Bringing PCR closer to where questions arise can mean faster answers, greater access, and new possibilities for research, education & conservation. Bento Bio co-founder Bethan Wolfenden explores how portable molecular biology is changing the science landscape in Labcompare. bit.ly/4fF8zMB

Interesting look at the use of #eDNA, #citizenscience and #machinelearning in monitoring and assessing marine biodiversity to support managers and policy-makers.

Dr Angel Borja@drangelborja.bsky.social · 4w ago

A new #GES4SEAS paper, from past year summer school has been published. It deals with #MachineLearning #eDNA and #CitizenScience for marine monitoring #MarineEcology #Research www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....

Throwback to a decade ago, when a Bento Lab beta prototype was featured at the London Science Museum "Beyond the Lab" exhibition! It's undergone quite a few changes since then, and it's been great to see it become a staple in many lab, field research and classroom kits.

An interesting application of Bento Lab: Forensic entomology! We were excited to see this feature in National Geographic about Charity & Makhali's work using the contents of blowfly guts to track parasites, chemical weapons materials & other wildlife. www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...

Can lowly blowflies stop the next wildlife pandemic?

The lowly blowfly is known for feasting on feces and corpses. One intrepid researcher hopes to use them as a biological warning system for disease.

nationalgeographic.com

Cool resource for those doing marine #eDNA! Good luck on your trip, @saltwaterpatrick.bsky.social, and thanks for sharing!

Patrick Nichols@saltwaterpatrick.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Off to sea soon! ⛵️ Built this eDNA sampling planner to figure out how many sites I can actually sample before I go. Play with the parameters & plan smarter. Free to use! pknichols.com/ednabler/ #eDNA #MarineScience #Fieldwork #NORTHDIVeRSITY

🦉 For this month's newsletter, we’ve gone birding! Take a peek at our refreshed bird sexing resources, as well as stories of the workflow being applied to everything from pet care to conservation. Plus, practical tips for PCR workflows. Check it out: bento.bio/blog/2026/06... Image by N Suma

🦤 Thinking of bringing bird sexing in-house? Sometimes the biggest benefit isn't cost. Here are 5 signs it might be time to take the plunge. Click through for a more in-depth guide: bento.bio/resources/bi... #birds #BIOsky

One of the most common PCR questions we get: "What actually needs refrigeration?" Short answer: Not everything. Knowing which supplies require cold storage & which can handle ambient temps can make fieldwork & logistics much easier. ➡️ Check out our new guide: bit.ly/3PUhUay

𝗕𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻 🇧🇹 Researcher Pema Khandu used Bento Lab to bring science closer to the species he is aiming to protect: the White-bellied heron. 🪺 Learn more about his field-based genetic sexing and eDNA analysis efforts: bento.bio/story/bringi... #BIOsky #conservation #birds

Conserving Endangered Birds in Bhutan

Researcher Pema Khandu used Bento Lab to bring science closer to the species he is aiming to protect: the White-bellied Heron.

bento.bio

🧪 Ever wonder why PCR fails sometimes? Check out our top tips to troubleshoot non-specific amplification. bento.bio/resources/be... #BIOsky

The field season is in full swing, and we’ve loved seeing researchers use Bento Lab in remote jungles, coral reefs, paddy fields & island field sites, bringing DNA analysis closer to the ecosystems and species they’re studying. Here are a few highlights: bento.bio/blog/2026/05...

Reefs, Rice Paddies, and Rare Birds

May highlights: Conservation science in action in remote jungles, coral reefs, paddy fields, and island field sites

bento.bio

On the International Day for #BiologicalDiversity, researchers have released a blueprint for a global #DNAbarcoding network, drawing on experiences from 20 countries to outline 10 recommendations for building successful national nodes. 👉 #OA research in @mbmg.pensoft.net: doi.org/10.3897/mbmg...

✈️ Planning your next field trip or scientific adventure? We’ve put together our Top 5 Travel Tips, covering everything from travel-friendly reagents to handy letters for customs or security agents. And be sure to tag us so we can follow along! Bon voyage 🏖️ bento.bio/resources/be...

Fieldwork rarely goes exactly to plan. For Sunni Patton from the Vega Thurber Lab at UCSB, that unpredictability became a defining part of her recent research trip in the Florida Keys. bento.bio/story/detect...

Detecting Coral Parasites in Real Time

See how the ability to extract DNA, run PCR & visualise results directly in the field enabled coral researcher Sunni Patton to pivot quickly.

bento.bio

Back from two weeks of field work in the Outer Hebrides. Studying stickleback by trapping, wading, snorkeling, drones, and my first field experience of using @bento.bio lab. Normally we guess what the mitochondrial lineage of the crosses we're making but this year we got to know in the field!

Bento users have been a busy bunch this month, with portable eDNA metabarcoding in the fjords of Norway, molecular biology murder mysteries in an English classroom, and more! Check out our latest round-up: bento.bio/blog/2026/04... #BIOsky

From fjords to classroom crime scenes

April highlights: eDNA monitoring and metabarcoding in the fjords of Norway, a molecular biology murder mystery in the classroom, and an EU shipping update.

bento.bio

I need to find a big group on @bento.bio users with whom to chat. I’m thinking of that direction!

a man wearing a john deere hat and a white shirt says the future is now

ALT: a man wearing a john deere hat and a white shirt says the future is now

media.tenor.com

🧪 Murder Mystery meets molecular biology: We love seeing creative approaches to #STEM outreach, and this recent workshop at Windsor College is a great example of how hands-on learning can spark curiosity. linkedin.com/posts/dr-ash... #BIOsky

#stemoutreach #sciencecommunication #ukhsa #stemambassdor #publicengagement #womeninstem #molecularbiology #futurescientists | Dr. Ashveny Ashok

Last week I had an amazing opportunity to deliver a STEM outreach workshop at Windsor College as a part of my role at UK Health Security Agency. We delivered an interactive session for students usin...

linkedin.com

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲: Another great example of off-grid science, this time in the fjords of Norway & a training course in Brazil. The international team field tested a fully portable, off-grid eDNA metabarcoding pipeline using Bento Lab & a @nanoporetech.com MinION sequencer.

