More People Should be
Able to Do Biology

We make real biotechnology tools for people who want to experiment, learn, build, sequence, and work with biology.

From a Supply Problem

to a Company

The ODIN started because doing biology outside a traditional lab was unnecessarily difficult. Equipment was expensive, materials were hard to source, and protocols assumed you already had access to a lab. 

Since 2013, we’ve been making kits, tools, and protocols that let people learn biotechnology by actually doing it.

2013

The Open Discovery Institute is founded

The goal is simple: make molecular biology tools easier for more people to use.

2015

CRISPR Moves Beyond Institutional Labs

Hands-on gene-editing experiments become possible outside traditional labs.

The Years After

More Tools. More Experiments

The ODIN expands into education, lab equipment, biological materials, and more experiments.

Today

From Engineering to Sequencing

We’re expanding from genetic engineering into 30× whole genome sequencing for humans and other organisms.

Our Mission:

Turn Curiosity into Biology You Can Do

You can read about biology, watch someone else run an experiment, and understand the theory. But knowing how something works is different from doing it yourself.  

Our mission is to make that possible by giving people the tools, materials, protocols, and knowledge to work with modern biotechnology firsthand.

Tools

Real equipment you can work with

Organisms

Living materials you can work with

Protocols

Clear steps you can follow

Your Data

Your own files, under your control

We Didn't Wait for Access.

We Built It

The people behind The ODIN came to biology from different places, but all of us ended up at the same idea: access to the tools matters.

Josie Zayner, PhD

Founder & CEO

A biophysicist, bioengineer, and founder of The Open Discovery Institute. She earned her PhD in Biophysics from the University of Chicago and later worked in synthetic biology research at NASA Ames.

In 2013, she founded The Open Discovery Institute to make biotechnology more accessible, developing tools, kits, and resources for people to explore genetic engineering outside traditional institutions.

Biotechnology should be something people can do, not only something they can read about.

Dariia Dantseva

Brand & Growth Lead

A Ukrainian biotechnologist, biohacker, science communicator, and Brand & Growth Lead at The Open Discovery Institute.

At The ODIN, she works across brand, growth, marketing, ecommerce, and scientific communication.

Before joining The ODIN, she built her own genetics lab at 17 and went on to work across DIY biology, genetic engineering, education, and open science.

When the lab I needed didn’t exist, I built it myself.

Lera Niemackl

Operations Lead

Leads operations, bringing a broad background in biotechnology, science, and art.

She has worked across mushroom farming, organic Cordyceps production, bioinformatics, gene editing, and ecological research, helping mission-driven biotechnology companies grow and evolve.

Her work also spans installation art and interdisciplinary research, bridging science, technology, and culture.

My work has always revolved around living things.

Anya Koehne

Laboratory Assistant

A biodesigner and biochemist working across genetic engineering, assisted reproductive technologies, and bioinformatics.

She earned her BS in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin.

If biotechnology is going to shape everyone's future, everyone should understand it.

Built for Doing Real Science

Outside Traditional Labs

13+ Years
of DIY Science

We’ve been building tools for hands-on biology outside traditional labs since The ODIN was founded in 2013.

Everything
Included

Our kits include the biological materials, reagents, supplies, and instructions needed to run the experiment.

Step-by-Step
Guidance

Clear protocols walk you through the experiment, with enough context to understand each step and troubleshoot it.

Built by a
Scientist

Our products come from years of doing genetic engineering inside and outside traditional laboratory settings.

Questions People

Actually Ask

Do You Ship to My Country?

We ship to many countries. Availability depends on the product and local import requirements. If checkout doesn’t offer shipping to your country, email odin@the-odin.com and we’ll check what’s possible. International shipping for CRISPR kits is typically around $75 outside North America.
I Want to Pay by Purchase Order

Email your purchase order to odin@the-odin.com. Purchase orders are available to US institutions only. Orders paid by card are processed first, so if timing is important, paying at checkout is the fastest option.
How Do I Engineer This Organism?

It depends on the organism. If you’re new to genetic engineering, start with bacteria to learn culturing, sterile technique, transformation, and basic DNA work. SnapGene Viewer is useful for learning plasmid maps and DNA elements. From there, scientific literature and NCBI can help you identify genes and methods relevant to the organism you want to work with.

The Question Is Still Open

What happens when more people have access to the tools of modern biology? More than a decade later, we're still finding out.

Start an Experiment Sequence Your Genome Talk to Our Lab