Bento Lab 🧬

PCR workstation with laptop-sized footprint? ✅ 32-well thermocycler? ✅ 8,000 × G centrifuge? ✅ Electrophoresis unit? ✅ Blue light transilluminator? ✅ Spare capacity/fieldwork/teaching/at home? ✅ Affordable and portable✅ Check out Bento Lab here: bento.bio/product/bento-…

What does it look like to do DNA analysis outside a traditional lab space? If you are curious... Here are 5 examples of temporary labs using Bento Lab, from boats to veterinary clinics to remote field sites in mountains. bento.bio/resources/bent…

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Sexing birds with PCR? Choosing the right primer is key Not sure where to start? This guide helps you plan with confidence. 🐦 Searchable species table 🐦 Tips for validation + testing 🐦 Key papers for 100+ species 🔗 Read the full guide: bento.bio/protocol/bird-…

Need to run PCR in the wild? From cave labs to jungle tents, this guide shows how to power Bento Lab off-grid: 🔋What kind of battery you need ⚡Tested power stations (Powkey + Yeti) 📊Real-world MinION energy calc Pack smart ➡️ bento.bio/resources/bent…

Here’s a great one-tube, four-step, 5–15 min DNA extraction method for on-bead PCR using alkaline polyethylene glycol (PEG) and paramagnetic beads. It could be very useful for point-of-need testing or other rapid field research. The method, by Lee et al. (2024), is called ASAP…

Building a DNA reference library for sharks and rays 🦈 in the Indian Ocean – exciting to see this new preprint from @blue_resources! They used Bento Lab to support a sequencing workflow with @oxfordnanopore. biorxiv.org/content/10.110…

Disease surveillance is evolving: faster, more effective, and less invasive (easier to use in real-world settings) Brilliant to see @PasteurCambodia in the Telegraph for their work using air sampling and portable equipment, pushing forward how we monitor high-risk environments.

Need a quick, low-cost DNA extraction for PCR, LAMP, or RPA? HotSHOT and Dipstick methods are both quick, safe, & under $0.50/sample — interesting for fieldwork or routine labwork. We’ve written a guide exploring when each method could work for you (and when it won’t).

In May 2025, The Telegraph joined our field mission on virus surveillance work in #Cambodia, where we used novel, non-invasive techniques like air sampling in live bird markets and bat caves, paired with field-deployable tools, to detect #emergingviruses at the source.

Kicking off #BiomedicalScienceDaywith a great article by @theBentoLab on our @UUBiomed UGenie programme. Year 13 pupils dive into gene editing & CRISPR technology during a week on our Coleraine campus UGenie: Gene Editing Academy | Bento Lab #FutureScientists @DrMicrobiome

UGenie 2025 is due to commence in August. This article by ⁦@bethanwolfenden⁩ ⁦@theBentoLab gives great insight into the Academy’s activities ⁦@UlsterUniBiomed⁩. bento.bio/story/ugenie-u…

Want to teach DNA barcoding but not sure where to start? We’ve rounded up 4 lesson plans packed with practical steps — from field sampling to phylogenetics — designed for high school & undergrad classrooms. Learn more: bento.bio/resources/educ… Pictured: undergraduate students…

Interested in comparing costs, sequence success, and sequence quality of different sequencing platforms? Here’s an interesting comparison of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing and PacBio sequencing, using Sanger sequencing as a reference, by Cuber et al. (2023). 👇…