BioHacking Syndicate

Past OFFDEM
1

Biohacking prequel − decentralize and liberate garage biology / Non-formal discussion

When Everett Rogers wrote about biohacking in 1988[1], he charged us with being Frankenstein in the making.

Also, right after that, misunderstanding and other postures surfed the wave of “Biohackers as potential bioterrorists”. It is always a myth used, and at the same time the mistrust of science and technology is turning sour; although a critical relationship to them is vital.

“Forgotten Histories of DIYbio, Open, and Citizen Science: Science of the People, by the People, for the People?”[2] (Denisa Kera) did not receive the echo and media coverage equivalent to the platforms of the capitalists, bio-crypto-bros, and eugenicists. So, we are now faced with the erasure of our own history, including the deposition of responsibility for our legacies and what we bequeath.

“Biohacking Syndicate” based on the work and writings of petites singularités (Pænser Ensemble : le Collectif et le Soin Radical, (On software syndicalism by @spacekookie), Un syndicat logiciel, pour qui? - THX (by @natacha).

This is one of the most important ways to liberate our practices and work collaboratively with decentralisation and distribution on a healthy & ethic basis.

This is why we invite you to this round table discussion and meeting.

Just some thoughts from our minds (feel free to add more or remove):

  • Open knowledge and open science
  • Garage & underground culture
  • Libre Insuline
  • Seeds and environmental investigation
  • Health, care, diagnostic
  • Critical pedagogy
  • Hospitality

  1. PLAYING GOD IN YOUR BASEMENT, “people went into a state of alarm. There were movies about hackers. Perhaps in a few years there will be movies about {bio-hackers} creating Frankensteinian monsters.”, 1988. ↩︎

  2. Denisa Kera 2019 (PDF, 174.9 KB) ↩︎

2

Santiago Ramón y Cajal is one of the greatest neuroscientists/neuroanatomist all time, and he did most of his work from home, and he thought that was much better than bothering with university facilities.

extract from full book here:

Advice for a Young Investigator – Santiago Ramón y Cajal 1897

please read the full extract here (1.2 MB)

preview:

Of course, the facilities just mentioned should be distrib-
uted preferentially to the best professors with unquestion-
able authority. Beginners eager for reputation will meet with
greater obstacles. They should not, however, become dis-
couraged. To advance in their noble calling, they must
choose between sacrifice and subordination, that is, between
a laboratory of their own and a government facility.
In the complete absence of physical resources, any begin-
ner would have to resort to a government laboratory. He
will succeed, with determination, to be one of those closest
to the master. And as soon as his eficiency and scientific
preparation are adequate, what professor would deny him
a workbench and paternal advice?
Nevertheless, it would be more pleasing to see the begin-
ner (if physical resources are available) start his apprentice-
ship in a laboratory of his own—organized and maintained
with his own modest savings. There is no doubt that the
oficial establishment, with its master, offers valuable, and
in many cases, irreplaceable guidance to us. But in general
the work here is subject to many disadvantages. The number
of hours worked tends to be short, there is endless conver-
sation and hubbub, students and assistants come and go,
and analytical instruments are in constant use. Besides wast-
ing time, these and other annoyances associated with a
university laboratory distract attention in a way that is
rather harmful to scientific research.

3

I like:

Let books be our masters—wise mentors, serene, no bad temper, and no momentary lapses in ability. We shall happily give them our major commitment—which is to discover ourselves before discovering scientific truth, to mold ourselves before molding nature.

The rest of the paragraph would sound better to my ears if it talked about cooperation among peers instead of individualism, but the reference to playwright Henrik Ibsen is delighful to read in the prose of a scientist and a technician.

4

/// some research done during the talk

research regarding license in bio material

OpenMTA

OpenMTA info on biobricks foundation : https://biobricks.org/openmta/ // contract in itself: Open Material Transfer Agreement | BioBricks Foundation

OpenMTA info on openplant website : Open MTA — OpenPlant

notes: it seems that contract is prepared to be used between 2 organisations both having an identified (and recognised?) scientist.

openinsulin

info about licenses on page Patents, Open Source, and Open Insulin – Open Insulin

The Defensive Patent License (DPL) is a new legal mechanism to protect innovators by networking patents into powerful, mutually-beneficial legal shields that are 100% committed to defending innovation – no bullies, trolls, or other leeches allowed. It also helps prevent these actors from patenting open technologies and pulling them out of public use. It’s a way for patents to be used for good, and support innovators instead of threatening them.

