ASCUS LAB
The one-of-a-kind publicly accessible laboratory for everyone
ASCUS lab is a biosafety level 1 facility for users to interact directly with the tools and ideas of science and art through DIY experimenting. The lab is accessible to anyone no matter your level of experience; whether you are an individual with a curious mind wanting to explore scientific equipment and develop new skills, a small business needing the space and equipment to test your concept, or needing a lab space to host a workshop or film in.
Our lab is accessible through
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Lab Sessions
After completing a health and safety induction, our lab sessions give you access to all our lab equipment to bring your project vision to life.
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Microscopy sessions
Whether you have something specific to observe, or just want to get lost in the unseen world, microscopy sessions are for everyone! Check out our Microscopy page for more information.
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Workshops and courses
We host a number of public workshops and lab-based events throughout the year. Keep an eye on out Events page to see what’s coming up!
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Personalised Training Sessions
Our lab manager would be more than happy to help you develop skills in microscopy, microbiology, DNA analysis or enquire about other techniques you'd like to learn.
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Hire
Our lab can be hired out for workshops, running courses, filming, and anything else that might require lab space, microscopes or other science equipment. We also hire out our microscopes for external events!
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Evening sessions
On the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from 4-8pm. Evening sessions lab members, curious minds and friends of ASCUS who don't usually get to cross paths can work on lab experiments, meet others, network, share ideas and socialise.
What OUR LAB USERS Are Saying
“ASCUS is a brilliant and rare resource, offering artists a truly valuable interdisciplinary experience of connecting scientific processes to art practice. Particularly within ecological arts I have found it to be a really unique experience, being able to delve deeper in a way that would otherwise have been hard to access elsewhere.”
— ARTIST
“Excellent. My teenager accessed the labs with Keira at the helm to explore Biology to explore his interests and to learn to navigate the lab as hadn’t studied science before. Without this experience which my son loved he wouldn’t have been able to easily transfer into science at Nat 5s and Highers. He absolutely loved this experience. Also very neurodivergent supportive.”
— PARENT OF LAB USER
“My experience of the ASCUS Lab was highly inspiring. I obtained new scientific skills such as how to undertake microscopy and to culture soil. The support I received during my time spent in the lab was excellent and allowed me to produce important and meaningful work. I would highly recommend visiting the ASCUS Lab as a artist, designer or scientist.”
— Undergraduate student
“ASCUS Lab is an amazing resource for students, no matter what field you are studying in. I highly recommend anyone who is passionate about innovative ideas to check out the space - they will be met with nothing less than expertise and friendly support. 10/10..”
— UNDERGRADUATE Design STUDENT
Pricing
EVENING SESSIONS
£15/13.5*
These 4 hour evening sessions on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month are not only for lab users but also for friends of the lab and those that want to network with other art-science enthusiasts.
Hourly lab access
£8/£7.2*
Spend as long or as little as you like in ASCUS Lab with access to a biosafety cabinet, fume hoods, electrophoresis tanks, a UV Doc, incubators, heating plates, microscopes and so much more.
One-to-one training
£38/hour
If you need help perfecting a technique, or want to learn a new skill and try your hand at some of the experiments done day-to-day in a lab, our lab technician will be happy to assist.
This is a mandatory induction for all lab users before they start working in ASCUS Lab to get familiar with the lab and the risks involved with working in a lab. These inductions are done in a group setting on the 1st Thursday of each month. Inductions outside of these hours can be arranged at an extra cost. Please get in touch with us.
Safety Induction
£20
Annual Membership
£130
Have a project that requires long term lab use or want to support the work we do? Become an ASCUS member and get 25% discounts on hourly lab access, evening sessions, courses, workshops and other ASCUS events.
Ready to experiment? Here’s how it works
Complete the form below to tell us a little bit about what you would like to do in ASCUS Lab.
We will get back to you to let you know if we can facilitate your idea in our biosafety level-1 lab, and if we have the materials you need. We may need to set up a meeting to clarify some things.
We’ll then book you in for the mandatory health and safety induction, complete some risk assessment paperwork and give you a tour of the lab and that’s it!
You can contact us to book your following lab sessions. If you need any one to one training, please be sure to let us know.
We have a card machine in the lab so you can pay for your lab time before you leave. We can also keep a record of your lab hours and costs to invoice on a monthly basis.
Have something in mind but not sure where to start? Contact us to discuss your ideas with our lab manager.