Shows
microTalkWeed My Lips: Cannabis Viroids with Dr. Zamir PunjaViroids are some of the most unusual biological infectious agents because they consist of only very small circular RNA molecules. They are too small to encode proteins, yet they are resilient and cause disease in a variety of agriculturally important plants, including cannabis, the sixth largest cash crop in the U.S. Dr. Zamir Punja is a Professor of Plant Biotechnology at Simon Frasier University, whose laboratory studies the cannabis viroid, which he refers to as the “COVID of cannabis”. Dr. Punja describes how viroids only infect plants, how a viroid stunts the growth and potency of cannab...
2025-01-2449 minmicroTalkArchaea for Me-a With Dr. Alexandre BissonArchaea are one of the three domains of life on earth, but these organisms are much more mysterious and less understood than either Bacteria or Eukaryotes. Dr. Alex Bisson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Brandeis University. His laboratory studies Archaea, primarily focusing on Haloarchaea. Dr. Bisson discusses how Archaea are able to shape-shift from one cell shape to another, how Haloarchaea are able to grow at extremely high salt concentrations, how Archaea cope with being “squishy”, how common polyploidy (multiple copies of chromosomes) is among Archaea, how Haloarchaea are able to desalinate soil...
2024-12-0259 minmicroTalkEradication of the Guinea Worm with Adam WeissGuinea worm infections have been plaguing mankind throughout recorded history. The Carter Center took the lead in the guinea worm eradication effort in the 1980’s, when there were over 3 million cases per year. Through concentrated effort, this disease is on the brink of extinction, with only 14 human cases in 2023! Adam Weiss, MPH, is the director of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program at the Carter Center. microTalk caught up with Adam at the ASM Microbe conference in Atlanta in a live session to discuss the imminent extinction of guinea worm disease. Weiss talks about how seeing the...
2024-07-1150 minmicroTalk300 Days in Space with Astronaut Dr. Kate RubinsHouston, we definitely do NOT have a problem…with interviewing Dr. Kate Rubins, NASA astronaut. Dr. Rubins is a virologist who has spent over 300 days in space, performing experiments aboard the International Space Station, where she was the first person to sequence DNA in space. We caught up with Dr. Rubins at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston, where she discusses what it felt like the first time she saw the earth from space, some of the difficulties in performing research without gravity, how to study the microbiome of the ISS, how the international inhabitants of the ISS...
2024-03-0956 minmicroTalkGut on a Chip: Human Gastrointestinal Organoids with Dr. Hyun Jung KimDr. Hyun Jung Kim, an Assistant Professor at Cleveland Clinic specializes in coaxing human cultured cells to differentiate and form tissues resembling the gastrointestinal tract, in order to study microbe-GI interactions. Dr. Kim discusses his surprising discovery of how common immortalized cultured cells can differentiate and form something that resembles a gut-on-a-chip, how these guts-on-a-chip can be used to study diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer, how the addition of a microbiome to the gut-on-a-chip allows the bacteria to retain diversity unlike in a test tube, how the gut-on-a-chip could be valuable for personalized medicine, a...
2024-01-1343 minmicroTalkPlague, Anthrax, and ASM, Oh My! With ASM president Virginia Miller and president-elect Theresa KoehlerPlague and anthrax are feared diseases due to high mortality rates following pulmonary exposure, and both are considered potential bioweapons. Dr. Virginia Miller, professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and ASM President, studies plague, as well as other Gram negative bacteria. Dr. Theresa Koehler, emeritus professor at UTHealth Houston and ASM president-elect, is an expert in anthrax. microTalk caught up with Dr. Miller and Dr. Koehler at ASM Microbe 2023 in Houston to discuss these biothreat agents. Dr. Miller discusses why she studies plague, the differences between bubonic and pneumonic pl...
2023-10-1845 minmicroTalkMicrobes to the Rescue! Bioremediation with Dr. John CoatesDr. John Coates, a professor at the University of California Berkeley specializes in environmental microbiology and how microbes can be utilized to resolve problems in industry. microTalk caught up with Dr. Coates at the ASMicrobe conference in Houston and discussed his research in applied and environmental microbiology. Dr. Coates discusses an unexpected discovery of how microbes drive the iodine cycle on earth, how sequencing microbes in the oceans has been beneficial for identifying novel biochemical activities, how climate change has stimulated his research into the “bioeconomy”, why he’s optimistic that science can mitigate the effects...
