Let's Talk Micro
Episodes
137: Corynebacterium diphtheriae: media and more
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Luis continues going over Corynebacterium. In the last episode he mentioned some media that is used to isolate Corynebacterium diphthe...
136: Corynebacterium
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Back to the gram-positive rods! This week Luis goes back to gram-positive rods: Corynebacterium this time. The episode starts with an overview: gram s...
135: Talking ID Stewardship, learning antibiotics, and more
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is antimicrobial stewardship ? What is a hospital antibiogram? In this episode Dr. Timothy Gauthier joins the podcast and talks to Luis about ant...
134: Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the Doctor in Public Health (DrPH) degree? What kind of work does it prepare you to do? What concentrations does this degree has? In this epis...
133: Teaching Microbiology in High School
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Microbiology in high school ? Must people take biology in high school, but microbiology is not typically an option. Those of you that are microbiology...
132: Listeria: media and more
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Luis continues going over Listeria: testing and media. First he goes over two test systems that can detect Listeria in blood, and then...
131: Listeria
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Luis is talking micro in this episode. We continue our journey over gram-positive rods. This time is about Listeria. What are the virulence factors of...
130: ABMM Certification
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You requested it and it is here! Dr. Kristen Smith joins the podcast to talk about the American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM) certification. Wh...
129: AR Lab Network, GN7F panel, and more
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you familiar with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Antimicrobial Laboratory Network( AR Lab Network)? How about the ThermoFishe...
128: Talking AMR: Aminoglycosides
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The next episode of the AMR series is here! In this episode Luis and Andrea are joined by Dr. Patrick McDaneld to discuss aminoglycosides. We go over ...
127: Next-generation sequencing
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The field of Microbiology continues to change. Organisms were primarily identified in the clinical laboratory by biochemical testing. Then MALDI-TOF c...
126: Talking Variovorax durovernensis
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you heard about Variovorax durovernensis? The field of Microbiology is one that continues to change, sometimes at a fast pace. With MALDI-TOF and...
125: Manual of Clinical Microbiology
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you familiar with the Manual of Clinical Microbiology (MCM)? If you work in a clinical microbiology laboratory you might be familiar with it. Last...
124: Collaboration with Breakpoints podcast: Talking AUR, CAP breakpoint requirements, and more
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It is 2024. Is your laboratory using current breakpoints? Are you familiar with the requirements? This episode features a collaboration with Breakpoin...
123: Streptococcus agalactiae (re-release)
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Originally published as episodes 36 and 37, in this episode I go over Streptococcus agalactiae. I discuss morphology, biochemicals, and testing among ...
122: Enterococcus species (re-release)
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released as episode 53, in this episode I go over Enterococcus species. What are the most clinically significant species of Enterococcus? M...
121: S. pneumoniae: testing and more (re-release)
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released as episode 58, in this episode I continue going over S. pneumoniae. This time I go over a popular antigen test. I also discuss mol...
120: Talking AMR: Fluoroquinolones
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The AMR sub-series is back! Dr. Minkey Wungwattana joins Luis and Andrea in the podcast to talk about fluoroquinolones. What is the mechanism of actio...
119: Streptococcus pneumoniae (re-release)
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode was originally published as episode 57. In it I go over Streptococcus pneumoniae: gram stain, morphology, diseases, and more. What is opt...
118: Talking urine culture orders
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a conversation with Lisa Parlich, an Infection Preventionist, with a background in Medical Laboratory Sciences. Lisa joins the p...
117: LPC-233: An LpxC inhibitor
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr. Pei Zhou from the Duke University School of Medicine joins the podcast to talk about LPC-233. This is a compound that shows bacte...
116: An introduction to anaerobes (re-release)
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Originally released in 2021, in this episode I go over anaerobes. What are some examples of anaerobes? Why can't they grow aerobically ? What is a fac...
115: Talking MALDI-TOF MS PT.2 : pros and cons
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I continue talking about MALDI-TOF MS. This time I go over the advantages and disadvantages. How has MALDI-TOF helped Clinical Microbi...
114: Collaboration with ID:IOTS podcast: Talking Laboratory and more
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a collaboration with Jame and Callum from the ID:IOTS podcast. They are two infectious disease physicians that just like Let's T...
