Microbiology/Microscope Question

April 24, 2018 12:13 AM

I am looking for resources where I can ask specifics about using my microscope, how-to's, and with that also queries about my findings. Specifically in the medical field. Think - people who want to test their own samples.
posted by watercarrier to Science & Nature (3 answers total)

It really depends on what you are trying to determine. For simple count based tests ie white blood cell count a layman can easily do the test with some instruction with good accuracy. If you are trying to do some histopathology study on a liver slice then you're in big trouble as a layman. Even experts can come to different conclusions looking at the exact same slide. It really is much more of an art form than an exact science. People are machine learning models that are able to examine histopath slides and reproduce the averaged result across different viewers better than any individual expert, but they are still a bit away from general use. What assay are you interested in as that information is quite important for directing you to adequate resources.
posted by koolkat at 1:13 AM on April 24, 2018

Response by poster: to clarify - seeking a forum in which to discuss microscopes and microbiology.
posted by watercarrier at 6:17 AM on April 24, 2018

Best answer: If you want to go old-skool there is the microscopy listserv (since 1993!) It looks like you can even submit messages without being a subscriber (though subscription is free). I would probably take a look at the rules and FAQ and search/browse through the archives to start.
posted by btfreek at 7:43 AM on April 24, 2018