Compound microscopes require regular cleaning to help ensure accurate diagnoses and prevent damage to the microscope. However, microscopes are delicate instruments that must be handled with care. Do not use toilet paper, Kleenex, or paper towels as these may contain particulates that could scratch the lenses. Do not apply pressure. This video gives walks you through the basic techniques used to clean your microscope from top to bottom. Consult your manual on the preferred cleaning solution.

A microscope is a very important instrument in the laboratory. It is necessary to focus your microscope when viewing specimens to perform a proper analysis and give an accurate diagnosis. This video gives a brief overview of how to focus on a specimen using a compound microscope. It demonstrates the steps in focusing a compound light microscope from 10X to 100X. The use of immersion oil for the 100X lens is also specifically shown.

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to visualize samples as clearly as possible. Köhler illumination is a light microscopy where the user aligns the illuminating optics to produce a uniform background, maximize contrast, minimize artifacts, and reduce stray light. This video is a brief tutorial on how to set Köhler illumination on a compound microscope to get a brilliant image. Please note that the ability to adjust the condenser aperture or field aperture (diaphragm) may vary by manufacturer. Consult your manual for additional instructions.

Size is one of the most important physical features when identifying and characterizing an organism in the lab. The exact size of an organism can be determined using a calibrated ocular micrometer. An ocular micrometer is a calibrated ruler etched on a glass disk that is used for measuring organisms under a microscope. The ocular micrometer sits inside the eyepiece. This video provides step-by-step instructions on how to calibrate an ocular micrometer on a compound microscope with mathematical calculations. It also shows how to use the stage micrometer, which is a special glass slide clipped to the stage of the slide, to calibrate the ocular micrometer. Calibration should be done separately for each objective lens and different microscopes.

The creation of RNA is made possible by a process called bacterial transcription. Through transcription the information contained in a section of DNA is replicated to form a new piece of messenger RNA (mRNA). This video will cover the three steps to create mRNA. mRNA is used to manufacture proteins through a process called translation.

Before a cell divides and DNA is passed from one cell to another, a complex process occurs. The DNA strands unwind and separate. Each strand makes a complementary strand by adding the appropriate nucleotides. As a result, there are now two double-stranded DNA molecules in the nucleus that contain the same information. This process is known as replication. This animation will describe the complex process in detail.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a complex molecule of many components. These components can be divided into four main groups: basic elements, nucleosides, nucleotides, and nucleic acids. This video will describe how these four groups build upon each other to create the DNA molecule.

RNA is similar in structure to DNA but is involved in different cellular functions. RNA contains the same basic elements of DNA but with three major differences in its structure. This video will describe these three differences. The video will also touch on the different types of RNA found in a cell and their functions.

In performing molecular procedures in the laboratory, it is essential that you keep contamination down to a minimum. Contamination can affect the results of your test. This video will discuss the necessary steps that should be used in reducing contamination.

Column-based extraction is a method that employs selective binding of nucleic acid to a solid matrix, such as silica that is packed in a column. This video will show this procedure to remove nucleic acid from a specimen.

Gel electrophoresis is a method used for separation of nucleic acid using a porous gel matrix depending on the size of the nucleic acid. This video will show how this procedure is performed.

When performing liquid phase nucleic acid extraction, a method called alcoholic precipitation is used where contaminants such as organic solvents salts and proteins are removed from nucleic acid in a solution. This video will show how the procedure is performed.

Magnetic bead-based extraction is a method that utilizes small particles with a paramagnetic core that binds to nucleic acid. This video will show how the procedure is performed.

Organic extraction is a method used to separate nucleic acid and other cellular components based on their differential solubility. This method uses a mixture of organic solvents phenol and chloroform to extract unwanted cellular components from nucleic acid. This video will show how the procedure is performed.

Polymerase chain reaction or PCR is a technique for amplifying specific DNA fragments from a DNA template. PCR happens in three basic steps: denaturation, annealing, and extension. This video will show the steps in amplifying specific DNA fragments for the PCR technique.

Detection of PCR products in real time can be accomplished by using fluorescent dyes or probes. Fluorescently labeled probes detect the amount of specific double-stranded DNA sequences. While fluorescent dyes detect only the amount of double-stranded DNA, in this video we are going to look at the principles behind fluorescent dye-based detection method.

