Hive Biolab

Ghana's first community DIYbio lab

Hive Biolab, launched in 2019, is Ghana’s first community/DIYbio lab, dedicated to the rapid prototyping of ideas in biology and helping students and graduates translate science into enterprising bio-startups. It operates as a node of the Open Bioeconomy Lab, working with the Cambridge-based Open Bioeconomy Lab team to produce enzymes for molecular biology applications and develop early-stage molecular diagnostic prototypes from local materials.

The lab also provides training in synthetic biology, genetic engineering, and recombinant DNA technology to university students, graduates, and Ghanaian academics, and works on alternative solutions in health and disease, agriculture, and waste management for Ghanaian communities. It is based at Kumasi Hive, a broader innovation hub for tech, business, and startup support in Ghana.

*Text adapted from OpenPlant and Open Bioeconomy Lab coverage of Hive Biolab’s launch and ongoing work.