how to set up microbiology lab?

Answer 1

Setting up a microbiology lab is neither terribly expensive, nor difficult. (And I've started several in my lifetime!) Plus, while you need to keep the area clean to prevent massive cross-contamination, you do not have to keep it 'sterile'.

Depending on how fancy you want to get, you can spend anything from several thousand to many hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The most basic of microbiology labs would have the following:

Microscope (with accessories), inoculation loops, source of flame, slides, Gram staining kits, petri dishes and media, incubators, identification kits, and a small autoclave. Clorox bleach, like you buy at the supermarket, diluted to 5-10% is the best cleaning agent for labs.

Check out a Microbiology Lab at a local college -- they are about as simple as they get!

When you want to get fancier, you start getting the following:

Larger autoclaves, anaerobic boxes, biosafety hoods, automated ID systems, microplate readers and specialized growth media/environments.

For more information, check out Fisher Scientific's website. They are a reputable supply company that can provide everything you would need to get a lab started. They have a 'New Lab Start Program' that provides discounts on many of the most basic of items.

I ran a check on everything I listed above to start a small lab and the grand total was just under $6,300.00. If you stick with the items that are marketed for schools (usually labeled as SciEd Products), you get a good deal.

If you would like more information, feel free to e-mail me.

NOTE: This set-up would be for basic microbiology (i.e.: environmental isolate identificaiton, some human isolates, water isolates). It could not be used for pathenogenic bacteria and would not allow for advanced manipulations.

Answer 2

Home Microbiology Lab

Answer 3

It is not difficult to set up a microbiology lab, one needs to know the nature of lab( food or clinical). The basic equipment required are a bench type autoclave, different type of culture media, petridishes, burner,loops,blender,bags,racks,incubators of different temps,identification kits or any simple system,microscope,gram stain reagents and sanitizing chemicals.

A small lab with few samples can have most of prepared media and disposable consumables to reduce cost and improve efiiceny, depending on type of parameters being analysed.

Answer 4

Before spending a lot of money, I would first ask some basic questions like: why do you want to set up a lab? What are your purpose and goals? Do you have, or do you know someone who has, the basic knowledge and skills to operate such a laboratory without causing risk to yourself or others? Is the location where you want to set your lab up convenient to proper drainage and does not pose a health hazard? If you plan to use lab animals in your work, will you be able to get a permit for such use and will you have the facilities to maintain them? There are many considerations before jumping right into microbiology research.

Answer 5

first, research which types of media you will need. are you looking for environmental bacteria, or is this more of a mammalian testing situation? if mammalian, you'll need an incubator with a reliable thermometer. aerobic organisms are easy to grow, but gets more involved with facultatives. you can buy special kits that have a built-in chemical reaction to provide the atmosphere you need, whether it is CO2, etc. then you will need sterile supplies. a benchtop incinerator is easier to use than an actual flame, but you may have to use an old-fashioned alcohol lamp. another option is purchasing disposable sterile loops, plates, tubes, etc. how are you going to dispose of these things? you will need to look into local and state codes to get more info. you'll need gram staining materials, and other chemicals used for identification reactions. another must is a good microscope. it you can't afford a new one, look into buying an old american optical (AO) 'scope. if a lens or part is bad, you can buy replacement parts. also be sure you have extra bulbs on hand, and that they are the correct type, or you'll keep burning the bulbs out. it's a very involved process. good luck!

Answer 6

What are you trying to grow or what type of set ups? Different micro-organisms have different growth requirements. Email me the specifics, I took microbiology in college, I'll help you out.

Answer 7

To set up a microbiology lab is very difficult, because you need it to be sterile 110%!! This is very expensive! And the equipment is rather expensive: Bunsen flamer, Petri dishes....

Answer 8

Write a grant proposal, buy the supplies, start doing experiments.