Quentin Mauvisseau@quentinmauvisseau.bsky.social · 5mo ago

@micahdunthorn.bsky.social @izzieewers.bsky.social

March Round-up: Snake Genomics in a Van, Biotech Education, and Building a Bird Sexing Business bento.bio/blog/2026/03...

Snake Genomics in a Van, Biotech Education, Bird Sexing Business

March highlights: mobile snake genomics, a bird breeder’s journey to a commercial lab, Ulster University’s Biotech MSc, and new portable metagenomics research.

bento.bio

Genome sequencing goes mobile! 🚐🧬 Johns Hopkins researchers sequenced the Red Coachwhip snake genome in a camper van using ONT Nanopore & Bento Lab. High-quality nuclear & mitochondrial genomes, all done in field-like conditions! 🐍 doi.org/10.3390/gene... Images copyright Alan F. Scott.

Imagine having this in your kitchen or your school science room. 🧬 Bento Lab is a full PCR + centrifuge + gel electrophoresis kit in one portable box. As a uni researcher, I call this a very cool toy. bento.bio/product/bento-lab @bento.bio

From poultry enthusiast to bird-sexing lab owner! 🐤🧬 Brittney Knight started out with no PCR experience, learned how to sex birds using Bento Lab, and now runs her own successful bird sexing laboratory. We’re very excited to share her story & how she got started! 👇 bento.bio/story/solvin...

From PCR Beginner to Commercial Chick DNA Sexing Lab

See how Brittney Knight used Bento Lab to go from poultry enthusiast to professional. Learn how to start your own DNA bird sexing lab without a PhD.

bento.bio

February Round-up: Leopard Detection, Malaria Surveillance, New Teaching Lab, and Molecular Pathogen Training in the Philippines bento.bio/blog/2026/02...

Leopard Detection, Malaria Surveillance, New Teaching Lab

February 2026 round-up: Leopard Detection and Malaria Surveillance with ONT and Bento Lab, Molecular Pathogen Training in Philippines, Teaching Primers

bento.bio

This is what makes portable equipment like our Bento Lab exciting - you can start quickly, get results on-site, and share skills to build local capacity. Molecular analysis doesn’t have to wait on sample transport. It can happen right where it matters, and it’s brilliant to see it in action here.

Amy Kristine Bei@thebeilab.bsky.social · 8mo ago

In partnership with #INSAPT and the #PNLP_Tchad, hosted by #LaBiEp, we went from parasites to policy with participants from all over the country, many learning molecular methods for the first time! Celebrating the team's hard work connecting science & society to defeat malaria!

Wonderful to see Amy Bei's team and their collaborators processing hundreds of malaria samples in real time, while training scientists from across the country! Congrats to all the fantastic team members across Yale, INSAPT, and PNUD Tchad!

Amy Kristine Bei@thebeilab.bsky.social · 8mo ago

We recently deployed our favorite “lab in a suitcase” dynamic duo of #BentoLab and ONT #MinION to conduct real-time, in country multiplexed modular malaria amplicon sequencing by #MAD4HatTeR to inform public health policy decisions in Chad! #DecentralizedGenomicSurveillance

Looking for a hands-on way to teach PCR? Here are four case studies using DNA barcoding: 🌿 Teach lab + bioinformatics 🌿 Insects, fungi, and algae 🌿 Formats from 3 days to full courses 🔗 Find out more: bento.bio/resources/ed...

Teaching DNA Barcoding: 4 Case Studies

Discover 4 case studies to bring DNA barcoding into your classroom through student research and PCR-based projects.

bento.bio

BeeCode Berlin, a pioneering citizen science project, helped high school students learn PCR by DNA barcoding honeybees: 🐝 Community centre labs using Bento Lab 🐝 DNA hackathons and poster event 🐝 Subspecies & genetic resilience insights 🔗 Find out more: bento.bio/story/dna-ba...

Honeybee DNA Barcoding for Subspecies Identification

Discover how BeeCode Berlin used Bento Lab to empower high school students in DNA barcoding honeybees, uncovering Berlin’s bee genetic diversity. Learn about honeybee subspecies and hands-on citizen s...

bento.bio

Bringing PCR to the classroom? BioSTEM shows how hands-on genetics education can work, even in remote schools. 🧬 Real PCR experiments with Bento Lab 🧬 6,000+ students trained 🧬 Boosted genomics understanding 🔗 Read more: doi.org/10.1186/s402...

BioSTEM: A modern educational tool for research and innovation in the field of molecular biology and personalized medicine - Human Genomics

Personalized Medicine has the potential to transform modern healthcare by tailoring medical decisions to an individual’s unique genomic profile. However, its integration into routine clinical practice...

doi.org

Interested in portable metagenomics for water samples? Here’s a very exciting preprint using Bento Lab + ONT MinION with a QUANTITATIVE workflow! ⭐5 field & 4 lab methods tested ⭐Results compared to digital PCR ⭐Field results comparable to lab performance 🔗👇 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Quantitative metagenomics using a portable protocol

A field-deployable DNA sequencing approach for quantitative microbial community profiling can enable rapid responses for a range of applications in the water sector – from process control to wastewate...

biorxiv.org