you’d like to regularly photograph? Or, perhaps you need a custom incubator for research? These are all potential applications of the 'Internet of Things' (IoT).

IoT is the extension of the internet into everyday objects and devices. This class dives into IoT and 'physical computing' by starting with a practical example–an incubator monitor for the laboratory which can send an alert via email, text message or tweet. We will build this device in class and along the way you'll learn basic concepts in electronics and networking through hands-on activities. IoT 101 will prepare you to research and make an Internet-connected device of your own design using open-source tools, publicly-available resources and example projects.

Feast, famine, and flowering plants: understanding epigenetics through mustard plants 

Many reports have come out in the news and from not-so-credible sources about the role epigenetics has in our traits and risk for disease and ways to influence your epigenetics, but what is this phenomenon really about? In this class, we will use mustard plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) to explore how genetic information relates to physical characteristics through the epigenetic mechanisms that allow cells to read only the sections of the genetic blueprint that they need. We will also discuss how the lessons learned from model systems like mustard plants relate to human variation and disease.

Painting with Microbes: ASM Agar Art Contest

Join Genspace for a hands-on activity where you'll learn how microbes can be engineered to produce eye-pleasing images and novel materials. Genspace will provide colorful or fluorescent microbes that you can paint on your own agar 'canvas'!

This event was part of the American Society for Microbiology Agar Art contest, and all participants were invited to enter their microbial art for the chance to win a prize! To learn more, you can visit www.asm.org/agarart

Personal Genetics 101: Design Your Own Genetic Test

In this workshop, you’ll get hands-on experience designing and doing your own genetic test. We will discuss the past, present, and future of genetic testing and do a genetic test for the Per3 gene, investigating the relationship of this gene to a preference for morning versus evening activity (Early Bird vs. Night Owl) using PCR and gel electrophoresis. Then, we will use free online tools to design genetic analysis protocols for a trait you’re interested in exploring- along the way you’ll gain experience designing primers, investigating restriction enzymes, and assessing different types of variations associated with different traits.

Fruiting Bodies: Creative Experiments in Fungal Inoculation and Mycoremediation

In this workshop, participants will dive into the fascinating world of fungi with an introduction to mycology and creative experiments in reproducing mushrooms (cloning and inoculating) and using fungi to remediate damaged land (mycoremediation). Together, participants will create agar-based sculptures modeled from chosen body parts, inoculate the sculptures with fungi, and document the growth process. The following weekend, we will gather again to bury the fruiting bodies* in a local disturbed site in need of mycoremediation in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Hormones gone haywire! diy testing for endocrine disrupting compounds

What EDCs (endocrine disrupting compounds) are in your food and water, how did they get there, and what are their effects?

In this workshop we will work with simple DIY tools to extract and identify EDCs using liquid samples from local waterways and the grocery store. We will construct a simple Solid Phase Extraction apparatus that will allow us to collect these estrogenic compounds from sample liquids and discuss the implications of our findings.

Mushroom Walk in Green-Wood Cemetery

Genspace's Sunset Park lab is just across the street from Green-Wood Cemetery, a stunning park featuring skyline views of Manhattan and a favorite for the New York Mycological Society. Join us for an all-ages, family-friendly morning walk through the cemetery in search of mushroom specimens.

composing with smell: A Scent-imental Journey

In this workshop, we will explore the fascinating world of scent - its deep connection to human psyche and biology and its use in art, commerce and wellness. We will learn about scent families and the basic composition process used in perfumery and aromatherapy. Working with natural essential oils, you will create your own scent formulas and compositions to take home.

Mushroom Barcoding Workshop

Using fungal tissue samples from mushrooms gathered during the City Nature Challenge, we will overview and perform DNA extraction, isolation, amplification, verification, and sequencing. We will go over all the steps involved in extracting DNA from our fungal samples, and while our samples are running we will learn how to use bioinformatics to build phylogenetic trees from the samples that we've collected to contribute to online research platforms.

KOMBUCHA PAPERmaking: Grow your own paper

Kombucha—for centuries it’s been brewed as a tangy beverage made of tea and a symbiotic glob of bacteria and yeast known as SCOBY. In this bioart papermaking course you will explore a new way to utilize kombucha. It is not only a great source of probiotics—it can also grow a renewable art material!

Backyard Biodiversity: iNaturalist and Biocubes for Citizen Science Studies

The Backyard Biodiversity Workshop will consist of two parts: learning how to use the free app iNaturalist, to make high-quality ecological observations of organisms you find in your favorite environment; and building your own Biocube, a fun, informative, and manageable way of exploring the biodiversity in the world around you by focusing on a cubic foot of space. By looking closely and documenting the life in a small area, you can get a better understanding of how different ecosystems are structured, how they function, and how they change.

How to run automated experiments with opentrons

Never used a liquid handling robot before, but tired of pipetting for up to an hour or more at a time? In this 6-hour class, you will learn how to set-up and run the Opentrons pipetting robot, write Python programming scripts for the robot, and share protocols with the worldwide Opentrons community.