Donning and doffing Personal Protective Equipment is essential to keeping laboratorians and the public safe from possible contamination. This video focuses on donning and doffing a laboratory coat, gloves, and safety glasses with wrap around sides.

This video demonstrates the donning and doffing of the following PPE: Gown, Gloves, Disposable Face Mask, and Face Shield. The doffing portion of this video demonstrates removing the gown and gloves.

This video demonstrates the donning and doffing of the following PPE: Gown, Gloves, Disposable Face Mask, and Face Shield. The doffing portion of this video demonstrates removing the gown and gloves.

How Airflow is Affected demonstrates how airflow in a chemical fume hood can be interrupted, altered, and changed by different factors.

Cleaning Up a Spill demonstrates how to appropriately clean up a spill inside a biosafety cabinet

Completing Work in a BSC demonstrates the steps to be performed after BSC work is completed.

Factors Affecting Airflow inside the BSC demonstrates how Airflow in a biological safety cabinet or BSC can be interrupted, altered, and changed by many different factors. These interruptions can lead to potential exposures and/or product contamination.

Preparing for Work in a BSC demonstrates the performance checks, the proper placement of equipment, and additional tasks needed to prepare for working inside of a biological safety cabinet.

Safe Use of a BSC depicts best practices to work safely in a BSC.

Knowing how to properly use compressed gas cylinders is essential for maintaining a safe laboratory. The regulator on a gas cylinder controls the flow and pressure of gas from the cylinder to your laboratory equipment. This training video shows a step-by-step tutorial for safely attaching a regulator to a compressed gas cylinder, including the proper tools and how to check for damage.

Checking your compressed gas cylinder for leaks will help keep your laboratory safe and will also help maintain accurate laboratory procedures. This training video shows how to use a bubble test to check for leaks and changes in gas pressure at both the inlet and outlet valves on the regulator. Regularly checking for leaks and keeping a record of these system checks helps maintain a safe working environment in the laboratory.

To understand how test results are obtained, you need to start from the beginning where specimens are collected. This video will give an overview of specimen collection, testing, and test results.

Data and reports may be sent to stakeholders outside the laboratory. Some examples of where data may be sent include electronic health records, vital records, and a disease registry. This data will follow at least one of two distinct paths. This video will discuss these two paths.

Depending on your laboratory certain tests may not be automated. This could be due to the nature of the test or because the testing instrument does not have a direct interface with the LIMS. For example, some tests require visual observation and manual data entry. This video will discuss important things to consider when results must be entered manually.

Laboratory data and test results must be properly stored and managed. Proper data storage is a critical component of ensuring data integrity throughout the laboratory process. All data and results must be stored; however, they can live in many places within the laboratory. The main repository for all laboratory data and results is usually a LIMS. This video will discuss how laboratory data is stored and linked to other pertinent information.

Everyone inside and outside of the laboratory has an important role to play in laboratory informatics. The extent of the role and specific responsibilities will vary. This video will discuss specific roles and responsibilities of those working in the laboratory with laboratory informatics.

Laboratories play a crucial role in supporting public health. Accurate diagnoses of diseases and protection from health threats depend on a laboratory's ability to produce quality data. There are many areas in the life of a specimen workflow where data quality can be compromised. This video will discuss these areas and how compromised data can affect a patient’s health.

Throughout the life of a specimen, the amount of data associated with a specimen increases creating various relationships made up of different types of data. This video will cover the different types of data captured in the LIMS, their relationship, and importance to each other.

Data standards provide a method to convey information in valid, meaningful, and actionable ways. Although there are many types of data standards, in this video we will focus on data representation and data exchange standards.

The last step in the analytic process is recording laboratory test results. After testing, results are either recorded manually or through automation into the LIMS. During this process it is imperative that the data is checked for accuracy to ensure incorrect data is not entered into the LIMS. This video will explain why it is important to ensure accuracy in reporting results.

A LIMS helps laboratories track and manage the workflow of a specimen and its associated data from the time a specimen is received through the reporting of results. LIMS have many capabilities and benefits. In this video we will describe the capabilities, benefits, and limitations of a LIMS.

Informatics is a broad field that encompasses information science, information technology algorithms, and social science. In these videos we will review two types of informatics: laboratory informatics and public health informatics.

Demonstration of performing a direct smear from a specimen in the last step for culturing microorganisms.