The Helmholtz Initiative on Synthetic Biology is calling for proposals for art exhibits developed during an experimental laboratory experience.

The project is a common project between Prof. Dr. Roland Eils (DKFZ Heidelberg and Heidelberg University) and Prof. Ursula Damm (Bauhaus University Weimar). The jury will consist equally of scientists and artists.

With the emergence of Synthetic Biology, a scientific discipline aiming at the standardization of biological parts for the targeted generation of organisms with new, naturally not occurring features is gaining more and more scientific as well as public attention. Continue reading

Right or Risk? The 1st Public BioBrick: Exploring Public Access to the Tools of Synthetic Biology :: September 24, 2012; 7:00 - 9:00 PM (BST) :: Grant Museum of Zoology, London, United Kingdom.

Synthetic Biology is turning genetic engineering into a simple exercise, with thousands of DNA components - BioBricks - available to program bacteria. What if ordinary citizens want access to these tools? Now, for the first time, UCL have teamed up with a group of ‘biohackers’ (citizen scientists in molecular biology) to create the world’s first ‘Public BioBrick’. Join us for an evening exhibition and Q&A hosted by UCL iGEM with C-LAB. Continue reading

Expanded Life Definition: Michał Brzeziński :: October 5 - November 5, 2012 :: Czytelnia Sztuki, Willa Caro, ul. Dolnych Wałów 8a, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland.

The exhibition touches the problem of transspecies communication and the changing definition of life in the context of information systems, and the changing definition of a human kind transformed by the recent technology from biotechnology, and the increasing prevalence of transgenic organisms and various human body integration with computerized machines — from various simple devices (smartphone) subject to the convergence of extended brain functions such as memory, numeracy, to the knowledge of foreign languages, or medical grounds, up to the senses such as sight, hearing (monitoring, interception) to advanced nanotechnology equipment to support the immune system, and performing various operations for the army (Smartdust). Continue reading

[Marco Donnarumma — Hypo Chrysos] (CEC) Canadian Electroacoustic Community: eContact! 14.2: Biotechnological Performance Practice :: Guest Editor: Marco Donnarumma.

Biological technologies are computational systems driven by physiological and corporeal processes of the body. Endogenous mechanisms that would otherwise be imperceptible become manifest in the form of data. The field of biotechnological music performance is presented here through a set of fascinating articles describing heterogeneous methodologies and idiosyncratic musical ideas. (July 2012) Continue reading

Mengele’s Skull: The Rise of Forensic Aesthetics :: February 4 – May 6, 2012 :: Portikus, Alte Brücke 2 / Maininsel, 60594 Frankfurt am Main. Continue reading

[Tokyo Hacker Space's meeting place. Photo Credit: David Powell] 4S/EASST Panel: Hacking Science and Technology Studies (STS) - bio-hacking, open hardware development, and hackerspaces :: October 17-20, 2012 :: Copenhagen, Denmark :: Call for Papers - Deadline: March 18.

During the past two decades, hacking has chiefly been associated with software and computers. This is now changing as the figure of the hacker, together with the ideas and practices associated with this figure, are spreading to new walks of life. Thus we are reminded of the origin of hacking in hardware development. Continue reading

Robert Lue: Using Art to Express and Advance the Scientific Process :: December 7, 2011; 6:00 pm :: EMPAC (Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, NY :: FREE + Open to the public.

Robert Lue, biologist and director of life sciences education at Harvard, will discuss the vital and transformative role that visualizations play in both science research and education. Lue is the founder of BioVisions, a collaborative initiative led by Harvard scientists to improve the beauty and precision of science visualization. Continue reading

MRI Scanner Inspires a Multimedia Performance — Composers Mira Calix and Anna Meredith have come up with pieces of music which are inspired by the sounds of a MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner.

Pulse Sensor: an Open Hardware Heart-Rate Sensor — by Yury Gitman — is a plug-and-play heart-rate sensor for Arduino. It can be used by students, artists, athletes, makers, and game & mobile developers who want to easily incorporate live heart-rate data into their projects.

Grow a New Eye - A Technology project in San Francisco, CA by Tanya Marie Vlach. From the Huffington Post: Continue reading