Are you excited about the world of do-it-yourself biotechnology but don’t have a background in biology or tech? Do you love getting hands-on with projects, experimenting with technology, and working with innovative biomaterials? Now’s your chance to join the bio revolution and participate in a rapidly evolving field!
With advances like CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, biotech is moving faster than ever, and its potential impacts are enormous. The BioHack Academy promotes wider access to knowledge and tools outside institutional science and allows for a wider distribution of biotechnological literacy. In this course, you’ll dive into the basics of biotechnology, learn to work with biomaterials and build your own lab equipment—all with the help of local makerspaces such as Waag Futurelab's Fablab and Open Wetlab.
BioHack Academy 2025
This year’s BioHack Academy runs for 10 weeks, beginning February 3, 2025. Workshops and lectures are held twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays, with guest speakers sharing their biohacking expertise.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you’ll get hands-on time in the Open Wetlab to develop your personal projects, guided by instructors. This setup gives you the perfect balance of learning and creating.
The course is conducted in English.
Early Bird Discount
Register by December 1, 2024, to save €500!
- Early Bird Fee: €4,098 (incl. tax)
- Regular Fee: €4,598 (incl. tax)
Did you know you can easily apply for ‘Werktuig PPO’ (Personal Development Budget) to cover part of your enrollment? PPO funds development plans for professionals in the creative or cultural sector (for employees and self-employed).
What is the BioHack Academy?
BioHack Academy is a 10-week course designed for anyone eager to explore the field of biodesign and bioart. By the end of the program, you’ll have gained essential knowledge in biotechnology, digital fabrication, microbiology, and gene editing.
For two days each week, you’ll get workshops and lectures that will give you the skills to build biolab tools, create biosensors, work with biomaterials, and more. The rest of the week is reserved for you to develop your own project in the Open Wetlab, with a final exhibition of your work at the Waag.
Participants learn how to make biotechnology accessible outside of traditional labs, experimenting with biohacking tools that can be used at home. The course also delves into biomaterials like mycelium, biochromes, bio-textiles, algae, and other living systems, helping you to continue your bioart or biodesign work long after the course ends.
Hands-on learning and open-source sharing
You’ll get hands-on experience with DIY lab tools such as incubators, microscopes, and centrifuges during the course. You’ll not only learn how to build them but also how to use them in your own experiments. Whether you want to create bio-ink, biofuel, or bio-polymers, the tools are yours to explore.
One of the core values of BioHack Academy is knowledge sharing. Every piece of equipment built during the program is open-source, meaning you’re free to modify the designs, share them with others, and continue to experiment long after the course ends.
What you’ll learn
Week 1: Setting Up the Lab - You’ll start by deconstructing existing lab equipment and learn how to build your own using open-source designs. You’ll also work with biomaterials like mycelium.
Weeks 2 & 3: Operating in a Wetlab - Learn lab protocols and discover how to "hack" them. You’ll also start working with biomaterials, growing microorganisms, and creating biosensors.
Weeks 4 & 5: Bio-engineering - Dive deeper into microbiology techniques and explore CRISPR-Cas9 for cell-free expression.
Weeks 6 & 7: Developing Your Personal Project - This phase is all about your creative vision. Whether you’re redesigning lab hardware, growing your own materials, or designing new DNA, you’ll bring your design or bioart project to life.
Weeks 8 & 9: Final Presentations and Exhibition Show off your work! Your project will be presented in a final exhibition open to the public, celebrating your hard work and innovation.
Week 10: Final Steps at the Waag - All sessions take place at Waag’s Open Wetlab, a creative hub merging art, science, and technology. It’s also the location of Fablab Amsterdam, where you’ll complete your final work.
Become part of a global BioHacking community
BioHack Academy isn’t just a local program—it’s global! In past editions, partner labs from the US, Latin America, Asia, Australia, and Europe have participated remotely, and we expect even more international collaboration this year. By joining, you’ll have the chance to work alongside biohackers worldwide, exchanging ideas and building networks that transcend borders.
Explore the projects of previous participants
Check out what past BioHack Academy participants have created on our alumni page and get inspired! The possibilities in biohacking are limitless, and seeing others’ work can spark ideas for your own projects.
About Waag Futurelab
Waag Futurelab is a research institute and cultural organisation that combines art, science, and technology to promote a more open, fair, and inclusive society. Based in the historic Waag building in Amsterdam’s Nieuwmarkt, Waag operates three labs: the TextileLab, which explores the intersection of textiles and technology; the Fablab, which offers digital fabrication; and the Open Wetlab, which focuses on biotechnology.
Waag is not a traditional school but offers unique opportunities to learn at the intersection of technology, art, and science. This is done through our globally recognised academies: Fabricademy, Fab Academy, and BioHack Academy.
For all questions, contact us at biohack [ at ] waag [ dot ] org.