The peer production license is an example of the Copyfair type of license, in which only other commoners, cooperatives and nonprofits can share and re-use the material, but not commercial entities intent on making profit through the commons without explicit reciprocity.

Humanitarian Technology and Intellectual Property License Agreement (seems to be draft…, last change occured in 2012!)

others

copyright infringement in india, cases and reports on the IP protection in other parts of the world:

US food and drug, list of licenses applied // Types of Licenses | FDA

BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS LICENSE AGREEMENT template (2020 version) : https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/ott/New%20Website/Licenses/License%20Agreement%20Templates/Biological%20Materials%20License%20Template%20for%20Website%207%206%202020.pdf

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/what-you-need-know-importing-biological-materials-united-states

5

Here is the pad containing notes taken live.

Any help in proofreading and correcting (typography, sentences, references, name, etc.) is welcome in order to have the most suitable writing possible and then copy it “in hard copy” here in petites singularités :hugs:

6

Just before and forward after ‘our’ event, I’m reading “Broadening Participation: 21st Century Opportunities for Amateurs in Biology Research”

The modern field of biology has its roots in the curiosity and skill of amateur researchers and has never been purely the domain of professionals. Today, professionals and amateurs contribute to biology research, working both together and independently. Well-targeted and holistic investment in amateur biology research could bring a range of benefits that, in addition to positive societal benefits, may help to address the considerable challenges facing our planet in the 21st century. We highlight how recent advances in amateur biology have been facilitated by innovations in digital infrastructure as well as the development of community biology laboratories, launched over the last decade, and we provide recommendations for how individuals can support the integration of amateurs into biology research.

And this one contributes to my reflection on this idea that after the “web workers/engineers turned small workers and exploited/victims of capitalism (and it’s still going on)” people who do free biology, like software, are today exposed to the same omnivorous and devouring threat: to be exploited Über/AirBnB(s) of the labor force of production and to sink in precariousness.

As well as our ancestors fell and died.

In the same time and space, One of the many consequences of the g00gle’s investments in biotechnology over the decades is that Dr. Alexander Titus (a Product Strategy & Operations Lead at G̶̢͈̠̣̓̓̈a̴͖̦̓́̇̒͜ḡ̸̺͇̚̚͝g̵̨̻̺̣̓l̷̞͊̀̿e̴̫̼̳̊ Research, formerly bio-engineer) & Jason Kelly (ginko bioworks: scam / scheme biotech backed by Besos and Gates) are legit for National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, which was established by Sec. 1091 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) (Republican side)

Ginko bioworks Is On The Roll With An Average Volume Of 11.71M In The Recent 3 Months
https://investchronicle.com/2022/03/15/ginkgo-bioworks-holdings-inc-dna-is-on-the-roll-with-an-average-volume-of-11-71m-in-the-recent-3-months/
And DARPA prnewswire.com/news-releases/ginkgo-bioworks-and-transcriptic-selected-by-darpa-to-leverage-robotic-cloud-lab-and-foundry-automation-to-accelerate-biological-design-with-9-5-m-award-300628716.html

And yes, George Church’s shadow and his perfume are right next door.

They are kleptocrates stealing our labour force to bankroll their ivory tower and then poisoning public institutions in order to legitimize the weapons of their own crime.

We deserve and need to rise-up against this robbery of techniques, of advocacy, of science, of human medcare, of biology, of reagent, of vaccine, of drugs.

So, yup, we deserve and need to take care to each other, we deserve and need to take care on free libre software and hardware.
But also, on the capacities and communities that fight for insulin, vaccine, self-testing (HIV, pregnancy, heart attack, etc.).

It’s time to forge an write our own rights: SYNDICATE & CNT International / International Confederation of Labor (ICL) in BioStuff with Sibling, sisters, brothers from software and hardware field.