2023-08-0451 minmicroTalkThe Evolution Revolution with Dr. Vaughn CooperThe study of evolution has experienced a tremendous revolution with the advances in current sequencing technologies enabling e.g. rapid whole genome sequencing. Dr. Vaughn Cooper, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies evolution in microbes, has taken advantage of these technologies to delve into how microorganisms adapt and evolve in different environments. microTalk caught up with Dr. Cooper at the ASM Microbe conference in Houston and discussed microbial evolution with him. Dr. Cooper discusses the power of next generation sequencing for the study of evolution, how mutation rates affect evolution, how providing ha...
2023-07-0742 minmicroTalkAdversary o’ Malaria with Dr. Debopam ChakrabartiMalaria continues to have a significant impact on humans. The Plasmodium parasites are transmitted through mosquito bites, and the disease has a tremendous impact on global health. Dr. Debopam Chakrabarti, a professor at the University of Central Florida who specializes in malaria. Dr. Chakrabarti discusses the history of the search for antimalarials, the problem of parasite drug resistance, how undergraduates can help to discover the next antimalarials, whether eradication of mosquitoes will eliminate malaria, and his challenging passion in growing roses in Florida. This episode was supported by ArchaeaMingle.com, for single-celled organisms looking for...
2023-05-1641 minmicroTalk“Ex” Marks the Spot: Exosomes with Ramin HakamiExosomes are small vesicles that that facilitate communication between eukaryotic cells. They resemble mini-cells, and act like carrier pigeons, trafficking various “payloads” among cells. Dr. Ramin Hakami is a Professor of Microbiology at George Mason University. Dr. Hakami studies how infectious diseases are modulated by exosome signaling. Dr. Hakami talks about how exosomes can deliver messages to cells, how Rift Valley Fever and Plague affect exosome signaling within infected hosts, how exosomes provide specificity and a “reply all” function to signaling, how being in a Nobel lab affected his approach to science, and his alternate career as a salsa...
2023-04-0540 min
microTalkCoxiella burnettii with Stacey GilkCoxiella burnettii causes Q Fever, a zoonotic disease that is rarely acquired by humans. But Q Fever has a history of being developed as a bioweapon because of its ability to be spread by aerosols and cause debilitating but not lethal disease. Dr. Stacey Gilk is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center who studies Coxiella. Dr. Gilk talks about what makes Q Fever a potential biothreat agent, how figuring out how to grow Coxiella outside of cells revolutionized the study of this bacterium that was thought to only grow intracellularly, how a large outb...
2022-12-0335 minmicroTalkGet a Whiff of Cdiff: A Discussion About C. difficile with Vincent YoungOne of the consequences of the “Antibiotic Era” has been the increased occurrence of infections caused by Clostridioides difficile, also known as “Cdiff”, which in some cases can be life-threatening. Antibiotics alter the microbes that live in the gastrointestinal tract (the “microbiome”) allowing Cdiff to thrive and cause disease. Dr. Vincent Young is professor in the departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Young is an expert on Cdiff and its interactions with the microbiome. Dr. Young discusses how Cdiff infections have increased over the past several decades, how fecal trans...
2022-09-2252 min
microTalk"Crypto" currency: Cryptosporidium with Boris StriepenWatch out for this kind of “Crypto” Currency: Cryptosporidium is a parasite that causes diarrheal disease in humans. Cryptosporidiosis is a common cause of waterborne disease in the U.S., and responsible for serious and potentially fatal infections in HIV positive individuals and malnourished infants. Dr. Boris Striepen is a Professor of Pathobiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Striepen studies Cryptosporidium and how it causes disease. Dr. Striepen talks about how Cryptosporidium multiplies rapidly and has sex inside your intestines, how Cryptosporidium is similar to its cousin the malaria parasite, how genet...
2021-03-2352 minmicroTalkThe Chicken Runs: Campylobacter Diarrhea with David HendrixsonCampylobacter jejuni is a major cause of diarrheal disease in humans. However, C. jejuni is also naturally found in chickens and doesn’t cause them any problems, so people frequently get sick from eating undercooked chicken. Dr. David Hendrixson is a Professor of Microbiology at the UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Hendrixson studies C. jejuni and how it causes disease. Dr. Hendrixson talks about why C. jejuni is preferentially found in chickens and other birds, how C. jejuni is also associated with the paralytic condition Guillain-Barre syndrome, how the motility of C. jejuni helps it ca...
