Organizing institution:
- Global Young Academy (GYA), c/o German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
AbstractDo-It-Yourself Biology is a rapidly evolving and emerging social biotechnology movement, in which individuals, community groups, and small organizations study biology and life science using the same or similar methods as traditional research institutions. DIY Biology is primarily undertaken by individuals with extensive research training from academia or biotech and pharmaceutical corporations, who then mentor and supervise novice DIY biologists with little or no formal training. DIY Biology may be done as a hobby, as a not-for-profit endeavor, an open-science innovation, or for-profit business. In recent years, maker spaces and community Do-It-Yourself Biology labs have been opening across the globe, to harness an interest in learning and working in non-academic settings. Currently, there are about 16 DIY Biology groups with nearly 600 active participants and some 5,000 followers or one-time comers across Latin America and Caribbean. Many of the ideas developed within DIY Biocommunities have been translated and commercialized to drive innovation, economic growth and to address several SDGs. Success stories of DIY Biology include start-up ideas developed as part of DIY Biology community which have been turned into profitable multimillion biotechnology ventures. This open science movement attracts more and more enthusiasts each year, but what is the best approach to tapping at the potential of this rapidly growing innovation ecosystem to ensure maximum economic and environmental benefits?
