Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

the-odin.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 166 posts

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#131

Post by hummus_bae »

atemerev wrote: post #3

I am their happy customer. I have successfully grown fluorescent yeast, and reproduced the CRISPR bacterial genetic modification protocol. Their support is awesome. It is also possible to e.g. buy an old qPCR machine and corresponding perishables (I was slightly scared when a DHL truck delivered me a cold box full of dry ice), and run even more interesting experiments at home. And, you can open an account at Sigma-Al…

I'm curious about the yeast part. I heard it's difficult/expensive to grow yeast at home, as opposed to bacteria. Are there online tutorials that you used? I've seen plenty of bacterial modification tutorials, but not so much for yeast.

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#132

Post by wonderwonder »

lantry wrote: post #27
rimliu wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

EU is what now?

don't you remember that the covid vaccine was invented by Americans? oh, wait a minute...

Coincidentally I remember watching a series of YouTube videos where the Odin people actually created their own COVID vaccine.

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#133

Post by wonderwonder »

elil17 wrote: post #73
epups wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Alright but let's slow down a bit here... This kit is about plants, and it doesn't give you absolutely anything that those "few dozen smart guys" wouldn't have access to in a regular university. Meaning, if you have the inclination and resources to produce a deadly virus, this kit does not make it any easier.

Oh they sell a plant kit, but that is meant for practice. They also made a dog glow-in-the-dark. The guys at the Odin have done a lot of stuff on humans too. One of them tried (and failed) to give himself a gene that would have made him a incredibly muscular, and tried (and succeeded) in performing a microbiome transplant (as a cure for IBS). They have also tried (and failed) to do their own HIV treatment. You're rig…

They tried and kind of succeeded in making their own COVID vaccine as well

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#134

Post by wonderwonder »

nephanth wrote: post #105
elil17 wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh they sell a plant kit, but that is meant for practice. They also made a dog glow-in-the-dark. The guys at the Odin have done a lot of stuff on humans too. One of them tried (and failed) to give himself a gene that would have made him a incredibly muscular, and tried (and succeeded) in performing a microbiome transplant (as a cure for IBS). They have also tried (and failed) to do their own HIV treatment. You're rig…

Wait do you have sources for those stories?

Most of their stuff is on YouTube.

https://m.youtube.com/@TheODINinc

Or just search their lead person: Josiah Zayner

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#135

Post by m3affan »

niemandhier wrote: post #47
fabian2k wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any genetic modifications would require an S1 laboratory in Germany, that is not something any private person could do. You would have to go to a university or company with an approved S1 laboratory to do such experiments.

Yes but keep in mind that in Germany an s1 time share lab ( including equipment ) of 25m2 can be rented from 10€ per square meter. That is less than you pay rent. They really want people to do bio stuff. https://www.bio-security.de/s1-s2-labore-bueros-mieten/

I am curious how such business model arose?

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#136

Post by GTP »

gptgpp wrote: post #124
GTP wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Does everyone understand what they eat? how electricity works? how their smartphone works? the drugs their doctor prescribes? True, but you always have to balance them with the potential issues that could arise. I don't understand how drugs works, and that's why I need a doctor's prescription to take them. Many people don't know much about electricity, and that's why there are laws regulating how electric wirings ha…

I mean... regulations are actually a lot more flexible than you're implying. I was looking to wire up some solar panels to a cottage in the countryside. Since municipal regulations didn't apply, provincial ones did, which were that if you've built the structure for your own occupancy and follow the electrical code, this is completely legal. So the code applies, but it's not restricted to trained electricians in some…

That wasn't what I was suggesting. I think it is reckless to try to persuade people into trying genetic engineering on themselves (one of the examples that the man showed in the documentary, was about injecting into your arm modified cells to make your muscles grow bigger). But I'm fine with people using kits to have fun making a plant that glows in the dark, as long as they take care of not releasing the results of their experiments in the environment.

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#137

Post by _yb2s »

tombaugh wrote: post #21

As a parent of a child with a genetic disorder for which it is perfectly possible to develop a therapy using current technology, I'm delighted to see that biohackers are stirring things up. Let's hope this inspires the industry to rethink their approach to drug development.

Are you sure it’s possible? There is a lot of hype around biotech and CRISPR, but we still can’t safely and reliably edit DNA in a living person, except in a few specific cases where the nature of the disease makes it especially easy.

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#138

Post by GTP »

gptgpp wrote: post #126
imachine1980_ wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can't kill yourself writing c++ code, a buggy local server means your webpage is down, you aren't advocating for making your own insulin analyzer firmware, and using it for people whiout diabetes symptoms.

You can absolutely kill yourself writing C++ code... To my shame, I almost did when I was fucking around with a microcontroller hooked up to some fairly powerful motors. Not everyone uses code to make smartphone apps and video games, or computer applications. A vast amount is used to control everything from your car to your toaster :/ edit: Oh, I also botched the charging for some lithium ion cells and caused them to…

>A vast amount is used to control everything from your car to your toaster :/

True, and hopefully after the Therac-25 incident we learned that, while it is generally fine having people playing with programming, for certain applications it is best to leave it to professionals with a deep understanding of what they're doing.

>Shit, now I feel like I'm refuting your point about death-by-C++, but also supporting that we need more regulations to protect against idiots like myself.

Yes, we likely need more regulation, at least for safety critical applications (but I don't know if those are already in place).

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#139

Post by tagami »

grundoon wrote: post #117

Am I the only one who looked at the site & thought "this can't be for real"?

Advances in biotech are happening at an extraordinary pace, and it has been going on for decades. iGEM is celebrating its 20th year of synthetic biology competitions. https://igem.org/

Re: The Odin – DIY genetic engineering

#140

Post by arrosenberg »

gptgpp wrote: post #118
GTP wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry for your child, but I'm not delighted. The guy that you can see in one of the pictures drinking from a glass recipient was in a Netflix documentary (I can't remember the title from top of my mind) where he was advocating for everyone being able to use genetic engineering for self-improvement, even without any previous knowledge of genetics. And this is what I take issue with. Sure genetic engineering has a…

I'm inclined to agree with you; the thought of just "some dude" mucking about with the genetics of a virus is horrifying. And yet, computers are extremely powerful tools, arguably the most powerful we have created. And look what free access to them has accomplished... Sure, it has caused quite a bit of cyber crime, but it's all balanced out by a massive amount of open and freely exchanged innovation. Now imagine an a…

Your genome is so much more complex than C - if you can't appreciate that, it sort of reinforces the fact that average people should not muck around in it. I, a computer programmer with a fancy degree in biochemistry, would not touch this stuff without a significant amount of work up front to understand what I am messing with.
Post reply on HN