2020-06-1752 minmicroTalkThe Eyes Have It: Corneal Infections with Eric PearlmanOur eyes are one of the most sensitive areas on our bodies, and they are constantly bathed in microbes, and yet we rarely get eye infections. However, certain microbes can take advantage of minor injuries to the eye and cause very serious infections that can lead to blindness. Dr. Eric Pearlman is a Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California Irvine and the Director of the Institute for Immunology. Dr. Pearlman studies how the immune system is able to fight against bacteria and fungi that manage to infect the cornea. Dr...
2020-04-161h 05microTalkCheese Please! The Cheese Microbiome with Rachel DuttonCheese is delicious, and also the product of a complex mixture of microbes. Different communities of microbes produce the wide variety of cheeses made around the world. Dr. Rachel Dutton is an Assistant Professor at the University of California San Diego who studies cheese microbiomes. Dr. Dutton talks about how cheese is made, how the cheese microbiome is a great model for understanding how microbes interact with each other, how the microbial community determines what type of cheese is made, how her experience working on a cheese farm influenced her research, how the...
2020-04-0454 minmicroTalkFun(gus) in the Sun(gus): Fungal Infections with Neil ClancyCandida albicans is the most common cause of fungal disease in the United States. C. albicans can cause serious and often fatal systemic infections, especially in hospitalized patients with underlying conditions. Dr. Cornelius Clancy is an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and the Director of the XDR Pathogen Lab. Dr. Clancy talks about the clinical implications of fungal infections, how a physician should communicate with patients, how the unique perspective of a clinician enhances research, why there is a lack of effective antifungal drugs, why the societal cost needs to be factored into the cost...
2020-02-2651 minmicroTalkTick Schtick: Lyme Disease with Tim SellatiLyme Disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. The bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is transmitted to humans through the bite of a deer tick, and can lead to the debilitating disease that most commonly is associated with arthritis, but can also cause heart and neurological problems. Dr. Tim Sellati is the Chief Scientific Officer at the Global Lyme Alliance (GLA). GLA is dedicated to development of more effective diagnostics and treatments of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Dr. Sellati talks about how people can avoid Lyme Disease, what typically happens when someone is...
2020-01-071h 05microTalkThe Rules of Attraction: Bacterial Magnetosomes with Arash KomeiliSome bacteria have the amazing ability to orient themselves using the earth’s magnetic field, due to the presence of an intracellular organelle called the magnetosome, which are estimated to have evolved 3 billion years ago. Dr. Arash Komeili is a Professor at the University of California Berkeley who studies bacterial magnetosomes. Dr. Komeili talks about how magnetotactic bacteria were discovered, how the earth’s magnetic field orients the bacteria in the aquatic environment, whether a Martian meteorite had bacterial magnetite in it, how bacterial magnetosomes can be exploited for targeting cancer cells, and whether bacterial magneto...
2019-12-1652 minmicroTalkTB or not TB? That is the Question… for Bill JacobsTuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in the world, with approximately 10 million people becoming sick and 1.5 million people dying every year from Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Dr. William Jacobs is a Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and member of the National Academy of Sciences who studies M. tuberculosis. TB is notoriously difficult to treat, due to the slow growth and persistence of the bacteria in the lungs, requiring extensive antibiotic treatment over a long period of time. Dr. Jacobs talks about the history of tuberculosis (“consumption”) in huma...
2019-12-0348 minmicroTalkGeezer Germs: Geriatric Bacteria with Steve FinkelWhat happens when a bacterium gets old? Continuous culture of bacteria without any added nutrients can reveal the dynamics of “old” bacteria. Dr. Steve Finkel is a Professor at University of Southern California who studies what happens beyond “stationary phase” in bacterial cultures. Finkel studies the Growth Advantage in Stationary Phase (GASP) phenotype, which dominates in “old” bacterial cultures, and which represents adaptive evolutionary change. Finkel talks about how studying old bacteria gives insight into aging in other organisms, whether bacteria can divide forever, how bacteria choose not to divide unless they are certain they can finish d...
