# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Jonathan successfully demonstrated bacterial transformation using a simple $25 ultrasonic cleaner (sonoporation), providing a more accessible alternative to traditional methods that require calcium chloride and multiple preparation steps.

• Participants compared various bacterial transformation techniques including electroporation, heat-shock, PEG+MgSO4, and sonoporation, evaluating their relative efficiency, cost, and accessibility for DIY biohackers.

• Detailed technical discussions occurred about building cost-effective DIY electroporators, with suggestions that commercial devices use unnecessarily large capacitors and that Cockcroft-Walton generators with smaller capacitors could be more efficient.

• A significant research paper was shared discussing sex-specific transgenerational responses in humans, suggesting environmental effects can be transmitted through generations via sex chromosomes.

• Technical specifications of electroporation were discussed, noting that exponential decay waveforms work better for bacteria/yeast while square waves are more effective for mammalian cells.

• Participants explored accessible microfluidics fabrication through "Sticky Lithography" and discussed DIY graphene production methods, though no successful hobbyist implementations were reported.

• Plans for a microplate-based DNA synthesizer using liquid handling robots were described, with the observation that commercial DNA synthesis companies primarily use Tecan machines rather than custom hardware.