Our History & Mission
The Cap City Biohackers are dedicated to demystifying and democratizing science (with an emphasis on biology and technology) for people of all backgrounds. Founded by Drs. David Taffany and Jessica Fleming in Columbus in 2015, the Cap City Biohackers are a part of the world-wide DIYBio movement and the first established DIYBio group in Ohio. Since its founding, the Cap City Biohackers have formed a strong community around citizen science, including monthly lectures, discussions, and hands-on demonstrations. We're currently working toward establishing a dedicated community lab at Rev1 Ventures. Check out our events on Facebook and get involved!
The Cap City Biohackers is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Our Leadership Team
Jessica Fleming, PhD
A molecular biologist from OSU who is currently doing postdoctoral research in the OSU radiation oncology department, focusing on molecular biomarker discovery.
David Taffany, PhD
A molecular biologist from OSU who researched the interaction between breast cancer and the immune system. Currently a product manager in the digital health industry.
Ahmar Bajwa
A global finance and operations leader with 10+ years of experience with startups and the Fortune 500. Currently consulting with startups including FinTech, on-demand delivery, and e-commerce.
Our Code of Ethics
OPEN ACCESS. Promote citizen science and decentralized access to biotechnology.
TRANSPARENCY. Emphasize transparency, the sharing of ideas, knowledge, and data.
EDUCATION. Engage the public about biology, biotechnology, and their possibilities.
SAFETY. Adopt safe practices.
ENVIRONMENT. Respect the environment.
PEACEFUL PURPOSES. Biotechnology should only be used for peaceful purposes.
TINKERING. Tinkering with biology leads to insight; insight leads to innovation.