Inspiration

Who: Josh Perfetto and Tito Jankowski

What: OpenPCR

Why:

We want to produce an open design for a PCR machine (aka thermal cycler or thermocycle). Our goal is to start this project up quickly and get a working prototype made for Maker Faire. After that, add on applications such as SNPs or PCR kits or synthetic biology.

A DIY Xerox machine for DNA: A fast, computer controlled PCR machine that uses normal PCR tubes and may be built mostly with off the shelf components + free schematics. It does thermal cycling as well as boil, cool, and freeze (4C) samples.

1. Track the development process through blog posts and photos, to follow the design process from idea to reality, and how that reality changes week by week
2. Publish a walkthrough of assembling everything, and a simple DNA test to check that it works
3. A parts list + links to order the parts we use. Schematics for parts that need to be custom made.
4. A basic understanding of PCR patents and how they affect this project: link

Can a great PCR machine be built from mostly off the shelf components?