# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Anselm Levskaya's innovative brain-computer interface approach was discussed, involving protists laying down fiber optic cables to connect with optogenetically enhanced neurons, representing a novel biological method for neural interfaces.

• Participants shared and analyzed resources for brain connectivity research, including the Brain Connectivity Toolbox, supporting work in neural mapping and network analysis.

• The group live-transcribed a "Startup Science" event featuring presentations from science-focused startups including Cureus, PeerJ, Academia.edu, Mendeley, Science Exchange, and Assay Depot, documenting the emerging ecosystem of scientific service marketplaces.

• Science Exchange was highlighted as democratizing access to laboratory services, with mass spectrometry services available for $100-700, significantly lowering barriers to scientific research.

• Detailed microfluidics discussions covered design constraints (1mm valve spacing requirements) and fabrication challenges, with participants sharing technical papers and debating the limitations of consumer 3D printing (with professional machines achieving ~50 micron resolution).

• The conversation revealed tensions in the DIYbio community regarding access to synthetic biology tools, with criticism of business models that might restrict sales to "credentialed labs" rather than supporting amateur researchers.

• The FBI-DIYbio 2012 event was referenced with transcript links, indicating ongoing dialogue between law enforcement and the DIY biology community about regulation and safety in citizen science.