- MIT’s DRACO broad-spectrum antiviral was praised for killing 15 viruses in vitro, yet participants doubted its ability to clear latent infections like HIV and highlighted the prohibitive cost of GMP-grade biologic manufacturing.  
- A concrete DIY-biotech proposal suggested that patients on ultra-expensive orphan drugs (e.g., the $400 k/year anti-C5 antibody Soliris) could crowdfund <$50 k to establish small-scale, royalty-free antibody production, undercutting pharmaceutical pricing.  
- India’s 2012 compulsory license for Bayer’s sorafenib—cutting the price by 97 % while paying only a 6 % royalty—was cited as legal precedent for overriding patents when drug prices exceed per-capita income by more than 40×.  
- Failed and delayed E. coli transformation experiments sparked troubleshooting discussions on insertional inactivation, promoter leakage, and potential toxicity of plant-gene inserts in bacterial hosts.  
- Participants compared microfluidic fabrication strategies: laser-cut PDMS on acrylic, SU-8 soft-lithography molds, and direct-write laser polymerization of photoresist on glass, aiming for 25 µm channels with <$1 k hardware.  
- A $20 photodiode-based laser-interferometer feedback loop was proposed to upgrade stepper-motor CNC stages to sub-micron repeatability for low-cost microfluidic prototyping.  
- Halcyon Molecular’s rumored shutdown prompted an alert to salvage liquid-handling robots and centrifuges before liquidation, illustrating the community’s opportunistic acquisition of high-end biotech gear.  
- Debate over funding models concluded that public X-Prizes rarely cover true R&D costs, and alternatives such as the Health Impact Fund or royalty-free licensing merit greater attention.