BioPrint-it Kit™: Get started with bioinks on fabric
Create textile art with colorful bacteria.
New York bio artist Marcus Banks collaborates on this STEM science kit inspired by his own practice so that you, too, can create living art using living, colorful bacteria.
With this art-meets-science project kit, grow patterns and paintings on Petri dishes using the colored bacteria provided in your kit (as well as any colored engineered bacteria you may have created before). Once grown, transfer them directly to paper or textile in any design you like, or use some of the paintbrushes to add some freehand elements to your art. Finish by stabilizing and fixing your creation(s) with the medium provided to lock in the colorful creation.
The recommended equipment for this experiment is a 37 °C incubator (or a 30 °C incubator for the yeast version). The incubator is recommended for the best result but not required. If you want, you can build you own DIY incubator by following this youtube tutorial. We have thermometers available if you do decide to build your own!
This kit is compatible with the DNA Playground's built-in incubator and Amino Lab's Classroom Incubator
Cleaning and safety supplies are not included in the kit. Necessary safety and cleaning supplies are latex or nitrile gloves, and a chlorinated bleach cleaner or a 10% solution of chlorinated bleach in a spray bottle (you can make this by adding 9 parts water to 1 part bleach in a spray bottle). You can add a Mini Safety Set to your kit which includes gloves and a reusable plastic apron to protect your clothes.
For more information about safety, set up and clean up, you can have a look at the instruction manual for the experiment linked in the Ressources section below, and at the "Practicing safe science" page.
Shipping Times
Experiment kits are shipped 1-5 working days after you place your order. If you require yours for a specific date or event, please contact us before or with your order # so that we can try to make it happen for you! ☺︎
Storage
The experiment kit(s) must be refrigerated upon arrival for best shelf life. If your experiment kits stay at room temperature before you collect it from your mailbox/mailroom/etc, that's ok! As long as kits do not freeze, and they are stored in a refrigerator if you are not using it right away, there's no need to worry. If you do not have access to a refrigerator to store your kit, use it as soon as possible, and place it in a cool dark place until use.
For any questions, don't hesistate to reach out to us - help (at) amino.bio
*Customers outside of North America*:
If we suspect your country has regulations on genetically engineered cells, your colored cells will be substituted with cells that naturally produce pigments (yellow & white) to meet shipping and import compliance. If you are keen on getting more colors, you can order an Engineer-it Kit and complete the genetic engineering of cells in a location that is approved by your government. This is a solution that works because the Engineer-it Kit will ship with no genetically engineered products (which meets import compliance), and YOU will complete the engineering steps (in an approved space).
