- Same day processing: Collect and analyze DNA samples in a single day, with a complete molecular lab that fits in your backpack.
- Complete workflow: Run your entire eDNA process – from sample preparation to PCR and gel analysis – on one integrated device built to lab standards.
- Reliable performance: Get consistent results under challenging field conditions with our robust design.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring
I don’t see the need any more for huge machines, now that we can run around with Bento Lab and a MinION and do genomes and metabarcoding on site.
Dr. Cheryl Ames, Professor, Applied Marine Biology, Tohoku University
eDNA Analysis with Bento Lab
Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is transforming ecological research and biodiversity monitoring.
Bento Lab provides researchers with a portable molecular biology setup for conducting DNA-based species detection and identification.
From remote field sites to traditional lab settings, our integrated system enables reliable PCR amplification and analysis of environmental samples, supporting both targeted species detection and broader biodiversity surveys.
Learn more about using Bento Lab for eDNA monitoring and DNA barcoding.
Download whitepaperFeatured case studies
National University of Singapore
A Singapore-based team used Bento Lab and MinION for DNA barcoding on a dive boat, fitting all equipment into a backpack. Their method processed 32 samples in a single run, identifying 70 new barcodes and demonstrating the potential for rapid, field-based biodiversity sequencing.
Learn more
Tohoku University
Dr. Cheryl Ames uses eDNA and Bento Lab to study marine biodiversity, predicting species presence like box jellyfish and octopus. Her work supports fisheries and conservation, making DNA analysis portable and accessible for field research, ensuring sustainability and rapid monitoring in changing ocean environments.
Learn more
Smithsonian NMNH
Smithsonian ichthyologist David de Santana uses Bento Lab for in-field PCR in the Amazon and French Guiana, accelerating fish species discovery. This portable setup overcomes sample shipment delays, with plans to expand its use to biodiversity hotspots in the Congo and Mekong River basins.
Recommended for eDNA monitoring applications
Bento Lab Pro
From DNA extraction, to sample preservation, to PCR, using one portable workstation.
32 well thermocycler
Heat or incubate, lyse cells, amplify DNA via PCR or isothermal methods, ligate sequencing adaptors.
8k G centrifuge, 6 tube capacity
Sediment samples, spin down tubes, extract DNA using spin columns
Electrophoresis and transilluminator
Cast, load, and run agarose electrophoresis gels to visualise genomic DNA or amplicon DNA
