Index of University Press Releases

Feb. 3, 2009

DWU microbiology lab boasts digital microscopes

MITCHELL – Students in DWU’s microbiology labs are now using state of the art digital microscopes to complete their lab work.

The biological sciences department at DWU purchased 12 new high resolution digital microscopes for its microbiology laboratory using its Hughes Endowment fund.

The Swift M10 digital microscopes have a built-in high resolution digital camera along with an LCD screen that allows students to view objects under the microscope without looking through a lens.

The microscopes can also be connected to the lab’s laptop computers, thereby allowing students to view images on a larger screen. Still images can be saved to a memory card.

“Since most institutions do not have the digital microscopes – each with their own laptop computer – they make us quite unique,” said Rocky Von Eye, dean of the College of Healthcare, Fitness and Sciences.

In the past, students were asked to make drawings of what they saw under the microscope.

“I have developed electronic lab report forms to maximize the capabilities of the new microscopes,” said Tim Mullican, professor of biology. “Students can use software that comes with the microscopes to record photomicrographs or digital videos which can be pasted into their laboratory reports. Students can then edit the images by adding labels and notations.”