---
title: "Do-it-yourself biology"
chunk: 3/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do-it-yourself_biology"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:13:30.373685+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

== Criticism and concerns ==
Biohacking experiences many of the same criticisms as synthetic biology and genetic engineering already receive, plus other concerns relating to the distributed and non-institutional nature of the work, involving potential hazards with lack of oversight by professionals or governments. Concerns about biohackers creating pathogens in unmonitored garage laboratories led the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to begin sending its representatives to DIYbio conferences in 2009.  The arrest and prosecution of some members for their work with harmless microbes, such as artivist Steve Kurtz, has been denounced as political repression by critics who argue the U.S. government has used post-9/11 anti-terrorism powers to intimidate artists and others who use their art to criticize society.
Existing regulations are not specific to this field, so that the possibility of pathogenic organisms being created and released unintentionally or intentionally by biohackers has become a matter of concern, for example, in the spirit of the re-creation of the 1917 flu virus by Armed Forces Institute of Pathology researchers in 2005.  In the US the FBI Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate has worked with the American Association for the Advancement of Science's National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity to convene a series of meetings to discuss biosecurity, which have included discussions of amateur biologists and ways to manage the risks to society it poses.  At the National Institutes of Health, National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity leads efforts to educate the public on "dual use research of concern", for example with websites like "Science Safety Security".  In 2011, DIYbio organized conferences to attempt to create codes of ethics for biohackers.
A 2007 ETC Group report warns that the danger of this development is not just bioterror, but "bio-error".
Further regulation into research conducted by these DIY Biology laboratories could lead them to being able to produce government-backed data. However, the movement was founded on the core ideals of unregulated biological innovations. In order to keep these laboratories accountable, Trust Architecture and regulatory bodies are implemented in the community to ensure accountability.
While detractors argue that do-it-yourself biologists need some sort of supervision, enthusiasts argue that uniform supervision is impossible and the best way to prevent accidents or malevolence is to encourage a culture of transparency, where, in essence, do-it-yourself biologists would be peer-reviewed by other biohackers. DIYbio argues that fear of potential hazards should be met with increased research and education rather than closing the door on the profound positive impacts that distributed biological technology will have on human health, the environment, and the standard of living around the world.  Due to the lack of precedent regarding such a business model, the DIYbio founders see this as an opportunity to be innovators in regulatory and safety policy.
Given the ongoing controversy surrounding biosafety, one of the ways people can become more aware of how to incorporate safety is through understanding which levels of experimentation require regulation. According to the National Institute of Health guidelines for research involving recombinant DNA, experiments are categorized based on their potential risk, with higher-risk work, such as manipulating pathogenic organisms. While lower-risk activities, such as basic laboratory techniques that do not involve harmful agents, may be exempt or require minimal oversight. 

== Groups and organizations ==
Baltimore Underground Science Space (BUGSS), in Baltimore, Maryland
Biocurious, in Sunnyvale, California
Boston Open Science Laboratory (BOSLab), in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Counter Culture Labs, in Oakland, California
Four Thieves Vinegar Collective
Genspace, in Brooklyn, New York
the Open Insulin Project, an international collaboration
Victoria Makerspace, in Victoria, British Columbia
DIYbio, an online network
Biohacking Village, a village within DEF CON, the cybersecurity conference
SoundBio Lab, a DIY biology makerspace in Seattle, Washington

== See also ==
Amateur chemistry
Open science
Body hacking
Grinder

== References ==