2019-11-191h 03microTalkAll Hail Females: Women in Science with Joan BennettDespite comprising half of the population, women are underrepresented as scientific professionals. The reasons for underrepresentation are multi-factorial. Dr. Joan Bennett is a Professor at Rutgers University who studies fungi; she is a past president of the American Society of Microbiology, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Throughout her career, Bennett has taken a special interest in the advancement of women in science and she continues to work on behalf of women’s issues at local, national, and international levels. Bennett talks about how women’s scientific accomplishments have been frequently overlooked, what...
2019-11-0757 minmicroTalkBiotechnology Ideology: Genomics Technologies with Joe DeRisiGenomics-based technologies have revolutionized science. From microarrays to next-generation sequencing, genomics technologies are having a tremendous positive impact on all aspects of human health. Dr. Joe DeRisi is a professor at the University of California San Francisco and co-president of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub. DeRisi has been at the forefront of developing and using genomics-based technologies to address infectious disease challenges. DeRisi talks about how genomics helped solve the mystery of dying leopard sharks in San Francisco bay, how a “virochip” array helped identify the SARS virus, how genomics can help identify unknown causes of ence...
2019-10-2259 minmicroTalkUndone by Fungi Again: The Mycobiome with Mahmoud GhannoumOne reason is because the overwhelming bacterial members of the microbiome keep the fungi in check. Dr. Mahmoud Ghannoum is a professor at Case Western University and the director of the Center for Medical Mycology, who studies fungal pathogens, such as Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus. Ghannoum talks about how changes in the bacterial microbiome cause the fungi to overgrow and cause disease, how bacteria and fungi can “play together” to cause problems, how diet, lifestyle, and probiotics can help keep the bad fungi from overgrowing, how scientific data is needed to analyze the effect of diet and prob...
2019-09-3045 minmicroTalkLilliputian Evolution: Bacterial Evolution with Stanley MaloyThe presence of bacterial toxins in a remote coral reef got Stanley Maloy thinking about the evolution of pathogens, and where “emerging diseases” come from. Dr. Stanley Maloy is a professor at San Diego State University who studies Salmonella, which causes gastrointestinal illness as well as more systemic disease in various hosts. He is the associate vice president for research and has been involved in the development of a number of biotech companies, and he’s a great storyteller to boot. Maloy talks about how thinking about bacterial pathogens from the bug’s point of...
2019-09-111h 09microTalkThe Age of Phage: Phage Therapy with Graham HatfullBacteriophages (“phages”), or bacterial viruses, are the most abundant biological entity on the planet, and the microbial world is shaped by these predators and parasites. The ability of bacteriophages to specifically target and kill their prey is being explored as an alternate therapy to antibiotics against various bacterial diseases. Dr. Graham Hatfull is a professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, and the phages that infect it. Hatfull directs the Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program along with the Howard Hugh...
2019-08-191h 06microTalkUrine Trouble: Urinary Tract Infections with Harry MobleyFrequent urges to go “number one” can be the symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI), one of the most common types of bacterial infections in humans. Usually the treatment of UTIs is quick and effective, but sometimes the organisms causing the infection can get into the kidneys and cause serious and even fatal disease. Dr. Harry Mobley is a professor at the University of Michigan who studies UTIs caused by Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis. Mobley talks about the mystery of why some people get recurrent UTIs, the amazing ability of P. mirabilis to swarm, how E. c...
2019-08-0544 minmicroTalkVibri-Oh-No! - “Flesh Eating” Vibrios with Karla SatchellSummer brings warm beach weather, and with it come gruesome news reports of “flesh eating disease” that people catch from the ocean. Vibrio vulnificus is a marine bacterium that prefers warmer seawater, and it can infect wounds and cause necrotizing fasciitis, also known as “flesh eating disease”, that can rapidly turn into a fatal infection. Dr. Karla Satchell is a professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University who studies the toxins made by V. vulnificus and other Vibrios that allow them to cause disease. Satchell talks about how people get infected with V. vulni...
2019-07-221h 02microTalkGoodbye Guinea Worm: Guinea Worm Eradication with Adam WeissOne of the more gruesome parasitic infections is that of the guinea worm: these 3 feet long worms typically emerge from painful boils in the feet to release eggs, and have to be slowly wound onto a stick over the course of days to weeks to pull them them out of the infected person’s leg. This debilitating infection afflicted 3.5 million people per year in 1986, when the Carter Center (founded by President Jimmy Carter) took the lead in the effort to eradicate guinea worm disease. Through concentrated effort, this disease is now on the brink of extinction with on...