Swabbing Cheek to Cheek: Inside Personal Genetic Testing for Romance  

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll do your own genetic test for one of the commonly analyzed “love” genes, discuss the science and hype around this type of genetic testing, and consider the ethical and social issues of DNA-based matchmaking services.

intro to plant genetics: from genotype to phenotype 

In this class we will use mustard plants to explore how changes in the sequence of DNA can lead to changes in proteins and physical characteristics. You will use DNA purification, polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and bioinformatics to compare two plants with different genes and learn about how cells use the information in our genes to specify physical traits.

SLIME mold workshop

Draw with slime mold! In this workshop we will design the growth and shape of slime mold. Participants will learn about the biology of this fascinating organism and explore its use for BioArt. We will create a maze in a Petri dish and watch how the slime mold finds the most efficient path to food.

Bioinformatics: using r to find genes for disease

How do we find genes that have a true statistical significance and a biological relevance? This two day course will highlight methods of finding genes involved in a disease using statistical methods,  visualizations, and biological networks. We will highlight how to use the free statistical package R on the first day and then work through a biological data set on the second day.

Coloring Textiles with Bugs: Old [Cochineal] and New [Bacteria]

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn both the history and the science of coloring textiles with organisms using historical techniques and new scientific developments. Explore the long tradition of dyeing cloth brilliant shades of red with cochineal insects. Then, discover new cutting-edge techniques of printing textiles with colorful microbes. We will delve into the world of sustainable natural dyes and create artful textile collages.

bioluminescence: Painting with glowing microbes

Introduce microbes to your creative practice! Learn to culture and paint with dinoflagellates and walk away with your own glowing masterpiece.

Mycoremediation Workshop

Learn about the theory and practice of using fungi to improve the quality of degraded environments in this mycoremediation workshop. The knowledge learned here can be applied to restoring degraded soil, breaking down chemical contaminants, filtering water pollutants, and more. Participants will leave the workshop with an understanding of the current state of knowledge of mycoremediation, tools to begin implementing their own mycoremediation experiments, guidance about promising future directions in the field, and much more!

Make Your Own Ghost Heart

Join Genspace for a two-day, hands-on tissue engineering workshop to create “ghost heart”. We will be using decellularization, a tissue engineering technique that strips all of the cells from a donor organ leaving behind nothing but a scaffold of connective tissue called a “ghost organ,” named for its pale and ghostly appearance. You will have a chance to handle a real heart and learn how it works!

Intro to Mycology

Fungi are the keystone species that interconnect every facet of life in our world. This class will highlight the supreme influence these ancient and often overlooked organisms have upon our health, society, and environment and also provide a succinct peek into the Fungal Queendom from the perspectives of ecology, anthropology, pharmacology, and bioremediation.

Solving Cases with genetic traces: a forensics and genomics workshop

While reading the first human genome cost $3 billion and took 13 years to complete in 2003, today, that same genome can now be genotyped for $99 and can be given as a Christmas present to connect to long-lost family members. The wide adoption of genomics is not without ethical challenges, tensions between scientific progress, individual privacy, and the potential for group-based discrimination. Join Dr. Sophie Zaaijer and Dr. Kadija Ferryman for a workshop exploring the promises, challenges, and perils as genomics becomes a part of everyday life.

RNA Evolution: From Primordial Life to Masterminds of Gene Expression

From dark matter of genomes to primordial life on earth, RNA is no longer the simple messenger to the genetic code. In this course, students will discover the vast and intricate world of RNA biology. Learn how to extract RNA from mouse organs and use reverse-transcriptase PCR to visualize how RNA can determine cellular diversity beyond the genetic blueprint.

Visual storytelling lab

In popular culture, science is often associated with long equations and technical diagrams. However, throughout history, illustration and storytelling have played a central role in the popularization of science and scientific progress itself. 

Through a mix of drawing activities and laboratory experimentation, this workshop investigates the potential of comics as a format for science communication. 

Biodesign: Grow Your Own Mycelium Lamp

Come explore mycelium with us as we learn about its many functions and characteristics, and find out how “nature’s glue” is being bio-utilized in many applications across industries as humans seek out more sustainable production processes. Get ready to get your hands dirty, literally, when we walk you through the process of growing your own lampshade using mycelium. 

Plant adaptation to a changing climate

In this workshop, we will cover the basics of global climate change, how certain plants are able to acclimate or adapt to changing climates, and the plant traits that are becoming increasingly important to climate change adaptation. This class is a perfect introduction to anyone interested in climate change ecology, plant adaptation, or the link between genes and traits.

Programming with DNA in a test tube

In this workshop, you’ll take first steps in cell-free synthetic biology by designing and programming a sensing circuit with DNA, adding it to a a cell-free extract where it will be expressed as a visible protein, and measuring the results.

Biotextiles: Grow your own materials for fashion design

In this two-part introduction to biotextiles, you’ll learn how to grow fabrics from microbes and then use natural and bioengineered bacteria to dye them.

Protein World: Biology's Unsung Hero

DNA may get the all glory, but proteins are the workhorses of the body. Take a deep dive into the wonderfully intricate and dynamic world of proteins! Students will model protein structures as well as take part in a protein extraction.

