The OpenFlexure project was started by Richard Bowman at the University of Cambridge. It is now developed and maintained by a global community, with contributions from academia, industry, healthcare and hobbyists. The current core development team is:

Richard Bowman demonstrating the OpenFlexure Microsope to IHI.

Our team of key contributors includes PhD students, volunteers, and maintainers of projects that we work closely with. These include:

The Humanitarian Technology Trust

Since 2025, we are proud to be supported by the Humanitarian Technology Trust, a UK-based charity with the aim of making life-saving equipment accessible around the world. The Trust is committed to using open source technology to improve people’s lives in underserved areas. Their goal is to build a network of manufacturers and users, to support the OpenFlexure Microscope in medical clinics around the world to diagnose cancer and malaria. The Humanitarian Technology Trust welcomes all contributions, so please look at how you can support their work.

The OpenFlexure project development has been a collaborative effort with our partners Bongo Tech & Research Labs, Ifakara Health Institute and the Texas Medical Centre.

The Bongo Tech workshop.

Bongo Tech logo

  • Valerian Sanga
  • Paul Nyakyi
  • Grace Anyelwisye
  • Stanley Mwalembe

Demonstrating the OpenFlexure Microscope at GOSH 2018.

IHI Logo

  • Catherine Mkindi
  • Valeriana Mayagaya
  • Joram Mduda

Texas Medical Center

  • Daniel Rosen M.D.
  • Kelsey Hummel D.O.

We’re grateful to a huge number of former and current contributors who helped the project to take shape.

Former fulltime members of Richard Bowman’s lab include:

Early microscope development was based at the University of Cambridge, and was a collaboration of many researchers, including:

University of Cambridge

WaterScope Logo

  • Alex Patto
  • Nalin Patel
  • Tianheng Zhao
  • Sammy Mahdi