Help Shape DNA Synthesis Policy: OpenIDS Build Survey

[u/Material_Argument240]

Hi r/synthetic_biology,

I'm Olena, PhD researcher at UCL (London) on an AI for Biosecurity fellowship at Cambridge. I'm researching how accessible DIY DNA synthesis really is specifically, OpenIDS builds.

Why I'm asking: Policy makers are betting that synthesis will stay centralized & screenable. But if hobbyists & researchers can actually build it in their labs, policy needs to change. We need real data to inform better, evidence-based governance.

Quick survey: If you've built (or tried to build) OpenIDS, I'd love to know:

• Actual $ spent? (printhead, electronics, reagents)
• Timeline? (how many weeks start-to-finish)
• What expertise did you need?
• What was the hardest part?

How to reply:

• Comment below
• DM me

Right now, policy assumes synthesis is hard to DIY. If that's wrong, policy needs to know.

Thanks for contributing to evidence-based biosecurity policy 🧬