Does anyone in here have recommendations for learning more about microbiology. I have a basic knowledge from middle and high school but I would love to start getting into the more advanced side of microbiology. Any help would be appreciated.

Not a microbiologist, I just wanted to get opinions from some people who know more than me for a creative endeavor!

I have just thought of making an Osmosis Jones inspired TTRPG, and was considering what cells travel the body. Like, bone and nerve cells don’t move (I think). But Red and White Blood Cells move. Also good bacteria. Are there any other body cells that travel around the body or would feel fitting as like a “playable cell” in a kinda personified body situation? Bonus points for creative ideas as to what they’d look like or do! I wanna ground stuff in cool reality, and no Google search I’m doing is resulting in easy to parse answers lol.

Thanks ahead of time ❤️

I have realised we haven't been taught any agar to grow spirochetes so I'm guessing it's a "no"? Sorry if my question is stupid, I can only find chocolate agar and MacConkey but those are for neisseria and enterobacteria respectively.

So what do they do when having to diagnose ex. Lyme disease? (I'm guessing serology but uhmmm?)

I'm a Lab Tech student, sorry, again, if my question is stupid :(

As a Christmas gift to my microbiologist brother I want to surprise him with his favourite slime mold as a pet. I've been trying to find a distributor in the EU for Physarum Polycephalum in their eating phase. There is the Carolina US company, but I've contacted their distributors here and they said that they can't deliver anymore in EU because of new restrictions.

Any clues of where I could find it?

From what I understand, bacterial cells in a bacterial cyst and those that are persister cells are in a some form of dormant state. But can persister cells exist inside of bacterial cysts?

Can trying to use medicine to kill bacteria cells in a bacterial cyst cysts and/or as persister cells cause these dormant bacterial cells to awaken (excystation and germination respectively)? What if they experience physical trauma can they awake (excystation and germination respectively) and start causing an infection(s)?

hey!

we're planning to do a spread plate method in one of our assays, with Bacillus subtilis as the isolate of choice. however, every time we try to standardize the bacteria in broth media, it forms these clumps that float around in the broth. and unfortunately, we don't have any vortex mixers in our uni to use to homogenize the media.

what tips or advice or even solutions are there to help make our solution uniform for the standardization?

thanks!

I'm (20F) currently doing my major in microbiology major and I'm from India. It's really important to me to go abroad for either phD or masters, the sooner the better. My goal is to work in the pharmaceutical industry.

I know nothing about the exams or admission process needed to go abroad, so could anyone guide me please?

Hey guys,

I’m just looking to hear from people about their journey with school for microbiology. I’m Canadian and theoretically most people here do undergrad right into a masters and then right into a PhD. It’s a good story but I’d love to hear from real people with real experiences.

I would really love to hear about other people’s experience with getting their masters or PhD.

Did you do it all in one go or did you take a break/work for a few years in between?

Did you always know microbio/molecular bio was the thing for you?

Also, if you did work in between, what was the hiring process like? Did you get the imposter feeling?

PS doesn’t have to be from Canadians, I’d love to hear anyone’s story!

Sincerely, A scared undergrad in micro/molecular biology

Hi, y'all. I wanna substitute those peptide solutions, cuz I am just a hobby in bacteria cultivation. How could I make an alternative to them? May I just boil beef, take its broth, and mix it with trypsin, and later autoclave it at 100% to sterilise it? What are the chances of successfully growing B. subtilis, if I keep all equipment sterile?

Hello all, I am currently a lab Assistant and I want to be a microbiology technician. I have worked in lab for about 6 years. I was introduced to the lab looking for another phlebotomy job (I'm a certified phlebotomist). I just made 38 and I want to go back to school to get my associates in biology, so that I can do some of the programs they have at my job for continuing education and go on to get may bachelor's and go all the way to get my masters. I guess my question would be do y'all think I'm too old to basically start over again I know 38 isn't that old. But I work with generalist techs who are in their early 20s and I think it makes me a little self conscious. And are there any tips or things like that that y'all would recommend. Thanks in advance ☺️

Okay so this is gonna be a long read, but please bear with me I really need your opinion on this as I am very confused and lost. Okay so I am a final year masters(microbiology) student in Maharashtra, India. I am totally lost about what to do next. I complete my masters in 4 months and I have absolutely no plan. There are 2-3 routes which commonly people take at this stage, first is give CSIR NET entrance exam for PHD research in govt institutions, second, give the same exam but to become an assistant professor at institutions, and thirdly get into biotech or pharmaceutical industry(Quality control or assurance). I seem to have no strong liking towards all the three paths, No for research as it has a lengthy tenure, I have less patience for research, don't want that "constant studies" environment anymore, and most importantly not so passionate about it which is said to be the most important requirement to get into research. A huge No for professor as I am bad at teaching, and I just want to get done with the college life and studies, cant do the same thing all over again being a professor in college, lastly industry, this is a good option out of all three but salary is minimal, no growth, no job security, plus repeated similar work every single day. I am mostly convinced for the industry option as I can switch later, and have plans to learn coding and analytics and get into bioinformatics or hopefully IT sector(far fetched but yeah) which have better pay scale. But there is a constant WHAT IF? in my head. what if research works out, what if I go abroad(Germany or US) and I get good opportunities after research?, what if I never get a promotion or a bioinformatics job in industry and get stuck at a basic technician role with below average salary? All these things are running in my head constantly and I'm not able to decide. And the clock is ticking away. Please share your insights. Guide me through this. Your response will be much appreciated, literally will be a life saver!

I think many people will say do what interests you but hey at this point i really exactly don't know what. All I know that is I need a decent job which pays me well so I can save and build on it, and maybe pursue something else like a business or a startup idk but at this stage I need good money to get financial freedom to be able to be free form societal judgements, parental pressure and to be able to think freely in peace. Thankyou.

Hi guys! Student researcher here. Title says it all. Can’t find samples within my city and need help on where I get/buy some. I’m from the Philippines if that’s any help.

International/local sources are welcomed :)

Hello, we have a project at school where we have to find the unknown organism. our organism showed no growth on MAC, EMB, alpha hemolysis on BAP and growth on MSA. when gram staining the colonies that grew on MSA, we found that they were rods? so now were kinda stumped on what it could be? gram positive rods that grow on MSA agar?

https://preview.redd.it/mqcqjnc54n3e1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=971ea436404f189f1d421982b137a4e16cd03b4a

https://preview.redd.it/fmrz6hm54n3e1.jpg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=275d657510342525ecbcb4918626ea6e3d85af5a

https://preview.redd.it/pcyb7choij3e1.jpg?width=4624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad67c84227769825a908721d46188880f4d5a164

https://preview.redd.it/sxeddw0pij3e1.jpg?width=3468&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c085c7604df5146913a91a9b202eb265f873a047

https://preview.redd.it/et2mzv0pij3e1.jpg?width=3468&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5414c55bbbbae8f8cbe525c19550297464c84926

https://preview.redd.it/0c5wipypij3e1.jpg?width=4624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=affb359c054603f91029ab338a4d89f7ed001421

https://preview.redd.it/2o9i5b2rij3e1.jpg?width=4624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4158ce8ca46d7cfbbc273c7889bf6af88acfa8b5

These were found on the upper & lower leaf surfaces of a Pink Magnolia in North Florida. You can see there's some vein-limited chlorosis. I really don't know what they are, possibly fruiting structures? Thinking maybe an oomycete?

Is there a specific glassware for the litmus milk test or would a big screw capped test tube be enough for the tests 😅?