Launching today
MicroVlabs
Practice microbiology in an interactive 3D virtual lab
2 followers
Practice microbiology in an interactive 3D virtual lab
2 followers
MicroVlabs by CytoEnigma is a free 3D virtual microbiology lab where students learn by doing. Practice aseptic techniques, bacterial culture, Gram staining, growth curves and more. Actions have realistic consequences—from contamination caused by poor aseptic technique to incorrect experimental results—allowing students to learn from mistakes and repeat procedures in a safe, self-paced environment. Available on Windows and macOS.
Hi Product Hunt! 👋
Imagine joining your first university laboratory course and having no idea what working in a real lab actually feels like—the benches, equipment, samples, reagents, and all the small decisions that go into an experiment.
I built MicroVlabs after years of teaching undergraduate microbiology and molecular biology labs and seeing how difficult it can be for students to truly practice those workflows outside scheduled lab time.
MicroVlabs is a free 3D virtual microbiology lab where students can explore the environment, perform experiments, and learn by doing—not just by watching a video or clicking through predefined steps.
Actions matter. Forget to sterilize your loop and you may introduce contamination. Overheat a Gram-stained slide and you can affect your result. Students can make mistakes, understand what happened, and try again without wasting samples or consumables.
For new students, it can make the lab feel less unfamiliar. For more experienced students, it offers a place to practice and repeat techniques. And for educators, it provides another way to support practical learning beyond scheduled lab time.
MicroVlabs has grown considerably since the first version, and I'm continuing to improve it based on feedback from students and educators.
I'd love to hear what you think, especially if you're a student, educator, or someone working in science education. 🧫