Community Enrichment Laboratory for Learning Sciences - CELLS

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Frederick, MD
Community Enrichment Laboratory for Learning Sciences - CELLS

Our primary location is 4539 Metropolitan Ct, Frederick, MD.

CELLS is a non-profit aiming to foster interdisciplinary learning & collaboration by establishing an innovative space in Frederick, MD to serve students, scientists, artists, and professionals.

05/23/2026

🎨 The first batch of results are in form our Engineering Microbial Factories sessions, and they are absolutely gorgeous! 🎨

Check out these 🌈 Petri dishes with colorful engineered E. coli from our Jr and Sr BioFUNdamentals students!

They successfully made the bacteria produce 9 different colors, and yes, some of them even glow under UV light! ✨

Our young scientists were thrilled by how easy and fun the process was. They can't wait for the next step: using these colorful, living bacteria to bio-print their own custom canvas art! 🖼️🚀

We still have a few flexible spots open for this Saturday's Teens Class!

Missed our Engineering Microbial Factories class?
No problem at all—we made plenty of colorful cultures to share! You can join at any lesson, pay per class, and no prior lab experience is needed. We set everyone up for success whenever they join!

👉 Secure your spot by visiting our calendar (link in comments).

05/20/2026

Over the last two weeks in our BioFUNdamentals Microbial Factories Unit, students learned all about microorganisms and how to work safely with them in the lab. This week, the real magic is happening: they are engineering living microbial "factories" to produce vibrant pigments, which they will use to bio-print custom designs onto canvas (pictures coming soon)! 🎨🦠🧪

This unit highlights the power of biology as technology for the future of sustainable bio-manufacturing and bio-fabrication. 🌎🌱

🚀 Want to join the fun? We have a couple spots OPEN for Jr BioFUNdamentals (ages 7-12) on Wednesday at 1pm and Saturday in BioFUNdamentals (ages 13+) Spots fill up fast! 5 of our sessions are already full! Secure a spot today to dive into hands-on FUN with Biology!

05/14/2026

It is so cool to see Hood College doing the SuperTaster lab with their sophomore college students—because our own participants just tackled the exact same lab at the end of April!

We completed this fun, high-level experiment with 30 students (aged 7–16) and two adults. While the SuperTaster lab is a staple of university-level biology (like the BIOL 203 course at Hood), our participants proved that when you give kids the right tools, they are more than capable of grasping university-level concepts.

From paper testing to genetic analysis, our students didn't just learn about science; they did science. They engaged with real molecular biology tools and performed genetic analysis on their own DNA! It was especially rewarding to watch our sibling groups compare their genotype results to make inferences about the genotypes of their parents.

A huge shoutout to all our young scientists in training for bringing their A-game and crushing their BioFUNdamentals Molecular Machines Unit Capstone Experiment! 🧬🧪

05/03/2026

A new, exciting Unit of our BioFUNdamentals program is beginning at the CELLS BioMakerSpace: Microbial Factories.

The Mission: Programming Living Organisms for Sustainability

Whether your child is a returning student or a curious newcomer ready to dive into the world of biology as technology, our next unit, Microbial Factories, is a great place to start.

In this unit, we are stepping out of the theoretical and into the BioMakerSpace Studio. Students will become "Bio-Designers," learning how to program tiny, living organisms to manufacture sustainable products. Our goal? To solve one of the world's biggest pollution problems: Textile Dyes.

New to the Lab? No problem! We start from the ground up, teaching everything from lab safety to working with microorganisms.

What’s happening in the BioMakerSpace over the next 6 weeks starting the week of May 4th:

Week 1 (May 4th - May 10th): 🔬 Discovery: Dive into pond water to meet the microscopic world

Week 2: 🧤 Personal and Environmental Safety: Master safety techniques used in real labs.

Week 3: 🧬 Programming Life: Insert DNA "blueprints" into bacteria to turn them into living color-factories.

Week 4: 🎨 The Master Palette: Harvest and isolate the brightest, most vibrant bio-ink colonies.

