[DIYbio] Re: What Should I Know?

During my Biotechnology Program I found this to be a very good and broad overview of all aspects of biotechnology if you find yourself interested in investigating what is out there besides synthetic biology. Though biotechnology is so broad that I don't know if any book can effectively give you a complete top down view of the entire landscape. This book is very accessible though and many concepts, tools, and techniques are taught at a basic level as needed. 

http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Biotechnology-2nd-William-Thieman/dp/0321491459/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416424720&sr=1-10&keywords=biotechnology

Do you have access to a community lab in your area? If so definitely get involved. It can sometimes be frustrating to read a lot about these subjects, equip yourself with knowledge, only to have so many ideas for experiments or projects, but little knowledge on how to access the equipment and reagents you need.

If your passionate and you come up with an idea or experiment your interested in trying then I think this is a good place to post and figure out how you can embark on what your trying to do, and also get expertise. If you want to do your own hands on lab work I might start with a few very basic projects or experiments, even if they've been done time and time again. You may know what the results will be but making sure you can recreate those results are important because training your lab skills are as much a part of the learning process as basic knowledge. If you've ever learned a computer programming language then you know everyone starts with a "Hello World!" program. :-)

Also if you decide to tinker on your own, possibly because a community lab is not accessible to you, please make sure to make lab safety a centerpiece of your exploration. Make sure you know how to read and understand MSDS for reagents you work with. Many chemicals used in this field can be toxic or carcinogenic but are quite safe when handled properly. If you start working with a new chemical or reagent you haven't worked with before make sure you don't simply see it as just another ingredient. Take the time to understand it for the unique individual component it actually is imbued with its own unique characters and properties distinct from all other chemicals. 

Best Regards,

-Justin

On Tuesday, November 18, 2014 7:57:40 PM UTC-8, Travis Ireland wrote:

    I'm in the process of renewing all of my high school level science and math, and have become fascinated with this movement. I'm concentrating right now on building electronics, but I think if I knew where to start with synthetic biology, I could do some real good there.

    I started reviewing biology on Khan Academy, specifically genetics and DNA. I also am trying to figure out how to use GenoCAD, although I haven't made much headway. If I wanted to really get into this stuff, what are suggestions for a good knowledge base?