Welcome to Charlottesville’s Education and Entrepreneurship Laboratory.
Since 2016, Open Bio Labs has been harnessing this opportunity by serving as the nexus between the evolving scientific landscape and the community, where our students can engage in their own scientific exploration. Our K-12+ education center is designed to teach students the fundamentals of biotechnology, as well as common laboratory techniques and essential research skills, with the help of passionate instructors, committed mentors, and a dedicated lab space. The goal of our programs are to Learn the competence and confidence in students of all ages to take charge of their own learning pathway so they can begin to Build using biology and Grow their projects into the real world.
A Message From Our Founder
What would the world look like if Steve Jobs had a laboratory in which to play instead of a garage? This question turned into my mission to unlock, inspire, and empower the creative scientific potential of our community in Charlottesville and Central Virginia. I started Open Bio Labs to fulfill that mission. We believe that people learn best when they’re hands-on rather than just reading a text book. Here, people can roll up their sleeves, put on their lab coat, and dive right in to the science they want! Every time a mother tells me their child has a newfound interest in science because of our work, I know Open Bio Labs was the right decision.
– Shaun Moshasha, Founder
Our Three Programs:
Sometimes we need a headstart in order to truly engage ourselves in a new subject. Our K-12+ education center is designed to teach students the fundamentals of biotechnology as well as specific laboratory techniques and proper researcher skills. The goal of the Learn program is to establish the competence and confidence in students for them to take charge of their own learning pathway and begin to Build.
As the core of Open Bio Labs, Build is where innovation flourishes. The open laboratory enables anyone to autonomously explore their scientific curiosity and build their own projects! Those who have completed the Learn program are well suited for independent exploration within the Build program. When these explorations have reached a certain point, they are ready to Grow.
The value of a project is only realized by its impact on the world. In Grow, Open Bio Labs helps transition the projects that our community has built into the real world, whether that means starting a company, publish a paper or a patent, or even solving local community and personal problems. Our network of talent and resources is ready to help your project blossom!
Our Team:
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Shaun Moshasha
Founder -
Charles Richardson
Director of Education -
Billy Nash
Director of Grow -
Rob Masri
Board of Directors