Week 5: 🖌️ Bio-Art Studio: Use your living ink to "paint" designs on agar.

Week 6: 🖼️ The Future of Fashion: Use your microbial art for bio-printing to see how biology can replace toxic chemical dyes!

Why Bio-Manufacturing?

Today’s students are the engineers of tomorrow. By the end of this 6-week journey, your child will take home a custom artwork that wasn't just painted, it was grown. They will see firsthand how biotechnology can create a cleaner, greener planet.

Join us at the CELLS BioMakerSpace to program living organisms to manufacture sustainable pigments and grow art that protects our planet!

Students work in a real laboratory designed specifically for education and citizen science projects with student and environmental safety as our top priority!

The link to our calendar for available times and registration is in the 1st comment!

⚠️ Classes are small (4-6 students) and fill up quickly!

We can’t wait to see what your Bio-Designer will create!

04/18/2026

We are thrilled to share that CELLS has been awarded the Catalyst for Change micro-grant by Women in Bio Capital Region! This funding will directly support our project:

"HERStory in The Making: Early Exposure to Biology as Technology."

Because of this support, we are providing:
💲5 Full Financial Aid Scholarships 🎓
👩‍🔬For girls in 5th-12th grade with demonstrated financial need
🏫To attend one of our 6-8 week classes at the CELLS BioMakerSpace

By removing financial barriers, we are ensuring these young girls can walk into a real lab and realize that biology isn't just a subject, it’s a technology they can use to change the world. These scholarships ensure they have the tools to start writing their own "HERstory."

Thank you to the organizers and the generous sponsors of the micro-grant: 8 Count Cosmetics, EmpowerBio, and Theresa Cassino, for believing in our vision to make biology as technology accessible to all! And thank you to our partner Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. for hosting the CELLS BioMakerSpace Lab!

04/15/2026

✂️ Ever heard of "Molecular Scissors"? 🧬
This week at the CELLS BioMakerSpace, our students are exploring how microorganisms use these "scissors" to defend against viruses and how scientists use that same technology to "cut and paste" DNA to engineer with Biology.

🧪 From Genotype to Phenotype
The journey doesn't stop there! In our next two classes, students will apply these techniques to test their own DNA. The mission? To discover if they possess the "Super Taster" gene! 👅✨

🛡️ The Dedicated Lab Advantage
When you learn with us, you’re in a space built specifically for you. Our programs are led by professional scientists with deep expertise in biosafety and chemical safety. The CELLS programs use a dedicated educational lab, not a shared industrial lab that may allow the use of hazardous chemicals and high-risk organisms. We focus exclusively on education and low-risk community science, providing a professional environment and equipment while eliminating the risks associated with industrial research.

📅 Join the Discovery!
When: This Saturday @ 9:00 AM (recommended age 7-12 years old)
Where: CELLS BioMakerSpace
How: Register now to secure your spot! 🔗 Registration link in the comments below!

04/09/2026

Join us in the lab for a hands-on mission where you take the lead as a molecular biologist!

The Mission: Solve the DNA Mystery
The lead scientist at CELLS has a problem: the tube labels got smudged, and we don't know which tube has our engineered DNA molecules. We need your help to figure out which tube is which!

In this class, you will:

Use "Molecular Scissors": Discover how bacteria naturally fight off viruses and how scientists "borrowed" this system to cut and paste DNA and to check the identity of DNA molecules.

Run a Gel Electrophoresis: Use the power of electricity to push DNA through a gel, separating the cut DNA pieces to reveal their sizes.

Crack the Code: Analyze your results to re-label the tubes and save the experiment!

Why Join?
This isn't just a lecture. You’ll use the same tools and techniques used by scientists in real biotech labs to engineer the future. You’ll learn in a dedicated educational lab specifically designed for student success, offering a safe environment that avoids the risks of shared commercial lab spaces that allow industrial work with hazardous chemicals and microorganisms. Our space is exclusively used for our educational programs, ensuring a safe, secure environment for every young scientist.

