Seeding Labs is a student organization (founded by students from DMS) that collects donated and surplus research equipment to send to labs in developing countries. Its formation is an outgrowth of activities that started with one project of the International Health and Science Network. Our goal is to increase awareness of the difficulties facing our colleagues trying to do research in developing countries, and to use our equipment collection activities to help these researchers start up or increase capacity in their labs. Since our formation in 2002, we have donated $300,000 worth of equipment to 11 labs in 10 countries, using a budget of $8000. In the future, we hope to become both a material aid and networking resource to connect researchers in the US with researchers in the developing world.

Our members include people from many different fields and departments within Harvard (as well as both graduate students and postdocs). Our activities include collecting, inventorying and testing many different types of lab equipment. Secondly, to be able to collect equipment and find recipients, our activities include forming connections with Research Operations, Laboratory Reps, Postdoc offices, heads of academic departments, deans for various schools, biotech companies, and other members of the research community.  Members of our group make personal connections with our recipients as well, thus forming connections throughout the international research community.

For more information contact Melissa Wu at: mpwu@fas.harvard.edu