This workshop is all about the foundations of microbiology: preparing culture media, practicing sterile (aseptic) technique, and growing microorganisms. If Workshop 1 introduced you to handling samples, this session takes it a step further—giving you the skills to set up living experiments that can grow, multiply, and be studied over time. You’ll learn how to create the right environments for microbes to thrive while ensuring your work stays clean and uncontaminated.

What you’ll do:

Prepare nutrient-rich broth and agar media from scratch.
Sterilise media and equipment using an autoclave.
Pour your own sterile agar plates.
Practice aseptic technique with sterile tools and flame sterilisation.
Inoculate cultures on plates and in liquid broth using safe microbial strains.
Observe early signs of microbial growth and discuss growth patterns.

Key techniques you’ll learn:

Measuring and mixing culture media components.
Autoclaving for sterilisation.
Pouring agar plates without contamination.
Flame-sterilising inoculation loops and tools.
Streaking techniques to isolate colonies.
Understanding microbial growth phases (lag, log, stationary, death).

Outcome:
By the end of this session, participants will be confident preparing sterile media, handling microbes safely, and culturing microorganisms. These are core skills for anyone wanting to pursue microbiology, synthetic biology, or molecular biology projects at BioQuisitive.

BEFORE COMING TO THIS EVENT please ensure you have completed the COMMUNITY ONBOARDING MODULE