2019-07-111h 10microTalkMicrobes in Hot Water: Climate Change with Sanghoon KangThe earth is warming up, and many aspects of life on earth are changing with the changing climate. Increased global temperature has multifactorial impacts on living organisms, including microbes. Dr. Sanghoon Kang is an assistant professor at Baylor University who studies climate change and its effects on microbial communities. Dr. Kang talks about impacts of climate change on infectious diseases, how increased ocean temperatures lead to increased human infections and destruction of corals, how scientific literacy can help combat climate change, how sustainability is key to human survival on the planet, how Waco TX is trying to...
2019-05-1751 minmicroTalkInto the Matrix: Fungal Biofilms with David AndesCandida albicans is the most common fungal infection of humans. C. albicans can cause superficial infections like thrush or vaginitis when it overgrows within healthy individuals, but it causes much more serious disease when it infects immunocompromised individuals. C. albicans can form a matrix-encased biofilm on indwelling medical devices that serves as a source to seed systemic infections in patients. Dr. David Andes is a professor at the University of Wisconsin and also the chief of Division of Infectious Disease who studies fungal infections. Dr. Andes talks about the problem of fungal biofilms and antifungal...
2019-04-2547 minmicroTalkTrivia About Chlamydia: Sexually Transmitted Disease with Mary WeberChlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial disease in the U.S. Chlamydia infections in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, and in the worst cases ectopic pregnancy or sterility. C. trachomatis are obligate intracellular bacteria, which has made studying the genetics of virulence particularly difficult. Dr. Mary Weber is an assistant professor at the University of Iowa who studies C. trachomatis. Dr. Weber talks about some of the difficulties studying this unusual obligate intracellular bacterium, how recent advances are providing hope for new therapeutics and vaccines, why antibiotics are not sufficient...
2019-03-2855 minmicroTalkZebrafish in the Time of Cholera: Vibrio cholerae with Brian HammerVibrio cholerae causes a severe gastrointestinal illness that leads to massive fluid loss that can be fatal. These bacteria are normally found in the marine environment, but they can spread rapidly through human populations and cause large epidemics. V. cholerae are able to coordinate their activities by “talking” to each other through quorum sensing, and to eradicate competitors through a harpoon-like appendage that stabs and kills other bacteria. Dr. Brian Hammer is an associate professor at Georgia Institute of Technology who studies V. cholerae and its ability to coordinate activities with its friends and kill off...
2019-03-071h 00microTalkUrinary Commentary: UTIs and Proteus mirabilis with Karine GibbsProteus mirabilis is a common cause of Urinary Tract Infections. These bacteria are found within the gastrointestinal tract, but they are sometimes able to ascend the urinary tract and cause bladder infections. One of the amazing attributes of Proteus is its ability to crawl across Petri dishes, referred to as swarming. Dr. Karine Gibbs is an associate professor at Harvard University who studies Proteus mirabilis and its ability to cause urinary tract infections. Dr. Gibbs talks about how the bacteria interact with their neighbors using both a sword to kill adversaries as well as a handshake to...
2019-02-2053 minmicroTalkThe Scoop on Whoop: Bordetella with Jeff MillerDr. Jeff Miller has been studying Bordetella pertussis, the bacterium that causes whooping cough in humans, for over three decades, and he keeps uncovering novel aspects of the pathogenesis of this organism. B. pertussis still causes outbreaks of human disease, and Dr. Miller has unraveled in amazing detail the signal transduction system that leads to whooping cough. Dr. Miller is a professor at the University of California Los Angeles, the director of the California NanoSystems Institute, past-president of the American Society for Microbiology, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr...
2019-02-081h 04microTalkTiptoe Through the Crypto: Cryptococcus with Paul de FigueiredoThe devastation of the immune system that occurs during AIDS renders patients highly susceptible to a number of infections that a functioning immune system can easily control. One of the most common infections in AIDS patients is Cryptococcosis, caused by a fungus. Cryptococcus neoformans can infect immunocompromised individuals through the lungs and cause a potentially fatal meningitis. Dr. Paul de Figueiredo is an associate professor at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on the interaction of host cells with microbial pathogens, including Cryptococcus neoformans. Dr. de Figueiredo talks about why AIDS patients ar...
