Tilling, Linda Anne;
(1997)
Development and application of plastic models in microbiology.
Doctoral thesis (M.Phil), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Photographs of microbial material can substitute for live cultures to convey information for teaching purposes, but more than one photograph may be needed to explain the subject as images are taken in one plane. Photographed objects such as Petri-dish cultures are three dimensional (3D) reflecting and refracting light depending on their position in the light source. Alternatives to live cultures and photographs are permanent and non-toxic models. However, no commercial models for microbiology exist. This thesis describes the development of "plastic" models to provide teaching and training material. Microbial growth was copied using artists pigments mixed into epoxy resin, biscuit crumbs mixed into epoxy resin, aerosol spray paint and carbohydrate pellets embedded into epoxy resin. Likenesses mimicking the results of tests and bacterial morphology have been made by copying features of antibiotic resistance, nutritional requirements, and distinct culture morphology of microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae and Klebsiella sp. Agar inoculated with cultures of bacteria and non- filamentous fungi have been moulded with alginate mixtures and silicone rubber. Facsimiles of living cultures have been reconstructed in pigmented epoxy resin, using a similar live culture or photograph for reference from silicone rubber moulds. Glass paints and artists pigments have been used to substitute colour changes induced by microbial metabolism in commercial identification systems employing indicator dyes. The models are microorganism free, unlike the medical teaching models generally used, which contain biological tissue in situ. The models are designed to be used without constraint outside the laboratory (were necessary conventional safety and handling controls for pathogenic material are in force). Two models were developed for public exhibition. A collection of models for medical microbiology has been produced and a selection of these is included as part of this thesis.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | M.Phil |
| Title: | Development and application of plastic models in microbiology |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Thesis digitised by ProQuest. |
| Keywords: | Biological sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10104566 |
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