Biology laboratories? What kind? Budget?

Question

Hi, I would like to study biology and become independent, perhaps own or manage a laboratory. What are the options? Cell culture... etc? Any ideas?

I also need a rough idea of the budget I would need to set up a small lab, or if I have to look for financing and investment how does it work, how do I get it.

Thank you.

Answer 1

If you run an independent lab, you will have to get money either from businesses (if you do lab tests for them) or from research grants and donations (if it is a non-profit research lab).

There are endless possibilities of what you can research, and the cost will depend on what you research. For instance, a genetics lab that looks at fruit fly phenotypes is going to be a lot less expensive than a state of the art cloning or stem cell lab, although those will be more likely to be funded.

You will have to get a PhD to be able to run an independent lab. When you are working on your bachelor's degree, you will start to get a better idea of what you want to research.

Answer 2

Running a lab is too expensive of a venture for a common man unless you are independently wealthy or live in those circles. The fact is even some undergraduate college professors are unable to maintain their own labs without school support. Laboratory equipment is so expensive that even the easiest lab will run you in tens of thousands. Even a single PCR machine by itself is a few thousands when new.
The only way you could run your own lab is if you can get organization, government, public etc. to donate funds. An earlier post referred to getting a terminal degree because people want to believe that you are at least qualified before they can pour out their money.