Harry Akligoh | Community Biology
Bio: Harry Akligoh is a Researcher with the Open Bioeconomy Lab and Technical Associate at Kumasi Hive in Ghana. He is a professional biomedical scientist and worked for a year in the clinical diagnostic sector in Ghana. At present he is mobilizing the open science community in Africa through the Africa Open Science Hardware Summit (Africa OSH) to democratize the use and adoption of DIY Bio and community biotechnology to drive biology research necessary for harnessing the power of Africa’s biotechnology industry in education and research. His research with the Open Bioeconomy Lab focuses on understanding the molecular biology reagent accessibility issues in Africa, exploring business models around the local bio-manufacturing of these enzymes as an alternative for creating an open, sustainable and equitable bio-economy in Africa and will soon begin testing some locally produced and purified DNA polymerase enzymes on clinical samples as part of his MPhil research work. Harry also works training young university students and graduates in Ghana to build and prototype open science hardware for biology and environmental sensing as part of the Biomaker Africa project. He also consults for the Africa Health Innovation Centre (AHIC) as a research fellow shaping and curating a strategy for the adoption of research and entrepreneurship in driving health innovation across Ghana and Africa.
Links: Open Bioeconomy Lab | twitter
Summary: Harry Akligoh is building a community-oriented future for biology. As the founder of the Hive Biolab in Ghana and an active participant in the broader open science hardware movement, his perspective is both local and global. The scientific process, Akligoh says, is not complete if it fails to leave the lab.
How he got interested and involved with community biology and open hardware. pic.twitter.com/GIziAMl4SS
— science better (@scibetter) March 20, 2021
Like many community bio labs, Hive Biolab is taking advantage of open hardware and DIY designs to run their experiments and projects. pic.twitter.com/68cZirYbkk
— science better (@scibetter) March 20, 2021
"One of the tenets of open science is inclusion."
— science better (@scibetter) March 20, 2021
Inclusive science requires better representation. pic.twitter.com/j5KhYL6Qfb
"The scientific process doesn't end if your research is still in the lab. It needs to get out of the lab... Until the public sees the research that you do and are able to relate to it, our work is not complete." pic.twitter.com/4L9iD0va3d
— science better (@scibetter) March 20, 2021