Chicago’s Community Biolab
Bring Your Ideas to Life—Experiment at Our Lab
What is a community biotech lab?
Imagine a makerspace or neighborhood art studio, but for biology: an open, shared, professionally equipped laboratory where anyone — regardless of background — can learn, experiment, and build with biotechnology. Think of it as a gym membership, but instead of treadmills, you get access to PCR machines, incubators, and centrifuges.
What can you actually do here?
- Learn New Skills: Hands-on training that starts at “never held a pipette” and scales up to advanced protocols.
- Work on Personal Projects: Run protocols you’ve read in papers, work on research that’s interesting to you.
- Join a Community: Meet fellow biology enthusiasts, get advice from experienced scientists.
- Rent Bench Space: Your stepping stone to establish proof of principle for entrepreneurial ventures.
Who uses community biolabs?
- Curious Beginners: No science degree? No problem. Start with our intro workshops.
- Graduate Students: Need equipment for a side project your lab won’t support?
- Entrepreneurs: Test your biotech startup idea without breaking the bank.
- Artists: Explore bioart and living materials for your next installation.
- Career Changers: Build biotech skills for your next job.
Why it matters
- Traditional academic and corporate labs are locked behind tuition, grants, or NDAs. A community lab opens those doors, turning curiosity into competence and lowering the barrier to the new big breakthrough
- Despite our world-class universities, hospitals, and national laboratories, we did not have accessible space for everyday people to explore biotechnology. Until now.
ChiTownBio, a 501(c)(3) organization, was established to create a dedicated space for Chicagoans from all backgrounds to engage with life sciences. Founded in response to the absence of a community biology lab in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., ChiTownBio seeks to democratize biotechnology through education, collaboration, and hands-on experimentation. Drawing inspiration from successful community labs like Genspace and BioCurious, ChiTownBio is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where students, artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and citizen scientists can explore, innovate, and contribute to the future of biotechnology.