Microbe Talk

In this episode, Adam discovers how two microbiologists from opposite sides of the world formed a collaboration and mentorship that has greatly benefited them both.When in-person classes were suspended during the 2020 lockdown, Akpan Friday, a student from Nigeria, reached out on social media seeking support to continue his and his classmates' learning. Dr Beth Mills from the University of Edinburgh responded to the call and began delivering free online lectures to the students.Although they have yet to meet in person, their relationship has developed into a mentor–mentee partnership, and both were delighted to share their story.Music: Instant Crush – Corbyn KitesYou can download a full transcript of the podcast by visiting our website here. 

We're in Liverpool this week, hosting our annual conference and meeting our members, collaborators and authors.We know that there will be a lot of exciting conversations, interesting presentations and vital networking opportunities happening all over the and wanted to make sure you could keep the excitement going even after the events of the day have finished.So, across the four days of annual conference we'll be bringing you mini episodes of Microbe Talk, each featuring a presenter from the programme.We're closing up with a chat with Andrew Spicer who is looking at the algae Chlorella in a new light. His invited talk ‘Reimagining Chlorella as a food and beverage ingredient suited for everyday foods' was on Tuesday afternoon at the Annual Conference in the Microbes to meals session.

We're in Liverpool this week, hosting our annual conference and meeting our members, collaborators and authors.We know that there will be a lot of exciting conversations, interesting presentations and vital networking opportunities happening all over the and wanted to make sure you could keep the excitement going even after the events of the day have finished.So, across the four days of annual conference we'll be bringing you mini episodes of Microbe Talk, each featuring a presenter from the programme.For the penultimate episode of our miniseries for annual conference Clare spoke to Guilherme Borba Neuman about his research titled ‘Characterizing Retroviral Integrations and Their Impact on Koala Populations: Implications for Health and Conservation' which he presented earlier today at our Annual Conference in Liverpool. Listen to find out how Guilherme is able to see the results of his research come to fruition in captive Koala populations. 

We're in Liverpool this week, hosting our annual conference and meeting our members, collaborators and authors.We know that there will be a lot of exciting conversations, interesting presentations and vital networking opportunities happening all over the and wanted to make sure you could keep the excitement going even after the events of the day have finished.So, across the four days of annual conference we'll be bringing you mini episodes of Microbe Talk, each featuring a presenter from the programme.For the second episode of our miniseries for Annual Conference Clare spoke to Elizabeth O'Gorman about her research titled ‘Adaptation of Campylobacter to Sodium Chloride Alters Phenotypes Associated with Human Disease' which she will be presenting at the infection forum tomorrow afternoon. Elizabeth and Clare chat about food safety and how consumer trends might be altering the of bacteria on our meat.

We're in Liverpool this week, hosting our annual conference and meeting our members, collaborators and authors.We know that there will be a lot of exciting conversations, interesting presentations and vital networking opportunities happening all over the and wanted to make sure you could keep the excitement going even after the events of the day have finished.So, across the four days of annual conference we'll be bringing you mini episodes of Microbe Talk, each featuring a presenter from the programme.For the first of our mini-series, Clare spoke to Phoebe Crossley who will be presenting her research 'Multi-omic analysis of the vaginal microenvironment reveals mechanisms of vulvovaginal and sexual health symptoms in women with benign gynaecological conditions' at the Urogenital Microbes in Health and Disease session tomorrow afternoon.

In this episode of Microbe Talk Clare speaks to Judy Li, author on the latest Microbial Primer: Microbiome and thermal tolerance – a new frontier in climate resilience? Clare and Judy chat about the paper, the relatively new field of study and the possible mechanisms of microbes buffering organisms against temperature changes.If you'd like to Judy's paper, published in Microbiology you can do so here. You can also download a full transcript of the podcast on our website.Music: Documentary_Tidal by Comma-Media via Pixabay.

In this episode, Adam talks to Dr Georgios Efthimiou from the University of Hull.  Georgios has created a nationwide ‘spooky' short story competition called Coccus Pocus. This project links outreach and Halloween with microbiology.  This creative competition has had a clear impact on 12 – 18-year-olds who find the competition a good way to discover an interest in microbiology and have had a lot of fun writing the stories.  Join Adam as he learns more about this Microbiology Society-funded project (and you may hear from a few society staff members reading some of this year's winners along the way).

