🚨OPPORTUNITY ALERT: Need a PCR setup for your #eDNA research? The eDNA Collaborative is offering a new round of microgrants, and successful applicants will receive a Bento Lab Pro to help support sample prep, PCR and gel electrophoresis. Deadline: 9 October 2026 Apply here: bit.ly/4xXBDWO

How do you pack a genomics lab for a road trip? The Hawaiʻi INBRE team has it down. They've traveled across Hawaiʻi, the Pacific & the continental US delivering their popular Genome on the Go program. 🧪 See what they've learned: bit.ly/3Tvphqv

SPOTTED: A new publication exploring how scientists could do bioanalysis in the most challenging conditions has included Bento Lab in its metagenomics workflow. Click thru to learn about 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗟𝗮𝗯, designed for an Antarctic field campaign in 2027. 🧪 www.frontiersin.org/journals/ast...

Some summer camps have canoes. HelmCamp has necropsies, microscopes, PCR and parasite DNA. See what participants discovered on their 10 day journey of discovery at La Selva Research Station in Costa Rica. bento.bio/story/one-sa...

Eight Bento Labs. Two 40-minute practicals. One very portable PCR class. Thinking of making your genetics lessons more hands on? Get inspired by Michigan prof Colin Wu, and find out exactly what he packs into his milk crates. bento.bio/story/taking...

We recently caught up with Tunisian researcher & educator @nabilamor.bsky.social to hear how his work has progressed since we first shared his research on the Arabian leopard. He's been busy developing field DNA extraction methods, airborne #eDNA & more! Read the updates: bento.bio/story/decodi...

👀What if a species is there, but you just can't see it? At Bosley Reservoir, traditional surveys found no signal crayfish. But when graduate researcher Molly Doyle tested water from the site for #eDNA, her LAMP assay detected traces of crayfish DNA. Read the full story: bento.bio/story/findin...

We know that a successful practical requires more than choosing a protocol, so we’ve mined the knowledge of our experts & experienced educators to create a guide to what you should consider when planning your first (or fifth!) hands-on learning session, wherever it may be. bento.bio/resources/ed...

What happens when genomics moves off slides & screens, and into students’ hands? Dr Wilda Laux is bringing practical molecular biology into schools across New Zealand, helping students experience the science for themselves. Get inspired (and pick up a few pointers!): bit.ly/4hDYTVk

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 · 3mo 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 · 3mo 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 · 6mo 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.