Tekla Labs
The lack of standard lab equipment is a serious limitation to scientific research in many parts of the world. Too often, labs that lack such equipment are in emerging regions where their support is in most need.
To combat this problem, researchers at the University of California Berkeley are developing a program to enable scientists to construct their own high quality lab equipment through detailed, reliable protocols and training. Though in its early stage, Tekla Labs has already generated excitement from labs in such diverse places as Egypt and Panama.
Tekla Labs is creating a library of royalty-free "How-To" documents that guide in the construction of quality lab equipment using readily available, off the shelf items. While many real-world examples of such equipment already exist, detailed instruction on how to build lab equipment does not and quality assurance is lacking. These are the missing pieces that Tekla Labs is addressing.
In addition to written How-To documents, the library will include video tutorials and graphic step by step manuals, allowing individuals with little prior engineering experience to build their own quality self-made laboratory equipment. At its most difficult, the lab equipment we document can easily be built with help from a locally available retail machine or electrical repair shop.
Though partnerships with labs in both developed and developing countries, Tekla Labs will grow a worldwide community of interested parties who both use and develop new guides for self-made lab equipment. To help foster these partnerships, Tekla Labs will offer both remote and on-site training and support. Everything produced by Tekla Labs will be available in an open source, interactive online forum that allows researchers throughout the world to use and add to.
Initial candidate lab equipment* includes:
- Centrifuge
- Chemical hood
- Electrophoresis equipment
- ELISA reader
- Fluorometer
- Gel or flask rotator
- Hot plates and magnetic stirrer
- Incubator with shaker (37 C)
- PCR (thermal cycler)
- pH meter
- Sonicator
- Spectrophotometer
- Sterilization equipment (autoclave etc)
- Tissue culture hood
- Tissue culture microscope
- UV lamp box
- Water bath
*per survey results from labs in Africa, Europe, North America and South America
For more information on Tekla Labs and how to get involved, contact info@teklalabs.org