For the first episode of Microbe Talk in 2025, we're bringing you something fascinating and a bit different— non-communicable diseases. In this special episode, Clare chats with Professor John Tregoning, a Professor in Vaccine Immunology, about his new book, 'Live Forever? A Curious Scientist's Guide to Wellness, Ageing and Death'. Clare and John chat about why he's writing about non-communicable diseases, the processes behind his book and any public engagement advice he'd give to our community.Find out where you can buy a copy of Johns book by clicking here. You can also download a transcript of the podcast from our website here. Johns other work can be found here. Music by Yrii Semchyshyn from Pixabay

In this episode of Microbe Talk Clare spoke to Adam Aspinall who's Senior Director in the Access and Product Management team at Medicines for Malaria Venture. They discuss Malaria, antimalarial drug resistance and the work that Medicines for Malaria Venture is doing to support new drug discovery.If you'd like to find out more about the Microbiology Society's Knocking Out AMR project, you can do so here.If you'd like to find out more about the work that Medicines for Malaria do, take a look at their resources here: MMV website: http://mmv.orgSevere Malaria Observatory : severemalaria.orgMusic: Blue Dot Sessions - Blue Latex

 For this episode of Microbe Talk Clare is joined by Dr Sanjay Patel, a paediatric infectious disease and immunology consultant at Southampton Children's Hospital and the National Clinical Advisor for Paediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship at NHS England. Clare and Sanjay discuss paediatric AMR, why it's often overlooked and how Sanjay and his colleagues from clinical, research and policy backgrounds are taking action.  If you'd like to learn more about research into antimicrobial resistance in neonates, take a look at this paper in Journal of Medical Microbiology.You can find details of how to get involved with Knocking Out AMR here.The resources and initiatives Sanjay mentioned are below:  National empirical antimicrobial guidelines The common infection clinical pathways, the IV to oral switch decision aid The common infection paediatric pathways Music: Inspiring Science Technology - Comma Media from Pixabay

The month of October is #BlackHistoryMonth and this year we caught up with Society Champion, Dr Amaka Awayne, on our latest episode of the Microbe Talk podcast. Dr Amaka discusses her insightful experiences as a Black person working in science, as well as how she is contributing to Black History Month this year.Find out how to get more involved with Society activities via our Get Involved webpage: microb.io/4f18YYdMusic by The_Mountain from Pixabay

In aid of space week Clare is looking up into the sky with Dr Katherine Baxter about the exciting field of space microbiology. They chat about how research in space could help with problems back on earth, how microbes behave in space and how they might be key to survival in future space travel.The details of the ways to get involved are below. If you're in need of even more space content, keep your eye out for the next edition of Microbiology Today.The NASA Open Science Data Repository: awg.osdr.space/The SOLSTICE citizen science project: www.nasa.gov/osdr-working-groups-citizen-science/.Music by drmseq from Pixabay

Clare is back with another episode of Microbe Talk and this time she's investigating the topic of Microbial Forensics with Dr Tim Inglis from the University of Western Australia. Tim is the Editor-in-Chief of the Society's Journal of Medical Microbiology where he published his review on the topic: ‘A systematic approach to microbial forensics'. You can read a full transcript of this podcast on our website.Music by Denys Kyshcuk from Pixabay.

For this episode of Microbe Talk Clare was joined by the wonderful Gwyn Dahlquist-Axe and Francesca Standeven, archaeological scientists who study AMR and ancient human oral microbiomes. They're on the podcast to discuss their review into diet, disease and antibiotic resistance from ancient human oral microbiomes published in Microbial Genomics.You can read their review 'Inferring diet, disease and antibiotic resistance from ancient human oral microbiomes' here. If you'd like to keep up with Francesca and Gwyn's research their Twitter (X) handles are @GDahlquistAxe and @fstandeven193 You can also read a full transcript of the podcast on our website.Music by Denys Kyshchuk from Pixabay