113: (Spanish) Serie en español- Medios de cultivo
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Luego de un episodio introductorio , Luis y Maridaliz regresan nuevamente con un episodio para la serie en español . En este episodio discuten medios...
112: Talking MALDI-TOF MS PT. 1
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Following the webinar on MALDI-TOF MS, we think that now it is a good time to go over MALDI-TOF MS. This topic was discussed two years ago, but since ...
111: Marburg virus
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a conversation with Dr. Caterina Miraglia, a professor from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Dr. Miraglia published a ...
110: (Spanish) Serie en español- Introducción y objetivos
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let's Talk Micro fue creado con el objetivo de compartir información y aprender, enseñando todo de la manera mas simple posible. Siendo fiel a esa m...
Special updates
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is a short episode to update listeners about an upcoming sub-series in Spanish. Staying true to Let's Talk Micro's goal of sharing information an...
109: The Live Episode from ID Week 2023
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is the one that was recorded live from ID Week 2023 in Boston. In it I talk about my favorite posters, talks, and also about my experienc...
108: A Pediatric Hospital in Guinea Pt.2
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is the second part of the interview with Dr. Joel Mortensen and his experience at a hospital in Guinea. In this episode he continues talking abou...
107: A Pediatric Hospital in Guinea Pt.1
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Dr. Joel Mortensen. He is the Director of the Diagnostic Infectious Diseases Testing Laboratory at Cincinnati ...
106: Talking Malaria
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We have heard or recent cases of malaria in the United States. What better than to do an episode about it? Dr. Kenneth Gavina, from the Indiana Univer...
105: Veterinary Microbiology
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you worked in a veterinary laboratory? What kind of training do you need? Are you able to work in one as an MLS? Have you thought about what a cu...
104: Emerging viruses pt. 2
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is part two of the great emerging viruses talk with Dr. Ryan Relich and Benjamin Pinsky. They talk over diagnostic tests for viruses, cha...
103: Emerging viruses pt. 1
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With all the information about viruses that we see coming out, what better than an episode about emerging viruses. Dr. Benjamin Pinsky and Dr. Ryan Re...
102: Talking Francisella: an interesting case
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Dr. Ryan Relich and Dr. Kenneth Gavina join the podcast to talk about an article where Francisella tularensis spp. novicida was recove...
101: Talking AMR: Beta-lactams
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Season 3 kicks off with the second episode of the AMR sub-series—this time focusing on beta-lactam antibiotics. Luis and Dr. Andrea Prinzi are joine...
Season 3: a preview and updates
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hi everyone. Just wanted to take some time to give you some previews of upcoming episodes. From viruses, to Franciscella, to the next episode of the A...
100: Collaboration with Microbe Mail podcast: Hey Micro-There's a yeast in my culture
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a collaboration with the Microbe Mail podcast. Dr. Vindana Chibabhair and I go over yeast in cultures: appropriate sources, significan...
99: Talking MLS with Dr. Melissa Jamerson
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a conversation with Dr. Melissa Jamerson, chair of the Medical laboratory Sciences department at Virginia Commonwealth Universit...
98: Talking AMR : An overview
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is the first episode in what is going to be an Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) sub-series. Dr. Andrea Prinzi joins me in this series. Toge...
97: Digital Parasitology
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Digital technology is part of the laboratory. We see it on instruments in Urinalysis and Hematology where images such as those of cells are produced. ...
96: Live at ASM with the Microbe Moment podcast
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode was recorded while at the American Society for Microbiology's (ASM) Microbe 2023. I went over what I liked about this conference as a fir...
95: ASM Microbe 2023- Sessions, posters and more.
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode was recorded while at the American Society for Microbiology's (ASM) Microbe 2023 at Houston. I go over my favorite posters, sessions and ...
94: CLSI M100 Ed. 33 updates
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I am joined by Dr. April Bobenchik, the Medical Microbiology Director at Penn State Health. She talks about the latest updates of the ...
93: An overview of Parasitology with Dr. Pritt
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Some of you may be familiar with the popular Parasite Wonders blog. In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by its creator, Dr. Bobbi Prit...
92: Hospital network goes down pt. 2
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is the conclusion of Dr. Wojewoda's story about her hospital's network going down. What was the overall effect of the network going down?...
91: Hospital network goes down pt. 1
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Those of us that work in the laboratory have experienced a downtime at some point or another. They tend to be about 4 hours long. What if the downtime...
