Challenges of the Unseen World

Turn your microbiology laboratory course into an exciting gateway into the world of microorganisms. With nothing more than microscopes, Petri dishes, media, and a handful of reagents, undergraduates will learn to isolate, grow, and identify a wide range of pathogenic microbes. While becoming proficient at the fundamental skills of the microbiology laboratory-how to streak plates, use a microscope, perform a Gram stain, and prepare serial dilutions and spread plates-Challenges of the Unseen World: A Laboratory Course in Microbiology enables students to solve six challenges that professional microbiologists might encounter in their work.


Richard Meyer and Stacie Brown have written a manual that emphasizes discovery and scientific reasoning and meets the ASM microbiology education curriculum guidelines. Students learn essential classic laboratory methods and important molecular techniques as they attempt to investigate real-world medical and epidemiological problems. This approach enhances retention by providing context and shows students how professional microbiologists think and work.