# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (July 24, 2012)

• Participants shared and discussed synthetic biology resources, including Gen9's G-Prize competition offering up to 500 synthetic DNA constructs to researchers with innovative ideas.

• An affordable DIY biology tool was highlighted: Stacey K's Arduino PCR thermal cycler buildable for under $85, which Kanzure archived to GitHub as "wiremound-pcr" for preservation.

• The Stanford whole cell simulation of Mycoplasma genitalium was debated, with some skepticism about its immediate practical utility despite being a significant technical achievement.

• Discussions touched on computational neuroscience approaches, including whole neuron metabolic reconstruction and software tools for neural tissue slice reconstruction.

• Participants expressed concern about the prohibitively high cost of research reagents, noting antibody companies charge around $20,000/mg, creating barriers to research accessibility.

• DIY biology techniques were shared, including detailed recommendations for optimizing algae cultivation using carbon dioxide cycling, proper lighting, and nitrogen sources.

• Web automation tools were recommended, specifically Python libraries like python-requests and pyphantomjs for handling login forms and web scraping tasks.

• The channel discussed limitations of online learning platforms like Coursera and Udacity, criticizing their focus on introductory rather than advanced specialized content.