Our mission
As scientists and conservationists, we were fascinated early by the wide-ranging applicability of environmental DNA (eDNA) based approaches. Various research projects in the pristine and remote landscapes of andean South America, however, brought us to the limits of eDNA sampling. This sparked our motivation to overcome the current limits of field-based molecular work. Starting off to the tropics again with self-made eDNA filter systems, custom workflows and sample storage solutions, we brought our own eDNA technologies to rough terrain and continued optimizing our tools.
Throughout these projects we met wonderful researchers, conservationists and local communities throughout Sout America - many without secured access to propper laboratories for metagenomic approaches. Being deeply routed in an 'open-science' thinking, we believe it is time to share our experiences and advances, to bring eDNA to a wider public, especially in low-resource settings. Through Samplifylab, we therefore share detailed instructions how to build your own field-deployable research equipment. The instructions are adapted to perform with maximum simplicity. Visit our News page to learn more about our ongoing research activities.
On our News page, we also provide laboratory protocols, 3D-print templates and instructions on how to build your own Samplifylab equipment for free via the publications linked in our blogposts. For those of you who feel unable or uncomfortable with building your own, or who just want to save time, we offer ready-to-use fieldequipment and diagnostic solutions. We seek to customize solutions as far as is possible to your research needs - and therefore build equipment manually and only on demand.
In past years, besides our university-based researcher positions, we have constructed our own laboratory for molecular ecology services. Based in Germany, we can now also offer customized research solutions in the wider field of Molecular Ecology. Feel free to contact us to discuss setting up custom metabarcoding and biodiversity diagnostics, and visit the Diagnostics page to learn more about molecular biodiversity applications already offered today.
Christopher Heine
Chris is currently based at Trier University, focusing on field-deployable eDNA workflows and CRISPR diagnostics. His interest centres in improving fieldequipment for 'rough terrain', inspired by his own fieldwork in Neotropical high andean ecosystems.
christopher@samplifylab.com
Amadeus Plewnia
Amadeus is currently based at Ghent University, where he investigates emerging infectious diseases as a threat to biodiversity as well as conservation-based topics with a focus on amphibians. His long-lasting research activities in the rain- and cloudforests of andean South America inspired his work in on-site diagnostics and improved fieldequipment.
amadeus@samplifylab.com
