DIY Lab Protocols for Open Science

Democratizing research through low-cost hardware and reproducible workflows.

I am a strong advocate for Open and Reproducible Science. I believe that high-quality research should not be limited by expensive proprietary equipment or “black-box” analytical methods. My work in this line focuses on developing and sharing the tools necessary to make molecular ecology more accessible to the global scientific community.

Core Pillars

  1. DIY Lab protocols: I design and implement “home-made” and low cost laboratory protocols.
  2. Reproducible Workflows: Transparency is at the heart of my lab work. My protocols can be found in public protocol repositories or my website. Reach me out if you interested in it!

DIY from Dani

I have developed and optimized several open-access protocols to streamline molecular workflows:

  • Custom Insect Microbiome DNA Extraction: Tailored protocols designed to maximize yield from low-biomass samples (e.g., individual ants) while minimizing the presence of PCR inhibitors common in insect tissues.
  • Optimized SPRI Bead Workflows: Precise protocols for DNA size selection using SPRI (Solid Phase Reversible Immobilization) technology, offering a cost-effective alternative to commercial kits without sacrificing quality.