News from ABSMIDS | Art of Museum Technique

Art of Museum Technique The Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Microbiology, organized a 2-day Certificate Course on “Art of Museum Technique” to empower students & professionals, with skills in handling, preserving and displaying pathological specimens, which are crucial for education and research. Prof. (Dr) Sreelatha SV, HoD, Oral Pathology welcomed the gathering. Prof. (Dr) Suma Ballal, Dy. Registrar, Nitte University, emphasized the significance of museum techniques in preserving and presenting oral pathology specimens for educational purposes. Vice Dean, Prof. (Dr) Mithra N Hegde, delivered the presidential speech and commended the department for its initiative to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.

Day 1: The first part of the workshop consisted of a detailed lecture on the Art of Museum Techniques. Dr. Vidya C S, an expert in the field of museum curation, was the resource person. She introduced the concept of museum techniques in the context of oral pathology. Her lecture covered the importance of museum techniques and discussed the role of museum curation in preserving oral pathology specimens for educational and historical purposes The lecture concluded with an interactive Q & A session. Thereafter, participants were divided into smaller groups and engaged in the hands-on session, to provide practical experience. Emphasis was placed on proper documentation practices, including how to label specimens clearly & effectively, to ensure they are identifiable and accessible for future use.

Day 2: The hands-on Luminal Cast Plastination Workshop aimed to introduce participants to the methods & applications of plastination in creating luminal casts for educational, research and diagnostic purposes. Theoretical aspects of plastination, creation of luminal casts and practical training in the laboratory setting were covered. Participants engaged in hands-on learning, focusing on Preparation of the Biological Sample; Selection & preservation of tissues for casting and Injection of Polymer into the Luminal Space. They learnt to inject polymer solutions into vessels / lumens to create accurate 3D replicas; polymer curing techniques to ensure that the polymer sets correctly to maintain anatomical integrity; removal of excess tissue or medium; proper preparation of the final cast, finishing techniques; polishing and preservation of the final luminal cast product. The hands-on session resulted in the successful creation of 4 luminal casts of the sheep lung tissue. The hands-on sessions and collaborative learning fostered a dynamic learning environment, allowing participants to engage directly with the methods and applications of plastination.

Certificates were presented to all participants in recognition of their active participation and successful completion of the workshop activities.