Anthony Tan is fundraising
Support Counter Culture Labs — YOUR biohacking lab!
Counter Culture Labs based in Oakland, California is an open science community lab designed to demystify and democratize biotechnology by putting tools in the hands of those who want to explore, innovate and learn to advance scientific literacy.
For far too long, science has been locked away in the “ivory towers” of universities and research labs. Silicon valley was born out of garage workshops and hobby clubs, the precursor to today’s hacker spaces. We believe that if we build a place with the tools and the community to support them, tomorrow’s great innovators in biotechnology can be born out of spaces like Counter Culture Labs.
Biology is the technology of the 21st century, and has the potential to affect our lives as much as or more than computers did in the 20th century. We believe in the power of diversity and peer-to-peer education; everybody has something to teach and everybody has something to learn. Whether you’re ready to start testing that cutting-edge, pre-startup research idea, or just want to play with some bioluminescent algae, this is the place for you!
Our lab has proudly served the community for over 12 years. We offer our members most of the essentials for any microbiologist; including incubators, microscopes, biosafety cabinets, and more! At this time, we are calling for your support in taking our lab to the next level! Counter Culture Labs (CCL) is a 501(c)3 non-profit so your donations are tax-deductible! This campaign will fund new projects and programs as well as support existing ones:
NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS:
- CCL 21st BIO is a new 3-month internship program that we are launching. Students will be matched with a lab mentor to work on one of our community projects, which address relevant 21st century challenges.
- Break into Biotech Bootcamp is a series of workshops designed for high school students. Our program is an immersive wet-lab biology experience that equips students with hands-on skills and introduces them to careers in biotech.
NEW COMMUNITY PROJECTS:
NEW Mammalian Cell Culture Division:
- Modulating stem cell differentiation through biomechanics. Guiding the development of stem cells into desired cell types is a critical challenge in regenerative medicine.
- CRISPR as a tool for curing diseases. By teaching students how to use this transformative tool, we can train the next generation of medical researchers.
NEW Plant Biology Division:
- Micropropagation of houseplants using plant tissue culture techniques. This method of multiplying plants is faster than seed. New micropropagation protocols can make nurseries more efficient and our favorite houseplants more affordable.
- Designing grow light combos for enhanced food production in vertical farming. Far-red light, a recently discovered photosynthetic contributor, can boost biomass production in leafy greens by over 25%!
- Leveraging nitrogen fixing microbes as a replacement for synthetic chemical fertilizers for more sustainable agriculture.
New Mycology Projects:
- Growing culinary mushrooms is a fun and tasty introduction to lab techniques. We’re excited to host workshops where we create and take home our own DIY mushroom kits.
- Developing a low-cost sequencing protocol for diagnosing house mold. Identifying these pesky microbes can help us quickly treat this problem. It’s quite relevant to the Bay Area during wintertime!
New members of our lab are encouraged to start new projects. We’re excited to support [Insert YOUR project]
ONGOING PROJECTS:
Open Insulin Project
We’re working to develop the first practical, small-scale, community-centered model for insulin production to make insulin accessible to all. This model will ensure communities in need have local sources of safe, affordable, high-quality insulin, and that people living with diabetes and their communities own and govern the organizations that produce the medicine they depend on to survive.
https://openinsulin.org/
Real Vegan Cheese
We are a grassroots, non-profit research group working to produce real cheese using cellular agriculture. We add the genes for cheese proteins to yeast and other microflora, and turn them into little protein factories, then make real cheese by adding plant-based fats and sugars. Real Vegan Cheese is not a cheese substitute -- the cheesemaking process is just like using cow or goat milk! We are dedicated to making our research available to the global community to enable a sustainable animal-free dairy industry.
https://www.realvegancheese.org/
ONGOING PROGRAMS:
Sponsored Memberships
- Our lab is accessible to everyone regardless of their financial background. With your generous donations, we are able to continue sponsoring low-income members.
Subsidized Membership Rate for Students
- Students automatically receive a 50% discount on lab membership. We are dedicated to supporting our next generation of scientists.
WHERE WILL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS GO?
$1500 // Mammalian Cell Culture Division (cell lines, mammalian culture media, etc.)
$1500 // Plant Biology Division (plant grow racks, lights, tissue culture supplies, etc.)
$1500 // Mycology Projects (mushroom substrate, grow bags, sequencing, etc.)
$1500 // Educational Programs for Students and Sponsored Memberships
$500 // Lab supplies and chemicals for ongoing projects
Our total target is $6500. Contribute today and celebrate 12 years of community science! Your support will bolster lab accessibility, educational programs for youth, and social impact projects.
- J
- A
30 supporters
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