Biotech Without Borders is a member-led community biology lab. That means your participation can change our direction. Our current community has developed a Mission Vision Values document to help us organize.
Mission and Vision
This is who we are and how we see our impact shaping the world around us.
Mission
Biotech Without Borders is a self-sustaining community of scientists committed to increasing the accessibility of scientific resources and knowledge, especially among socially and economically marginalized groups. We provide education, lab facilities, and a forum for critical discussions to support responsible innovation in biotechnology.
Vision
All those seeking to improve society through biotechnology are connected to local and global networks of community scientists, organized to Do-It-Together, and empowered to safely apply their hands-on understanding at the lab bench and at home.
Values
If we bring these elements to the projects and interactions of Biotech Without Borders we will be nurturing the type of change that can bring our Mission and Vision to life!
Diversity and Inclusivity
We believe that we all have the capacity to be community scientists. We commit to engaging multiple perspectives, dissolving the borders that prevent widespread access to the tools of biotechnology, and tying our work to the priorities of the community we serve.
Ethical Exploration
We seek a collective understanding of biotechnology, its risks, and its benefits. We commit to encouraging peaceful applications while discouraging applications that exacerbate inequality and violence, or are deemed to be unsafe by our community.
Compassionate Challenge
We commit to exercising tact and bravery in articulating dissent with the assumptions that we all inevitably bring to our work. In the spirit of resilience, we will discuss these challenges and adapt to our revised understanding.
Transparency
We commit to create systems that make information accessible within the Biotech Without Borders community and among the general public. We believe these systems are a vital means to expose power structures, elicit engagement, and ensure accountability.
Collaboration
We are a community based in mutual support and continuous learning. We
strive to see ourselves as both a teacher and a student, accepting the responsibilities of each role. When we work together, we commit to crediting each other’s contributions and respecting each other’s expertise.
How can you help?
If you can see common cause with us then you should join our collective! We can benefit from your perspective, time, skills and/or money.
