Reclone Starter Kits to be Distributed Across 13 Latin American Countries

In March 2026, Reclone launched an open call for the Latin America Starter Kits, aiming to expand access to molecular biology tools, educational resources, and open biotechnology practices across the region. Following an overwhelming response from the community, with more than 150 applications received, we are excited to announce that 135 participants from 13 Latin American countries have been selected to receive the kits.

The call received applications from students, researchers, educators, community laboratory members, and entrepreneurs working across a wide range of disciplines and institutions. The strong response demonstrated not only the growing interest in synthetic and molecular biology in Latin America, but also the urgent need for more accessible infrastructure, training opportunities, and regional collaboration networks.

Selected participants are based in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Together, they represent universities, research institutes, startups, community laboratories, and non-profit organizations across the region.

The Reclone Starter Kits were designed as an entry point for people interested in developing hands-on experience with molecular and synthetic biology workflows. In addition to receiving materials, participants will become part of a broader regional network focused on open science, knowledge sharing, and community-led biotechnology development.

Each Starter Kit contains 10 lyophilized plasmids encoding enzymes and proteins commonly used in molecular biology and teaching applications. These include DNA constructs for PCR enzymes (Pfu-Ssod7, Taq, and OpenVent), oMMLV reverse transcriptase, and Bst-LF polymerase for LAMP workflows. The kit also includes fluorescent protein constructs that can be used in protein expression and purification teaching activities.

A central component of this initiative is Reclone’s decentralized distribution strategy built through interconnected Hub and Nodes across Latin America. The Hub in Argentina, and the Nodes in Brazil, Chile, and Peru will coordinate shipments to neighboring countries, reducing costs, simplifying customs processes, and improving accessibility for participants across the region.

The initiative also highlights the importance of regional collaboration in building biotechnology capacity. Many of the selected participants are already involved in educational outreach, community science spaces, local research projects, or efforts to democratize access to scientific tools in their communities. We hope the kits will help strengthen these local initiatives and create new opportunities for collaboration across borders.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who applied to the program. The diversity and quality of the applications made the selection process both challenging and inspiring, highlighting the strength and rapid growth of the biotech community across Latin America.

This initiative would not have been possible without the support of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), whose contribution has been essential in expanding access to open biotechnology tools, educational resources, and community-driven science across the region.

We also thank our partners and collaborators across Latin America: Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidade de São Paulo, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, SynBioBR, and the CYTED RELARUS network, for supporting this initiative through regional coordination, collaboration, and distribution efforts.

Stay connected with Reclone as this movement grows! Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest updates and opportunities to get involved.