Yesterday, we released our vision statement for Knocking Out Antimicrobial Resistance, the Society's new cross-disciplinary project. It outlined the key issues faced by the AMR community: the lack of understanding of the urgency of the crisis, a fragmented AMR landscape and a broken innovation pipelineSo for this special Knocking Out AMR episode of Microbe Talk Clare spoke to Professor Paul Hoskisson to pick his brain on his latest venture: a one million pound project to use food by-products make antimicrobial production more cost effective and sustainable.The Microbiology Society's Knocking Out AMR Vision statement can be found on our website here.Paul's Socials:Bluesky @paulhoskisson.bsky.socialTwitter @PaulHoskissonInstagram @paulhoskissonMusic by Yurii Semchyshyn from PixabayYou can read a full transcript of this podcast on our website. 

Last month was Women's History Month, taking place annually throughout the month of March. It aims to highlight and reflect on the many, but often over-looked, achievements made by women throughout history – which have paved the way for the women of today. In this episode, to mark the month, we caught up with Society Champion and microbiologist, Dr Linda Oyama. Linda discusses her insights as a woman in science, by diving into some of her experiences, as well as her passion for outreach with young girls. To keep up with Linda, you can find her on X @LindaOyama.

 Dr Claas Kirchhelle from University College Dublin will be giving the Hot Topic Lecture: "Faecal Flows – a very short history of microbiology, sewers, and Britain's rivers (ca.1850-2023)" at this years Annual Conference. Clare spoke to Claas to find out how he's feeling ahead of his lecture and to pick his brain about his intriguing research area. If you're at Annual Conference this year, you can catch Claas' Hot topic Lecture at 8:45 on Thursday 11 April. Alternatively, Claas' lecture will be available online after Annual Conference.Music by Denys Kyshchuk from Pixabay You can download a full transcript of the podcast here.

In aid of The International Day of Women and Girls in Science Clare spoke to Professor Iruka Okeke and Professor Judith Armitage to discuss women in science. In this episode they discuss the importance of mentors, promotions in academia and the inequalities of maternity leave and Clare gains valuable insights from Judy and Iruka's impressive careers.  To keep up with Judy and Iruka, you can find them on X @Armitage_Judy and @iruka_okeke.Follow this link to read Judy's Microbial Primer.Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay. 

In this episode of Microbe Talk Clare is joined by Rick Mumford, Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor & Deputy Director of Science Evidence & Research at the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA). They chat about research and surveillance of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR), delivering on the 5-year National Action Plan and look to the future of foodborne AMR. If you'd like to read Rick's paper, ‘Foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research and surveillance in the UK: priorities identified through the Food Standards Agency's AMR programme review (2023)' published in Journal of Medical Microbiology, the Society's interdisciplinary journal for medical, veterinary and dental microbiology, you can do so here. If you'd like to keep up to date with the FSA's science news, publications and research partnership opportunities you can sign up to their newsletter here.If you'd like to get involved in tackling AMR you can find out more information on our Knocking out AMR project and register your interest on our website.Music by Yrii Semchyshyn from PixabayA full transcript is available on our website.

It's the final episode of 2023 so Clare, Katie and Adam got together to discuss their favourite Microbe Talk moments of 2023 and what they're most looking forward to in 2024. If you want to listen back to any of the podcast episodes mentioned in the podcast you can find these below: The bacteriophage: is the enemy of our enemy a friend?Dr John Munnoch discusses dyslexiaCRISPR - Cas9 Takes on AMR PlasmidsConversations on Collaboration: Elaine Cloutman-Green on working across microbiology's disciplinesAnnual Conference 2023: Demystifying Science PolicyGetting to grips with industry careers Conversations on Collaboration: Hilary Lappin-Scott on cultivating international partnershipsConversations on Collaboration: Sir Paul Nurse on collaborative working and Horizon EuropeBactobio collaborationGet involved – Annual Conference video If you're interested in getting involved in our Knocking out AMR project you can find out more here. You can find a full transcript of the podcast on our website. Music by Yurii Kohut from Pixabay 