2D DIY Bioprinting: Hacking Your Home Printer

Learn the basics of bioprinting in this hands on class. Participants will assemble and program an InkShield home printer with Arduino to print e.coli with a fluorescent protein.

DIYbio Incubator: Build Your Own Incubator

Participants will learn how to build a low-cost incubator including basic electronics and Arduino programming. We will also use our newly constructed DIY incubator to run an experiment.

BIOINFORMATICs

Want to find out what bacteria are living around you? In this workshop we will learn the methods for identifying microbial species with DNA sequencing data, and understand what their functions are and how that can inform decisions or urban design.

BIOTECHNOLOGY THROUGH SCIENCE FICTION

Science fiction gives us an opportunity to speculate on how today’s technologies will reshape tomorrow. This course explores the potential social impacts of biotech through videos, film, art and literature.

Synthetic Biology: Learn to Program Life

In this workshop, you will learn the fundamentals of synthetic biology in a hands-on way. This workshop complements a panel discussion taking place at Data & Society on March 16th entitled Synthetic Biology—Programming with DNA. 

FERMENTATION: Making kefir

Fermentation is one of the oldest food processing methods used today. Scientifically known as zymology, it is the conversion of carbohydrates into alcohols, carbon dioxide, using yeast, or bacteria. Learn to make kefir using milk and milk alternatives.

The Chemistry of Lotions and Creams: DIY Beauty Products

In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn about the chemistry behind the ingredients in lotions and creams, as well as the physical processes required to create these products. 

family science lab

Anyone can be a researcher, no matter their age. Children (ages 6-12) and grown-up pairs will get hands on experience in a biotech lab, extracting their own DNA and exploring its molecular structure in our Family Science Laboratory. 

Consumer Empowerment: What DNA Reveals About Your Food

What's in your food? Find out in this hands-on lab class. You will learn how to extract DNA from food using techniques such as DNA barcoding and PCR to determine if that goat cheese is really from goats, what’s really in a Filet-O-Fish, and if that granola you had for breakfast is really non-GMO. 

Beer Brewing 101: Homebrewing Essentials

You will learn all the basics to get you up and running while brewing a batch of beer. You’ll learn about extract brewing, malts, grains, yeasts and how to avoid or troubleshoot the most common problems.

Plant Based Pigments: Dyeing with Indigo

In this hands-on class we will explore one of the most iconic natural dyes – Indigofera tinctoria, commonly known as indigo. Participants will learn how to create a fermented indigo vat, and walk away with their own hand dyed fabric samples.

Speculative Biodesign

In this course we will imagine speculative design outcomes using biotechnology. We will work hands-on in the lab to grow material samples and imagine how the materials might be used in the future. We’ll learn to use design as a medium for experimentation to stimulate critical discussion on the social and cultural implications of current and emerging biotechnologies.

FOOD FUTURES

In this class we will look at ecosystems, speculative design, and biotechnologies related to agriculture. Participants will design a projects that incorporate elements of contemporary technologies and centuries old practices of biodiversity and permaculture.

DNA ORIGAMI

DNA origami consists in "knitting" shapes with DNA strands. In this class we will learn about the applications of this technology, and how to use CAD (computer-aided-design) programs to design DNA origami shapes on the nanoscale.

DIY Neuroscience

In this course, participants will measure neuron firing in cockroaches and crickets, conducting experiments with music and mind altering chemicals to see how neurons fire firsthand.

Local color: extracting pigment from plants

This hands-on class will examine local color- how to grow it, find it, and extract it. We will create natural dyes from food waste and locally foraged plants.

PRIVACY IN THE ERA OF PERSONAL GENOMICS

In less than a decade, the practice of genomics has become ubiquitous, and the data sets enormous. Its wide adoption comes barbed with ethical challenges, tensions between scientific progress and individual privacy, and a heritage based in racial discrimination.

Non-Toxic B/W Film Processing Using Coffee and Beer

Process your own film using beer and instant coffee crystals with MONO NO AWARE. In this one-day workshop, participants will be given all of the information necessary to mix their own negative processing chemistry using a combination of consumable items from the grocery store.

BIOART MASTER CLASS

In this three part bioart survey the lab is the new artist studio, and the petri dish the new canvas. Participants will break down barriers between biology, art, and design — exploring new ways to work with and grow microbes, slime mold and bioluminescent organisms as a part of the artist's creative practice.

SUMMER FERMENTS

Smell, taste, discuss and make a few simple seasonal ferments. In this workshop we’ll explore and craft two delicious types of vegetable ferments that are easily made at home without any special ingredients or equipment.

Fungi Fabrication: Mycelium Materials

In this course we will work with mycelium as material for experimental design applications. Working hands-on in the lab, participants will grow a variety of samples with mycelium ranging from biodegradable ‘styrofoams’ to leather-like textile alternatives.

SLime Mold workshop

Long classified as Fungi, slime "molds" are now known to be a creature all their own. In this 2 hour workshop participants will explore slime mold—how to grow it and how to use it for bioart.