2019-01-1646 minmicroTalkGiant Viruses, Rickettsia, and Whipple, Oh My! A Discussion with Didier RaoultDr. Didier Raoult considers himself a “microbe fisher”, always “fishing” to discover new microbes. He says that in order to fish successfully, you need to first create the correct fishing pole (tools), and then fish in places where no one else is fishing. Dr. Raoult is the Director of the Mediterranean Infection Foundation at the Aix-Marseille University, France, and he has “caught” a number of unique microbes over the course of his career, including giant viruses. He’s also “caught” a number of bacteria responsible for various diseases, including the causative agent of Whipple’s disease, and he even...
2019-01-031h 12microTalkNative Alaskan Perspectives in Microbiology with Kat Milligan-MyhreDr. Kat Milligan-Myhre was raised in a remote Alaska Native community above the Arctic Circle, and was the first person from her village to obtain a PhD. in biological sciences. She is now a faculty member at the University of Alaska-Anchorage. Her research focuses on determining the extent that host genes control host-microbe interactions, utilizing the stickleback fish. Dr. Milligan-Myhre talks about the difficulty of maintaining her Native Alaskan cultural identity during her time in the “lower 48” studying microbiology, why stickleback fish are a great model for understanding how the host shapes the microbiota, how “code switching” allows he...
2018-12-181h 09microTalkUndone by Fungi: Mucormycosis with Ashraf IbrahimThere are increasing numbers of people with immunocompromised conditions that make them more susceptible to a variety of diseases, including fungal diseases. A group of fungi in the order Mucorales can cause a potentially fatal disease called Mucormycosis in immunocompromised and diabetic individuals. This is a rare disease that is difficult to treat and that has a very high fatality rate. Dr. Ashraf Ibrahim is a professor at the University of California Los Angeles and an expert on Mucormycosis. Dr. Ibrahim talks about why Mucormycosis cases are increasing, why there are not very many treatment...
2018-12-0446 minmicroTalkThere’s a Germ in my Worm: Bacterial-driven Metamorphosis with Nick ShikumaMany organisms metamorphose from a larvae into an adult, for example a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly, but some animals require bacteria in order to undergo this transition. This amazing bacterial-stimulated morphological transition is fairly widespread among different marine animals, like sponges, corals, and sea urchins, but in most cases it is not understood. Dr. Nick Shikuma is an Assistant Professor at San Diego State University who studies the interaction of the bacterium Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea with the tubeworm Hydroides elegans. Dr. Shikuma talks about how the bacteria produce a harpoon-like factor called a tail...
2018-11-0653 minmicroTalkPublic Health in the Time of Cholera: Enteric Disease Intervention with Christine Marie GeorgeCholera is a severe diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae that can spread among human populations in large epidemics when water quality is poor. Dr. Christine Marie George is an Associate Professor in the department of International Health and Environmental Health Engineering at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who works to improve health in developing countries, including Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as in Native American communities in the U.S. Dr. George talks about how the drive to prevent cholera and other enteric diseases in Bangladesh led...
2018-10-2448 minmicroTalkLet’s Veto Mosquitoes: A Discussion About Malaria with Gunnar MairThe malaria parasite, Plasmodium, is transmitted to people through mosquito bites. The parasite needs to infect humans to undergo the morphologic transitions important for its lifecycle, but it also needs to infect mosquitoes to be able to complete its lifecycle. Dr. Gunnar Mair is an Assistant Professor at Iowa State University who studies mosquito-borne transmission of malaria. Dr. Mair talks about why breaking the transmission cycle by focusing on mosquitoes will help reduce global malaria, how a multi-pronged approach is necessary to eradicate this disease, how public health efforts coordinating drug administration have been effective, some of...
2018-10-0959 minmicroTalkBabbling Bacteria: Quorum Sensing with Marvin WhiteleyBacteria talk to each other using molecules that allow them to coordinate group behaviors, which has been termed “quorum sensing”. A number of bacteria utilize quorum sensing to form gangs that coordinate beneficial behaviors such as symbiotic light production, as well as detrimental behaviors such as attacking their host. Dr. Marvin Whiteley is a Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology who studies bacterial chatter. He has developed some innovative means to investigate bacterial chitchat, including trapping small clusters of bacteria in tiny synthesized “lobster traps” to see what kind of dialogue ensues. Dr. Whitele...