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Policy and Engagement Officer Katie chats to Dr Tina Joshi and Dr Catrin Moore, the Microbiology Society members leading on the Society's brand new antimicrobial resistance (AMR) project, Knocking Out AMR. In this episode, Katie, Tina and Catrin talk about what the new project is, how it came to be, and how people can get involved.If you are interested in opportunities for organisations to collaborate with the Microbiology Society, please email knockingoutamr@microbiologysociety.org or to register your individual interest please visit the Knocking out AMR webpage. To find out about the latest updates, follow us on Twitter @MicrobioSoc using the hashtag #KnockingOutAMR.You can follow Dr Catrin Moore on Twitter at @catmoore_1 and Dr Tina Joshi at @tinaljoshiMusic: ‘Relaxed Vlog (Night Street)' by Ashot Danielyan from PixabayYou can read the full podcast transcript here.

If you are interested in opportunities for organisations to collaborate with the Microbiology Society, please email knockingoutamr@microbiologysociety.org or to register your individual interest please visit the Knocking out AMR webpage. To find out about the latest updates, follow us on Twitter @MicrobioSoc using the hashtag #KnockingOutAMR. You can also read the latest edition of Microbiology Today here. To read Chloe's work published in Microbiology, visit our journals site. You can keep up to date with Chloe's public engagement work visit MICROBIhOME for general microbiology and AMR content and here for phage content. Chloe's work is funded by Knowledge for Change and BBSRC.Music: 'Origin' by Comma-Media via Pixabay. You can download a full transcript of the podcast on our website.

In this episode of Microbe Talk, our Policy and Engagement Officer Katie chats to Sir Paul Nurse, Director of the Francis Crick Institute and former President of the Royal Society. He was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of protein molecules that control the division of cells in the cell cycle and has since received over 70 honorary degrees. In this episode, Katie and Paul talk about the importance of collaboration and co-working in science, and discuss the UK's recent re-association with Horizon Europe, the EU funding programme for research and innovation.A full transcript of this episode is available on the Microbiology Society website.You can read the official Microbiology Society response to the UK's re-association with Horizon Europe, here.Music: Glossy by Yrii Semchyshyn from Pixabay

Each year, Dyslexia Awareness Week gives us a chance to take some time to reflect and learn about the everyday challenges people can face when they have dyslexia. In this episode, Adam, (who has dyslexia himself) speaks to Dr John Munnoch, who was diagnosed with dyslexia around the age of 8, to discuss how he has been challenged within the field of microbiology. John also explains how he has found his own way of learning, and how he has benefitted from the support of his family, friends and colleagues throughout his career.Music: Fairy Meeting -  Emily A. Sprague

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Policy and Engagement Officer Katie chats to Professor Hilary Lappin-Scott OBE, President of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) about her career so far, the importance of international collaboration in science and our recent re-association with Horizon Europe.  A full transcript of this episode is available on the Microbiology Society website.Music: Minimal Inspiring Ambient by ComaStudio from Pixabay

This year the Microbiology Society is hosting FIS (the Federation of Infection Societies (FIS) conference) in partnership with HIS and BIA. FIS is all about fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, so in this episode of Microbe Talk Clare speaks to Professor Elaine Coultman-Green, a microbiologist whose work spans clinical, lab, and patient-facing roles about the importance of collaboration across microbiology disciplines. If you're inspired by this conversation and want more information regarding FIS, you can find the details and information on how to register here.To find out more about the Society's Journal of Medical Microbiology which encourages the publication of cross-disciplinary research, please visit our website for more information about the scope and submission guidelines. To follow Elaine, she is @girlymicro. Music by Dmitrii Kolesnikova from PixabayYou can also read the transcript of the podcast here.