90: Piperacillin-Tazobactam, automated systems, and CLSI breakpoints
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episodes features a conversation with Dr. Romney Humphries and Dr. April Abbott. They join the podcast to talk about a study where Piperacillin-T...
89: XDR Shigella
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a conversation with Dr. Louise Francois Watkins and Dr. Naeemah Logan from the CDC. They join the podcast to talk about extensiv...
88: Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook (CMPH)—a cornerstone resource for clinical labs—has just released its 5th edition. In this episode o...
87: Lab week- St. Louis University MLS program
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Lab week! Thank you for all you do. This episode features a conversation with Amanda Reed , director of the St. Louis University Medical Laborat...
86: Bacteria Game
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a conversation with the team behind Bacteria Game: Mathilde Lescat, Nicolas Piñeros and Katie Teinallon. A good educator is alw...
85: Bacterial biofilms and antimicrobial resistance
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr. Andrea Prinzi and Dr. Rodney Rohde join the podcast to discuss the article 'The Role of Bacterial Biofilms in Antimicrobial Resi...
84: Talking Candida auris
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a press release on March 20, 2023 about Candida auris. There is an increase in cases, so...
83: Talking MS in MLS and Summer Immersion Program with Loyola University
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Dr. Kristen Pesavento, from the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) program in Loyola University. Unlike traditi...
82: Discrepancies between phenotypic and genotypic testing in Microbiology pt.2
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of a two part series. Dr. Rachael Liesman goes over scenarios where genotypic and phenotypic testing do not match and what to do. What ...
81: Discrepancies between phenotypic and genotypic testing in Microbiology pt.1
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Those of you that work in Clinical Microbiology have seen at one point that a molecular test detects a gene for antimicrobial resistance and the susce...
80: Talking DCLS with Dr. Brandy Gunsolus
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with the first graduate from the Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Sciences (DCLS) program from Rutgers University: ...
79: Failure to launch- Bacteria and the Hawaiian bobtail squid
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk about a relationship between bacteria and the Hawaiian bobtail squid. Dr. Sarah McAnulty and Dr. Spencer Nyholm join the podca...
78: Cordyceps
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The show "The last of us" has brought the topic of fungal infections to the spotlight. What is Cordyceps? Why is the the term zombie used? What is the...
77: Bacillus anthracis
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode is about one species of Bacillus that causes disease and has the potential of being used as a bioterror agent : Bacillus anthracis...
76: Bacillus- morphology and media
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I continue going over Bacillus. Now that we know its groups and what diseases they are implicated on, it's time to talk about media an...
75: Bacillus species
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode is about Bacillus and related genera. What are the groups that are part of this genus? Which species cause food poisoning? What ab...
74: Microbes in cleaning appliances and tools
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a previous episode we talked about microbes in food. What about appliances such as a washing machine or a dishwasher? Or cleaning tools such as a s...
73: Detecting amoeba: development of a PCR test
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Dr. Jose Alexander and Dustin Evans from AdvenHealth. They join the podcast to talk about a PCR test that they...
72: Marine Microbiology with Dr. Ocean
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode we go outside of Clinical Microbiology into Marine Microbiology. What better way to do that than talking with Dr. Jeanette Davi...
71: Let's Talk Micro meets ID:iots
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a conversation with Callum, an Infectious Disease physician and one of the co-hosts of ID:iots, an infectious disease podcast. W...
70: Microbes and your grocery list
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episodes is about microbes in food. It features a conversation with Dr. Andrea Prinzi. Those of us that work in Microbiology are familiar with fo...
69: Online unknowns
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One of the ways of assessing and reinforcing a Microbiology student's learning is by giving them unknown organisms. They typically get a broth contain...
68: Respiratory cultures
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Dr. Andrea Prinzi returns to the podcast to talk about respiratory cultures. What are the types of respiratory cultures? What are the ...
67: Re-release: Wohlfarhtiimonas chitiniclastica Monomicrobial bacteremia
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode was originally released on February 24 of this year. It features an interview with Dr. Paul Luethy from the University of Maryland Medica...
66: Wohlfahrtiimonas and the fly who cried Wohlf
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about another case of Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica. It was presented in an article titled : "The fly who cried wolf" which was pub...
