Open Source Software Meets Do-It-Yourself Biology

destinyland writes "This article profiles a growing movement — DIY biology — that's made possible in part by open source tools. Using programs like BioPerl and BioPython, DIY biologists write their own code (computer and genetic), designing their own biological systems and altering the genome. A protein-folding simulator, Folding@home, is now the most powerful distributed computing cluster in the world, and as the movement evolves, cooperatives are also springing up where hobbyists pool resources and create 'hacker spaces' to reduce costs and share knowledge. 'As the shift to open source software continues, computational biology will become even more accessible, and even more powerful,' this article argues — while intellectual property and other bureaucracies continue to hobble traditional forms of research."

Comments

Is this really a new thing?

[Locke2005]

People have been experimenting with DIY biology for years. My first experiment is named "Venus", she is 9 years old now and is a sweet, lovable (if hyperactive) cheerleader. Overall, I'd say this experiment was a resounding success, although I am still waiting for others to replicate my results.