Together, let’s make
Biology for Everyone
Every moment of every day, we see, engage, and construct with biology.
From gene editing with CRISPR in a lab to making yogurt under your kitchen counter, engineering with biology permeates all aspects of our lives. However, not everyone sees biology as around us, in us, and of us. The 21st century may be the century of biotechnology, but it is also the time when many do not feel empowered to engage. People have been disenfranchised from innovating with biology at a moment of crisis: climate change, pandemics, and global inequality afflict millions.
But what if everyone could access the tools and knowledge to see, understand, and construct effective biological solutions to their own problems, in their own communities? What if biology was by and for everyone?
Public LABraries could grow from community biology labs, science museums, nature centers, and other informal science spaces.
Pictured: Teens working on an iGEM project at a community biology lab, the Baltimore Underground Science Space (BUGSS) (Baltimore, MD)
Our vision:
LABraries & LABrarians
Drawing inspiration from the transformative impact of public libraries in the 20th century, we envision a 21st-century network of local biology labs—termed "LABraries"—that will empower individuals to learn, explore, and innovate in the life sciences.
At the LABrary, community members can participate in activities such as gardening and cooking workshops, engage in science competitions like iGEM, undertake community research projects focusing on local ecosystems, and develop new inventions. Each LABrary will be overseen by a dedicated “LABrarian”, who will ensure that the space is safe, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the community. The goal of this work is to grow a future with biotechnology where everyone is empowered to take part as learners, teachers, innovators, and stewards.
Our history
Biology, the science of life, has always been part of our families, communities and culture–whether we realize it or not. From spaces for land-based learning to community bio labs, “LABraries” exist all around us. The term “labraries” has been used for decades by libraries and STEM education leaders. Our LABraries project is meant to support and inform existing and new efforts that advance biology for everyone. We hope our effort will help grow a labrary ecosystem that empowers everyone to love biology.
Community gardens, nature centers, community bio labs, and other spaces inspire a love of biology. LABraries would integrate these spaces and could offer consistent funding and personnel to support bioliteracy.
Pictured: BioJam Camp with foldable paper microscope, Foldscope, at a local urban garden (Salinas, CA)
Join us
Join the movement to make Biology for Everyone! Support the creation of a global network of LABraries through getting involved in community biology efforts locally, starting a community biology lab, or building a Little Free LABrary (Lil Lab).
Neighborhood Lil Labs can spread awareness and trust in biology across the United States
Pictured: Local plant focused Lil Lab at Nest Makerspace by Corinne Okada Takara (Honolulu, HI)