Ucan Culture: Microbial culturing for DIYbio biotechnology

Name: Ucan Culture: Microbial culturing for DIYbio biotechnology
Rating: 4.8 (4 reviews)

Preparation of growth media and agars

Created byEric Poliner, PhD

Last updated 11/2021

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Common methods of media sterilization
General guidelines for preparing media, including solid media
Applications of microbial medias
Media components and recipes
Opportunities based on microbial culturing skills

Course content

4 sections • 11 lectures • 40m total length

Course introduction0:44
Explore culture media for growing microbes, mushrooms, plants, and cell cultures; learn the tools, techniques, and recipes to maintain clean cultures and source consumer-grade materials for future opportunities.
Why I made this course0:27
Explore microbial culturing as a foundational skill for biotech research and engineering, using Amazon-sourced equipment, while assessing demand for turning this information into a product.

Module 1 introduction0:45
Explore the history of microbial culturing and the tools for growing microbes, including culture as a noun and culturing as a verb, plus basics of maintaining pure cultures aseptically.
Class 1 - Microbial culturing from food to biotechnology7:32
Explore microbial culturing from food fermentation to biotechnology, detailing media, nutrients, environmental conditions, and growth systems from batch to continuous and simple flasks to bioreactors.
Class 2 - Aseptic technique and tools7:17
Master aseptic technique to establish a sterile environment using heat, chemicals, and UV-C, while preventing contamination with PPE, tools, and safe handling of media.

Module 2 - Introduction0:19
Formulate and make media, explore types of media and recipes, and learn practical steps for checking and storing the final product.
Class 3 - Media formulations10:36
Form media formulations by supplying complete nutrients and suitable conditions for propagation or bio production, using complex or synthetic media, and choosing rich or minimal, selective or differential types.
Class 4 - Media preparation5:01
Follow a recipe to prepare media by weighing powders and measuring liquids, then sterilize with an autoclave, cool, and transfer to final containers while maintaining sterility and validating with controls.

Module 3 - Introduction0:10
Explore the final module's focus on applications of the knowledge and skills learned and analyze proven business models currently in the market.
Class 5 - Applications of microbial culturing4:18
Explore the diverse applications of microbial culturing, including identification via morphology, isolation of pure colonies, enumeration of viable microbes, bio production, and propagation using selective and differential media.
Class 6 - Microbial culturing business models3:39
Explore microbial culturing business models, including bio production, media supply, and project-based kits, plus compound isolation, using case studies of mushroom cultivation and pre-made media suppliers to inspire products.

Requirements

An open mind and desire to experiment

Description

Starting a bio-lab or bio-business usually requires the ability to grow pure and healthy cultures of a desired organism, whether growing mushrooms, making beer or yogurt, or genetic engineering. Making culture media is a foundational skill, it is often the first task taught to a new member of a lab. But this skill is not confined to professional laboratories, it can be done with widely available equipment and supplies. This skill can be used to grow and engineer organisms, and has much wider applications for isolation and identification of wild microbes, counting microbial loads, or even artistic expression. Join me as we delve into the formulation and preparation of nutrient media.

Biological system propagation and bio-production have been the foundation of human civilization but has evolved from agriculture and food preservation to technologies for synthetic biology. Microbes are incredible organisms that can take simple inputs and produce complex bio-molecules. This course will examine common microbes or cultured organisms and their associated growth mediums. There will be demonstrations of the skills with a simple home set-up and information on how to replicate this work.

With a mastery of making media and growing microbes, more advanced genetic engineering skills are possible. Join me on an amazing journey to become a biohacker.

Who this course is for:

Biotechnology students who want to do wet lab research
Biohackers starting a home lab
Mycological enthusiasts who want to expand their culturing skills
Environmental microbiologists looking to investigate what microbes they can sample

Ucan Culture: Microbial culturing for DIYbio biotechnology

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction2 lectures • 1min

Module 1: Introduction to microbial culturing3 lectures • 16min

Module 2 - Making media3 lectures • 16min

Module 3 - Microbial culturing as a skillset3 lectures • 8min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: