Category: Uncategorized

EXPANDING THE TREE OF LIFE. "Andrew Hessel, a Distinguished Researcher with San Francisco based company Autodesk Inc ... presented a slideshow of the cutting edge experiments in synthetic biology. Computer coders and biological engineers are collaborating on some of the most innovative experiments in enzyme, DNA, and chemical construction. And these collaborations are happening in garages, art studios, and high-tech facilities. “We’re expanding the tree of life into synthetic organisms,”" " http://biohackersnyc.com/home/2014/1/27/survive-better-biohacking-the-future-of-enhancement.html View in LinkedIn

BIOPUNK CRITIC "Pat Mooney, executive director of ETC Group, is a critic of biohacking who argues that—using a laptop computer, published gene sequence information, and mail-order synthetic DNA—just about anyone has the potential to construct genes or entire genomes from scratch (including those of the lethal pathogens) in the near-future. He warns that the danger of this development is not just bio-terror, but "bio-error"." " http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopunk View in LinkedIn

THE FRINGE OR CUTTING EDGE? "Programmable memories, fatherless reproduction, nano-tech implants, amphibian-powered scar treatment, brain-scanning lie-detectors, inter-species reproduction, self-determining synthetic ‘green goo’… Which of these would you wager is pure science fiction, and which currently being developed in the lab?"" " http://lnkd.in/d4c4AZZ View in LinkedIn

DIY BIOLOGY. Amateurs working on scientific projects has a long tradition in natural history and astronomy; more recently, AIDS treatment activists and family disease associations (particularly the muscular dystrophy associations) have taken on the role of evaluating scientific data, with and without scientists, and driving the search for new treatments (Lorenzo's Oil). This has been driven by frustration at institutional efforts. Biohacking by amateurs fits within the outer boundary of these societal trends. " " http://lnkd.in/dC6T6wU View in LinkedIn

KITCHEN SINK BIOTECH. "We're heading into an era where people will be writing DNA programs like the early days of computer programming..." Drew Endy, MIT. "I see a cell as a chassis and power supply for the artificial systems we are putting together..." Tom Knight, MIT."" " http://lnkd.in/dCV_93T View in LinkedIn

DNA BEING HACKED EVERY DAY: "cells are self-assembling, non-toxic, self-repairing, low-energy, infinitely scalable and adaptive computing devices. Cells are hardware and DNA is software. The result? Biology, like other forms of computing, can be hacked. And it is being hacked, every." " http://lnkd.in/dNr39y6 View in LinkedIn

HIV AS A MODEL OF BIOSPAM. As HIV continues to mutate to evade immune surveillance and gain an upper hand over its host, it resembles computer spam trying to escape a computer's spam filter. The lessons from HIV strategies have been adapted to design computer spam filters. Spam filters are an artificial immune systems." " http://lnkd.in/d74GgKF View in LinkedIn

DIYbio WANTS DEMOCRATIZED BIOTECH "Cowell is the cofounder of a group called DIYbio. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cowell and his cohorts believe that biology is too important to be left in the hands of experts. By this they mean that the life sciences as practiced by academics, corporations, and the government are hamstrung by politics and bureaucracy in ways that make cumbersome the beneficial applications of the latest life-science discoveries."" " http://lnkd.in/d4ySrU7 View in LinkedIn

FUTURE BIOSPAM. "The more successful the attempts to program DNA as a 2 bit language for engineering biology become the more likely will be the appearance of “bio-spam, bio-spyware, bio-adware” and other bio-nuisances. An unrestricted biohackery scenario could put the health of a biohacker, the community around him or her and the environment under unprecedented risk."" " http://lnkd.in/dncwWnM View in LinkedIn

BIOTECH HACKER SPACE. "Bio, Tech and Beyond intends to “bootstrap” the traditional research model and provide a space for professionals and advanced amateurs to conduct independent research. For a fee that ranges up to $600 a month, they can access equipment and other resources that would usually be inaccessible to an individual. They will also offer classes that range in skill level from student to profesional."" " http://lnkd.in/dihJR8S View in LinkedIn