The Bluminoid™

This is my most recent project. We visualize DNA during and after electrophoresis using a DNA-specific stain called SYBR (there several versions of this stain with varying properties). In the old days we used ethidium bromide – a potent mutagen. The SYBR stains are less toxic and, even better, they fluoresce in the 500+ nm (yellow/green) range when illuminated with light with a wavelength of less than about 490 nm. These days rather than using the dangerous UV light required by ethidium bromide, we can see SYBR-labeled DNA using LED generated blue light! I was 3D printing some blue light boxes (the designs will be on this site eventually) when I realized that we could make a handheld version due to the relatively low voltage and current requirements of LEDs. Enter the Bluminoid™ - a battery powered handheld blue light illuminator for visualizing SYBR-labeled DNA! Specs for prototypes under development will be revealed here shortly : ).

Mo'zonator™

UV light has been used for decades to produce ozone which is highly reactive and can condition sensitive surfaces (like silicon) and remove organic contaminants. I built a device called the Surfinator™ that vastly reduced the cost of the UV based strategy compared to current commercial devices, while increasing efficacy. Sadly, nobody wanted the Surfinator™. Unperturbed (1) I decided to use a different approach and build the Mo'zonator™ which leverages plasma discharge (cheap, safe, and more effective than UV light at 184 nm which chemically alters DNA and can lead to things like cancer) as the source of ozone. This device works great but again nobody seems to want one, so far...

SwichUps™

As a lifelong guitar player, I am constantly wanting a variety of sounds. I realized that with flat pickups it is possible to build a whole surface-mounted system that allows rapid swap of a vast trove of pickup types and positions. Of course, many other people have invented and marketed pickup swap systems, but they tend to be awkward and limited. The SwichUp™ system is completely variable and virtually unlimited. It is in the prototype stage and not yet commercialized, but if you are looking for a partnering opportunity, holler!

EDNA™

EDNA™ is the world’s simplest method for getting DNA out of an agarose gel. You can dissolve it, melt it, squish it, macerate it, or mistreat your agarose gel a million different ways but let’s face it, the DNA got in there by electrophoresis so why not get it out the same way? I’ve designed a super cheap capture capsule that fits on the end of a used (acid washed) silica filter elution column (with the filter disc removed, if you use the various kits, you have tons of these). The chamber is 3D printed and can be varied as needed, of course. I’ve use platinum electrodes from discarded gel apparati but am also experimenting with pyrolytic graphite electrodes – more to follow!

ElectroBlu™

The ElectroBlu™ is a simple electrophoresis chamber with an integrated blue LED illuminator so you can watch your SYBR-stained DNA migrate in the electric field. How awesome is that? Of course, I didn’t invent this and you can buy commercial versions but the rub there is this is cheaper, you can build them to fit various gels (e.g., I have one for mini gels on 1 x 3 inch slides), and you can build a compatible gel pouring chamber with one or more comb slots (if, for instance, you want to recover DNA directly from a second well in the gel, an old trick that has risen from the ashes recently : ).

HenderHack Products

When we finish a project the product will appear here - cheap : )