On behalf of the Science Committee, I want to teach a class on these subjects, but I wanted to get a feel for what perks the most interest. Keep in mind that the topics will tend to be inter-related enough that one will Venn overlap into the other. If specificity is more desired, I could focus it more on things like:
Microscopes are useful diagnostic and inspection tools, but it has been a while since I used one. It might be good to go over what makes a good microscope and how to use one. Could you also go over the most important uses of microscopes and types of microscopes? I assume from your list that you would focus on biological microscopy, rather than industrial.
I would like to do genetic sequencing, something that I did once a few years ago. I remember that we cloned some canine DNA into some type of bacteria and examined our results under a microscope. I think we used the microscope that time just to help us target a bacterial colony for sampling.
@JAGMAN I’m totally up for disinfection techniques. Common pathology could be interesting too. Are we talking tissue pathology or of diseases?
@Tron Experimental methods in immunology sounds interesting. What would that cover exactly? I have a basic understanding of ELISA, PCR, and your day to day diagnostic techniques, but not much else.
I’ve also thought about seeing if there was interest in a medically geared class. My thought was to take one of my cases and just work through it with people present and we’d cover gaps in knowledge (IE why a particular diagnostic was run and a brief discussion of the organ system or disease process, or why [and what they mean] ‘globulins’ or ‘GGT’ are important on blood work) where applicable. Didn’t figure many people would be interested though.
So how about a session on culturing anthrax or other hazardous organisms from soil cultures and such? I really think we need some men in black investigating the ‘space’…
I remember judging a local science fair many years ago, where one of the biology judges called in a hazardous materials clean-up squad after spotting what looked like anthrax in a Petri dish that was cultivated from local soil… Very exciting and entertaining. I was overruled when I said that kid should win first place!
@wandrson Where were you at? Anthrax and, really, a number of diseases lay-folk consider exotic, is indigenous to the US. Did they ever find out if it was anthrax or not?
I was in Florida at the time. And no I never did hear if it was anthrax. But they did change the rules for micro bio projects after that.
As I said the panic was funny.
This was also a decade or two before the postal anthrax scare. Id suspect if it happened now it would have involved homeland securityand accusations of terrorism.
I am currently developing some fungi cultures for spalting wood.
I would be interested in speaking with someone who had done so in the past.
My first set are growing but I could use some advice on future generations.
I can also be reached on my cell of 903-203-9463
Jeff Whitcomb