65: Yersinia pestis
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Following the last episode about Yersinia species, on this episode I go over Y. pestis. Why is there concern about encountering Y. pestis in the labor...
64: Yersinia
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Following last week's episode about Y. pestis, what better than to learn about different species of Yersinia. What temperature range does Yersinisia g...
63: The source of the Black Death
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Philip Slavin and Maria Spyrou. They talk about Y. pestis and the second plague pandemic. A historical overvie...
62: Fabimycin: an antibiotic candidate
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week Dr. Paul Hergenrother from the University of Illinois joins the podcast. Dr. Hergenrother talks about Fabimycin, an antibiotic candidate for...
61: Options for teaching microscopy remotely
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Kathryn Lionetti and Heather Townsend. They are two Microbiology college professors. They implemented two ways...
60: Learning about Rabies with Dr. Rodney Rohde
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Releasing on World Rabies Day (Sept. 28), this episode features an interview with Dr. Rodney Rohde, a Microbiologist and Professor and Chair of the Cl...
59: Teaching Microbiology Remotely
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Dr. Garcia- Ojeda from the University of California Merced. One of the results of the pandemic was that educat...
58: S. pneumoniae: testing and more
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I continue going over S. pneumoniae. This time I go over a popular antigen test, and I also discuss molecular testing, including limit...
57: Streptococcus pneumoniae
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week I return to Streptococcus, this time S. pneumoniae. In this episode I go over its virulence, pathogenicity, and more. How do we identify it ...
56: Critical shortages in Microbiology
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode features an interview with Dr. Jeniffer Dien Bard and Dr. Amy Leber. Dr. Dien Bard is the Director of Microbiology at the Children...
55: Michigan Tech University-MLS Summer Youth Program
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Claire Danielson and Sarah LewAllen form the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at Michigan Tech University (...
Episode 54: VRE tests and media
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I go two types of media and one PCR test used for the detection of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE). What is this media compose...
Episode 53: Enterococcus species
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I go over Enterococcus species. What are the most clinically significant species of Enterococcus? Morphology? Biochemicals? Tune in to...
Episode 52: Tips and suggestions in Microbiology part two
17 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I continue going over tips and suggestions you can use when you don't have supplies or are having difficulty isolating an organism. Wh...
Episode 51: Tips and suggestions in Microbiology
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the laboratory we have all experienced a shortage of supplies. We have also struggled to isolate and organism. What do we do when this happens? Wha...
Episode 50: Lights, Camera… Lab! Dr. Alan Wu's Vision
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Dr. Alan Wu, Professor of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and co-Laborator...
Episode 49: Streptococcus anginosus group
27 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I continue going over beta hemolytic strep: this time Streptococcus anginosus group. What are the species that compose this group? Wha...
Episode 48: Talking monkeypox with Dr. Rodney Rohde
21 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a special edition episode. In lieu of all the recent information about monkeypox, Dr. Rodney Rohde comes to the podcast to provide us with som...
Episode 47: Streptococcus dysgalactiae
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week I continue going over beta hemolytic strep: this time Streptococcus dysgalactiae. What Lancefield group is it? What about media, biochemical...
Episode 46: University of Utah MLS- Summer Immersion Program
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Dr. Lacy Moss, a professor at the University of Utah Medical Laboratory Sciences program. She joins the podcas...
Episode 45: Talking Breakpoints with Dr. Andrea Prinzi
06 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Dr. Andrea Prinzi, an infectious disease medical science liaison and a contributor of many articles published ...
Episode 44: Talking BacterioSight and urine cultures with Dr. Rhoads
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is BacterioSight? As automation becomes a larger part of Laboratory Medicine, how could it help with urine cultures? This episode features an int...
Episode 43: The Microbe Moment talks micro with me
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a collaboration between two Microbiology podcasts: The Microbe Moment and Let's Talk Micro. On this episode I am the one being i...
Episode 42: Talking HIV with Dr. Hsu
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Let's Talk Micro, we're tackling a remarkable story in virology—the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and a patient who may have been ...
Episode 41: Talking Neisseria with Charlene Kahler
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features an interview with Dr. Charlene Kahler from the Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training at the University o...
Episode 40: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and automated susceptibility testing
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episodes features an interview with Dr. Ayesha Khan, one of the authors of a study performed on automated susceptibility testing on S. maltophili...