Spaces are limited (4-6 students per class) and fill up quickly!

BioFUNdamentals (13+, basic chemistry knowledge recommended)
Tuesday 4/14 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday 4/14 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Tuesday 4/14 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Jr BioFUNdamentals (7-12, no chemistry knowledge)
Wednesday 4/15 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (full)
Wednesday 4/15 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Wednesday 4/15 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (full)
Wednesday 4/15 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday 4/18 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (full)

Location: The CELLS BioMakerSpace Lab at the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc.
4539 Metropolitan Ct, Frederick, MD 21704

03/30/2026

🏆 Big Congratulations to Amrutha Thalla! 🔬
We are incredibly proud to announce that Amrutha secured 1st Place in the Cellular and Molecular Biology Category at the 45th Annual Secondary Science and Engineering Fair in Frederick County, MD!

Working at the CELLS BioMakerSpace under the mentorship of Dr. Vanya Paralanov, Amrutha evaluated different methods of bacterial transformation, the backbone of genetic engineering.

🌍 Why This Matters
Amrutha’s project addresses critical barriers for researchers in remote, resource-limited, or educational settings. Her research is a powerful testament to the mission of the CELLS BioMakerSpace: democratizing biotechnology by making sophisticated science accessible to our local community!

💡 A Roadmap for Inclusion
Amrutha’s work proves that you don't need a multi-million dollar facility or a PhD to participate in the genetic engineering revolution. Her findings demonstrate that while high-efficiency methods exist, accessible and cost-effective alternatives are within reach for the next generation of scientists, regardless of their location or resources.

With the right preparation and knowledge, the tools of biotechnology can be available to everyone, everywhere, as long as they are paired with responsible and ethical research conduct!

Congratulations, Amrutha, on this outstanding achievement and for helping pave the way for more inclusive science! We can’t wait to see where your scientific journey takes you next! 🌟

Special thanks to our strategic partner, Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc., and our donors for helping us provide a safe space for independent research!

03/29/2026

Next week at the CELLS BioMakerSpace, witness the Central Dogma in action! In this hands-on unit, students will use our 3D models to "unzip" DNA, transcribe it into RNA messages, and head to the ribosome station to translate those messages into proteins just like our cells do. The highlight of the class is experiencing state-of-the-art cell-free protein production, where we’ve moved the cell's molecular machinery into a tube so they can add DNA and watch the factory start instantly. They will see a green fluorescent glow as mRNA is made in real time, and since the final proteins take 3-8 hours to assemble and fully fold, every student will receive a follow-up photo of their glowing results!

Dates and times for this topic:
13+ years old (max 6 students per session):
Tuesday 3/31 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM (4 seats left)
Tuesday 3/31 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM (6 seats left)
Tuesday 3/31 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM (6 seats left)

7-12 years old (max 4 students per session):
Wednesday 4/1 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (FULL)
Wednesday 4/1 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM (4 seats left)
Wednesday 4/1 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (FULL)
Wednesday 4/1 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (4 seats left)
Saturday 4/4 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM (1 seat left)

Location: CELLS BioMakerSpace Lab at the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. (FITCI).
4539 Metropolitan Ct, Frederick, MD 21704

The classes are offered at a lower-than-market rate thanks to our strategic partnership with the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc., in-kind donations of consumable materials and small equipment from local vendors, and our volunteer instructors.

03/28/2026

This week, our students didn't just learn about science, they did it using the exact same tools as the experts. We explored PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) using professional-grade equipment that is currently used in high-tech labs, by researchers in the most remote corners of the Earth, and even by astronaut scientists on the International Space Station! 🌌

By tracking the fluorescence of their samples in real-time, students watched molecular machines copy DNA templates right before their eyes. We paired this hands-on work with 3D models to truly visualize the process.

Our budding scientists had some incredible ideas for how they’d use this tech to solve global challenges. We couldn't be prouder!

Address

4539 Metropolitan Court
Frederick, MD
21704

Website

http://www.cells4all.org/, https://www.cells4all/calendar

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