Public Talk: From Paper Microscopes to Global Change: Story of Frugal Science by Dr Manu Prakash

The Murty Trust annual public talk was hosted by the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, at Sir Puttanna Chetty Town Hall. This year’s invited speaker, Dr. Manu Prakash, Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University, is internationally recognised for his pioneering work in “frugal science” — developing low-cost scientific tools that democratise scientific discovery. A MacArthur Fellowship recipient and former Harvard Society of Fellows junior fellow, Manu is the brain behind several inventions, including the Foldscope, an origami-based paper microscope, and the Paperfuge, a hand-powered centrifuge. These ingenious tools are being used in schools, citizen science projects, community healthcare settings, and fieldwork around the world, showing that groundbreaking science doesn't require expensive laboratories. In this talk titled, “From Paper Microscopes to Global Change: Story of Frugal Science", Manu spoke about various applications of curiosity-driven science towards public benefit. He demonstrated how science can thrive outside the boundaries of traditional laboratories and expensive instruments, drawing on curiosity, improvisation, and simple materials to unlock new discoveries. Through stories about challenging expeditions to the Arctic and fieldwork in underserved African communities, he shared with the audience how making science accessible not only inspires wonder but also provides practical solutions to real-world challenges.