CLEAPSS Supporting Safe Practical Microbiology Event

If you have been asked to support (technician) or deliver (teacher) microbiology practical work at KS3, GCSE or post-16, this “hands on” course will provide you with all that is necessary to be able to work safely and confidently.

The course includes:

• Health and Safety guidance to ensure that the COSHH regulations relating to microbes are complied with. We will assume that you are familiar with the basics of H&S management*.
• An opportunity to learn and try out the techniques needed for you to provide safe cultures for students to use and to deal with all microbiological materials safely during and after practical lessons.

* If you are unfamiliar with your roles and responsibilities in relation to H&S we suggest you attend a general H&S course such as the” H&S for science technicians” before attending this one.

What will we do on the course?
The activities are all “hands on”, so please bring a clean long-sleeved lab coat. You will be introduced to the following, but you will obviously need to practice some of the techniques to become really proficient!

• Microbiology practicals with non-aseptic technique, e.g. making yoghurt cultures.
• Preparing sterile agar plates for use in microbiology practicals.
• Aseptic technique to transfer microbes using loops, spreaders and pipettes.
• Making and using broth and agar slope cultures.
• Separating mixtures of microbes by streak dilution, to identify different species and to test cultures for contamination.
• Serial dilution followed by making lawn and/or pour plates to estimate the density of microbes.
• Investigating bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics.
• Sub-culturing to provide viable cultures of safe microbes for student use.
• Sterilising and disposing of materials that have been used in microbiology practicals.

All agar plates and slopes made on the course can be taken away so that you can watch the cultures develop.

Course Fee: £95.00 per person attending

This is for a full day of professional development, all CLEAPSS course resources, lunch and refreshments.

CLEAPSS courses are intended for CLEAPSS members - if you are uncertain about your membership please contact CLEAPSS on 01895 251496. An additional charge may be payable for non-members attending courses.