Image of DIY bio-makerspace with shelves and bio-experiments

bioMakerStudio

A space for biodesigning at Aalto University

The bioMakerStudio is a DIY fabrication space, which acts as an incubator for exploring and engaging creatively with the process of biological growing, making, and designing.

We welcome creatives (researchers, students, makers, community) from any discipline who are working with (or would like to try) bio-themed projects.

NEWS

bioMakerStudio Workshop Series
The bioMakerStudio Workshop and Talks Series is a non-profit community engagement initiative funded by the Sustainability Action Booster Grant… [read more]

Our intention is also to be as low-threshold, accessible, flexible and open as possible. We we encourage users to be explorative, scavenge stuff, make their own tools, and try more exploratory encounters that might be otherwise hard to do in a closed lab environment.

Our space develops according to demand, and grows together with the projects and our community.

Where to find us

Otakaari 7, 02150 Espoo, Finland


OUR APPROACH

At the bioMakerStudio, we run on a makerspace philosophy, which includes:

Learning-by-making

Finding creative workarounds

This is not a scientific lab – meaning that for certain processes, you will have to find creative workarounds. Can you find replacements for tools in everyday objects, for example?

Combine fabrication techniques and fields

Sharing and lowering barriers to knowledge

With the open-access mindset, you’ll share your processes and results with others, and also learn from others. How can you share your knowledge in ways that can be accessed by more people?


SPACES & EQUIPMENT

bioMakerStudio

Our current inventory includes:
• Workbenches
• DIY incubators
• DIY bioreactor (for spirulina)
• Transparent growtent
• Darkroom growtent
• Microscope
• Fridge + freezer
• Kettle
• Shelves
• UV light
• Heating pads
• Heating plates
• Humidity gauge
• Dehydrator
• Drying fan
• Scales
• Kitchen utensils (stick blender, containers, pots, etc.)
• Lab consumables (petri dishes, test tubes, cotton cloths, pH paper, etc.)
• Kitchen consumables (baking sheets, aluminium foils, paper plates, etc.)
• Ingredients for growth mediums
• Large TV screen with HDMI
• Storage space
• First aid kit

Garden

8m2 community garden plot, currently growing:
• Woad (Isatis tinctoria)
• Japanese Indigo (Persicaria tinctoria)
• Dyer’s chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria)
• Dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria)
• Weld (Ruseda luteola)
• Dyer’s coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)

We also have access to these facilities in the same building:

Dyeing Studio

A splash-proof kitchen-like space for wetwork with:
> Sinks
> Hobs
> Drying cabinet
> Kitchen utensils
For more, visit: https://studios.aalto.fi/product/dyeing-and-surface-manipulation/

FabLab

Digital fabrication laboratory for digital fabrication, with:
> Laser cutter
> CNC machine
> 3D printers
> Electronic workstations
> Programming software
For more info, visit: https://studios.aalto.fi/fablab/


WHAT CAN I WORK WITH?

We allow work with BSL0 (Biosafety Level 0) organisms, meaning that they are entry-level and food-safe in the bioMakerStudio. Currently, we are working with bacterial cellulose (SCOBY), cyanobacteria (spirulina), slime mould (physarum), mycelium (oyster and reishi), and plants (wild and grown).

Working with organisms that are highly perceptible to contamination would be very challenging in our space, as we cannot create completely aseptic conditions.

The bioMakerStudio is constantly changing. For most recent photos check out our Instagram account: @biomakerstudio

A little book 📖 of colour samples!
Experiments with cyanobacteria solutions 🧪  See @mugeyildizjaakaappi @bioarchaeometry 's work for more ✨  .
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#spirulina #cyanobacteria #naturalcolour #naturalcolor #naturalink #bioart #biolab #biomakerspace #biocolor #biomakerstudio

A little book 📖 of colour samples!
Experiments with cyanobacteria solutions 🧪

See @mugeyildizjaakaappi @bioarchaeometry `s work for more ✨

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#spirulina #cyanobacteria #naturalcolour #naturalcolor #naturalink #bioart #biolab #biomakerspace #biocolor #biomakerstudio

𝗠𝗬𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗨𝗠 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣 🌿
> bioMakerStudio Workshop Series no.2 <  📅 November 15th, 2024
⏱️ 4pm - 6pm
📍bioMakerStudio, Otakaari 7, 02150  We'll start brief introduction to Mycelium (root structures of fungi) Materials and a low-tech workshop to create a mycelium object! 
Our instructor this week is Harvey Shaw @areyouharveyshawaboutthat  ​𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴/𝘤𝘶𝘱𝘴 (𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦), 3𝘋 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨! 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘶𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮, 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘺.  ​𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭, 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 12𝘹18𝘹25𝘤𝘮, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥!  ​The events are completely FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. No prior experience is needed!  𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 with link in bio 🍄
Places are limited!  ................  The bioMakerStudio Workshop and Talks Series is a non-profit community engagement initiative funded by the @sustainability_action_booster grant.  ​Every week, we invite pioneering bio-creatives to share their techniques with you through hands-on workshops.  💬 For more information, visit: https://studios.aalto.fi/biomakerstudio-ws2024/  .
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#workshop #sustainability #sustainabilityworkshop #biomakerstudio #community #biodesign #craft #mycelium #biomaterial #fungi #biofabrication

𝗠𝗬𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗨𝗠 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣 🌿
> bioMakerStudio Workshop Series no.2 <

📅 November 15th, 2024
⏱️ 4pm – 6pm
📍bioMakerStudio, Otakaari 7, 02150

We`ll start brief introduction to Mycelium (root structures of fungi) Materials and a low-tech workshop to create a mycelium object!
Our instructor this week is Harvey Shaw @areyouharveyshawaboutthat

​𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴/𝘤𝘶𝘱𝘴 (𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦), 3𝘋 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨! 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘶𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮, 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘺.

​𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭, 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 12𝘹18𝘹25𝘤𝘮, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥!

​The events are completely FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. No prior experience is needed!

𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 with link in bio 🍄
Places are limited!

…………….

The bioMakerStudio Workshop and Talks Series is a non-profit community engagement initiative funded by the @sustainability_action_booster grant.

​Every week, we invite pioneering bio-creatives to share their techniques with you through hands-on workshops.

💬 For more information, visit: https://studios.aalto.fi/biomakerstudio-ws2024/

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#workshop #sustainability #sustainabilityworkshop #biomakerstudio #community #biodesign #craft #mycelium #biomaterial #fungi #biofabrication

Beetroot 🔴 turmeric 🟡 and spirulina 🟢
Coating with different hues for anthotypes!  Experiments by @realbrynna at the bioMakerStudio!  Tomorrow we will open up a registration for another community workshop #bmsworkshop, so stay tuned for more details!  .
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#naturalcolour #anthotypes #anthotype #print #colorexperiment #colorlibrary #spirulina #solarprint

Beetroot 🔴 turmeric 🟡 and spirulina 🟢
Coating with different hues for anthotypes!

Experiments by @realbrynna at the bioMakerStudio!

Tomorrow we will open up a registration for another community workshop #bmsworkshop, so stay tuned for more details!

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#naturalcolour #anthotypes #anthotype #print #colorexperiment #colorlibrary #spirulina #solarprint

CONTACT

If you are interested in using the bioMakerStudio or have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We are always looking to expand our inventory of equipment and materials through recycled or second-hand goods. If you have any lab / makerspace equipment that you would like to donate, please let us know!


Interested in the bioMakerStudio? Contact
  • Ena Naito
    Ena Naito

    Doctoral Researcher

    ena.naito@aalto.fi

    +358 50 464 4304

Co-funded by