2018-09-2558 minmicroTalkCoral Reefs in Crisis! A Discussion with Rebecca Vega-ThurberThe magnificent coral reefs of the world are dying! These fantastic underwater living structures that support entire ecosystems are undergoing massive die-offs that have decimated coral reefs all over the globe. Tropical coral reefs rely on a symbiosis between the coral polyp and a photosynthetic algae, and when this symbiosis is disrupted, the coral reef undergoes “bleaching” and ultimately dies. Dr. Rebecca Vega-Thurber is an Associate Professor at Oregon State University who has devoted her research career to studying coral reefs. Dr. Vega-Thurber talks about how climate change is driving the death of coral reefs, how...
2018-09-101h 13microTalkViruses from Heaven and Hell: A Discussion with Ken StedmanEarth’s most abundant biological entities are viruses, and they can be found everywhere where there are living organisms, including extreme (hellish) environments with e.g. low pH, high temperature, etc. Dr. Ken Stedman is a professor at Portland State University and one of the founders of the Center for Life in Extreme Environments. Dr. Stedman studies viruses from hellish environments like acidic boiling hot springs at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Dr. Stedman talks about how studying viruses in extreme environments can give insights into the evolution of life on earth, whether a virus is actu...
2018-08-301h 07microTalkFlip-flops and Surfboards made from Algae? Renewable algae-derived biomaterials with Steve MayfieldDr. Steve Mayfield is a professor at the University of California San Diego and the Director of the California Center for Algae Biotechnology. Algae are amazing microorganisms, and Dr. Mayfield says that the more you know about algae, the more you like them. Algae are extremely important to life on earth: they changed the atmosphere of the planet to contain oxygen and allow everything else to live here, they still do the bulk of photosynthesis on earth, converting sunlight and CO2 into biological material, and they are the basis of the petroleum we use. Dr. May...
2018-08-1458 minmicroTalkDisease Expertise with the Big Cheese: CDC Deputy Director Anne SchuchatThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is on the front lines of the war against infectious diseases, and Anne Schuchat, M.D. has been the Deputy Director of CDC since 2015. She has been at the CDC since 1988 and has served in a variety of leadership roles, including stints as the acting director in 2017 and 2018. Dr. Schuchat has played key roles in a number of emergency responses by the CDC, including the bioterrorist attacks in 2001, the SARS outbreak in 2003, and the H1N1 outbreak in 2009. She has worked all over the world combatting a number of infectious disease threats...
2018-07-3149 minmicroTalkMr. CRISPR, Kevin Doxzen, Discusses the Revolutionary Gene Editing TechnologyKevin Doxzen is a science communications specialist at the Innovative Genomics Institute in Berkeley, CA, associated with Dr. Jennifer Doudna. The Institute specializes in gene editing using CRISPR/Cas. The CRISPR/Cas system evolved as a bacterial defense against virus attack, but it has been exploited primarily to manipulate the genomes of eukaryotes. CRISPR/Cas has already revolutionized gene editing, and has led to the creation of a large number of modified animals, which has led to ethical questions about human genome manipulation. Dr. Doxzen talks about how CRISPR/Cas evolved, the various applications that...
2018-07-1452 min
microTalkDo the Bugs in your Gut Cause Parkinson’s Disease? A Discussion with Sarkis MazmanianSarkis Mazmanian is a professor at California Institute of Technology who studies how the gut microbiome influences the development and function of the nervous system, the “Gut-Brain Axis”. Dr. Mazmanian has discovered that the microbiome influences the development of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain that affects motor function. Dr. Mazmanian talks about the evidence that the gut microbiome influences PD, implications of this research for the diagnosis and treatment of PD, the involvement of the microbiome in other neurological conditions, and people freezing away their poop f...
2018-04-241h 07microTalkTime for Lyme: A Discussion About Lyme Disease with Dr. Steve NorrisDr. Steven Norris is a Professor at the University of Texas Health Houston, where he studies Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the U.S. and it can lead to lifelong debilitating conditions, including arthritis and neurological symptoms. Dr. Norris has been studying B. burgdorferi for many years in his laboratory, and investigated various aspects of how this organism causes disease in infected hosts, including its motility, surface proteins, and plasmids. Dr. Norris discusses everything you ever wanted to know about Lyme disease, including...
2018-03-121h 00
microTalkCdiff Infections and Fecal Transplants with Jimmy BallardDr. Jimmy Ballard is professor and chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Ballard is an expert on Clostridia-related diseases, and specifically disease caused by C. difficile, or “Cdiff.” Cdiff infections result from heavy antibiotic usage, and can cause serious and even fatal disease. One of the most successful treatments for Cdiff infection is a fecal transplant, where fecal bacteria from a healthy donor are transplanted into the patient. Dr. Desh Sharma is a gastroenterologist who performs fecal transplants on his patients with Cdiff infections. Dr. Ball...
2017-11-2055 minmicroTalkBeware of bloodsuckers! What’s the buzz about mosquitoes?Dr. George Dimopoulos is a Professor at Johns Hopkins University, and Dr. Helen Lazear is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Dr. Dimopoulos studies mosquitoes, those pesky insects that annoy people by biting them and sucking their blood. But they also spread a number of diseases, including malaria and dengue virus. Dr. Dimopoulos is developing various clever ways to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting diseases to humans. Dr. Lazear studies the Zika virus, which is also spread by mosquitoes and has been recognized as a cause of brain defects in infants when it...
2017-11-0645 minmicroTalkScience Not Silence: A Discussion with Jonathan Berman, March for Science OrganizerJonathan Berman is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas Health San Antonio, and also one of the organizers for the March for Science. The March for Science was an amazing global phenomenon that occurred on April 22, 2017, where people all over the world participated in local marches in support of science. He discusses the genesis of this movement, the politicization of science, how to combat fake information on the internet, dealing with feedback through social media, and his favorite joke when he was a stand-up comedian. The MicroCase for listeners to solve is about Helen Wheels, a high...
2017-09-0856 minmicroTalkWhoop Whoop! The Pertussis VaccineWhooping cough, caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, is an extremely dangerous and potentially fatal disease for infants. We rarely see this disease anymore because everyone is routinely vaccinated against it with the DPT childhood vaccine. But there has lately been a resurgence in whooping cough cases, caused primarily by a reformulation of the vaccine to make it safer, which unfortunately also made it less protective against this disease. Dr. Rajendar Deora is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Wake Forest University. Dr. Deora’s research involves improving the whooping cough vaccine. Dr. Deora is studying how to...
2017-03-0337 minmicroTalkCalifornia Cows in Crisis: Epizootic Bovine AbortioDr. Jeffrey Stott is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Stott studies the cause of an unusual tick-borne disease localized in cattle in California. Epizootic Bovine Abortion is caused by bacteria that cannot be grown in the laboratory, which has hampered the development of vaccines against this disease that leads to up to 5-10% of all cattle abortions in California. Dr. Stott discusses the search for an effective vaccine, as well as his interest in studying diseases in sea mammals like sea lions and dolphins. Discussants (in alphabetical order):
2016-11-1433 minmicroTalkThe Superbug Crisis: Antibiotic Resistant BacteriaDr. Mike Gilmore is the Sir William Osler Professor of Ophthalmology, and Microbiology and Immunobiology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Gilmore is the director of the Harvard-wide Program on Antibiotic Resistance, and his research focuses on the evolution and development of multidrug resistant strains of enterococci, staphylococci, and streptococci. The world is facing a serious health crisis with the increasing prevalence of multidrug resistant superbugs; the CDC estimates that there are 2 million infections and 23,000 deaths each year in the U.S. due to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Dr. Gilmore discusses how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, what scientists are doing...
2016-10-2847 minmicroTalkShining a Light on Diabetes: New Developments in Treating Diabetic Vision LossDr. Timothy Kern is a professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Case Western Reserve University and director of the Center for Diabetes Research. His research is focused primarily on determining what causes retinopathy in diabetes patients and how to prevent it. His laboratory is identifying how hyperglycemia causes retinopathy, and discovering new treatments that may inhibit the loss of vision in diabetes. In this episode, he talks about how to control blood sugar, new diabetes treatments, and what keeps him working long hours in the lab. Discussants (in alphabetical order): Dr. Astrid Cardona (Associate...
2016-10-2417 minmicroTalkGlobal Health Starts LocallyMr. Jason Rosenfeld, assistant director of global health at University of Texas Heath Science Center at San Antonio is the first speaker of Microtalk. He is a public health professional with over 10 years of experience designing, implementing and evaluating international health and development programs, with a specific focus on community based water, sanitation and hygiene education and behavior change. In this episode, Jason shares his global health experiences in Africa, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and how local health clubs can combat global health problems. He also discusses Zika virus, the crisis of antibiotic resistance, and how his family...
2016-09-2038 min