For this episode of Microbe Talk, Clare is tackling the topic of AI in Microbial Genomics research. So what better time than now, to give AI a chance to generate the description?*The below description was generated by Chat GPT*In this captivating episode of Microbe Talk, your host Clare delves into the cutting-edge realm of microbial genomics and its fascinating intersection with artificial intelligence. Joining her in this stimulating discussion are two remarkable experts, Niamh Tumelty and Andrew Page, who are at the forefront of AI-driven advancements in microbial research.Whether you're an AI aficionado, a genomics guru, or simply curious about the future of scientific discovery, this episode promises to spark your imagination and provide unparalleled insights. Join us on this journey into the realm where technology and biology intertwine, and witness the dawn of a new era in microbial research.Tune in to Microbe Talk and embark on an intellectual adventure that bridges the gap between AI and microbial genomics.Further informationMusic: Space Chillout by penguinmusic from PixabayNiamh and Andrew's guest editorial, published in Microbial Genomics can be found on the Microbiology Society Journals website here.Niamh and Andrew's podcasts:https://soundcloud.com/microbinfiehttps://soundcloud.com/research-pagesNiamh and Andrew's Twitter accounts:⁠twitter.com/niamhtumelty ⁠⁠twitter.com/andrewjpage ⁠You can read the full transcript here.

In this episode of Microbe Talk, David Walker Sunderhaulf chats with Clare about his paper "Removal of AMR plasmids using a mobile, broad host-range CRISPR-Cas9 delivery tool" published in Microbiology. If you'd like to read David's paper, you can find it here https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.001334. You can also follow him on twitter @davvi36. Music: Time Technology by Comma-Media from Pixabay

Are you looking for a microbiology career pick me up? Well look no further! On this special episode of Microbe Talk, Clare sits down with Microbiology Society member Dr Oliver Severn to discuss his experience of working in industry.Music: pixabay 'That science ambient' by Comma Studio.

This month, inspired by a paper published in Microbial Genomics, Clare takes a deep dive into the method of wastewater monitoring. She speaks to Professor Steve Patterson and Dr Anne Leonard about how wastewater monitoring is a useful tool which helps us understand not only the spread of diseases like COVID-19, but also antimicrobial resistance.You can read Professor Patterson's paper, published in Microbial Genomics here. https://microb.io/3or9CsS Music: pixabay Chill Abstract (Intention) Coma-Media

This episode of Microbe Talk was recorded at our Annual Conference in Birmingham. For the very first time this year, we had an session entirely dedicated to science policy. In this episode, Katie and Clare chat with Dr Isobel Stanton, an invited speaker, and delegates that attended the session about how they found it and what they learned.A full transcript of this episode is available on the Microbiology Society website.Music: Blue Dot Sessions 'Dunder'

In our latest podcast, Clare and Microbiology Society member Jake Robinson discuss his new book Invisible Friends, the role of popular science books and how microbes can shape our lives and the world around us.To order Jake's Book visit pelagicpublishing.com/collections/co…42190054981803You can also keep up to date with Jake's work here: www.jakemrobinson.com and on Twitter @_jake_robinsonMusic: 'That Science Ambient' by ComaStudio on pixabayA full transcript of this episode is available on the Microbiology Society website.

Have you ever thought that your lab coat isn't made for you? Has it affected how comfortable you feel in a lab?On this episode of Microbe Talk Clare speaks to Derek Miller, founder of Genius Lab Gear, about all things lab coats, from impostor syndrome to safety issues. And how he is hoping to produce a lab coat that is designed with the diversity of scientists in mind.Music: pixabay Chill Abstract (Intention) Coma-Media

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Policy and Engagement Officer Katie talks to Professor Martha Clokie about bacteriophages, how they can be used to treat infection and potentially even combat antimicrobial resistance.  You can read our full response to the government inquiry on the antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages, here.   A full transcript of this episode is available on the Microbiology Society website.Music: Blue Dot Sessions 'Blue Latex' 

Every year, thousands of Tasmanian devils die from contagious facial tumours. On this episode of Microbe Talk, Charlotte speaks to Dr Andy Flies from the Menzies Institute at the University of Tasmania, Australia, about a potential new vaccine approach that could save these endangered animals.  You can view the video mentioned in the episode on our Instagram @MicrobioSoc and you can read Andy and his team's publication in the Journal of General Virology at http://bit.ly/3ITxAokTasmanian Devil Recordings: Wild Immunity  Music: Eggs and Powder by Blue Dot Sessions. 

In this festive episode of Microbe Talk, Charlotte speaks to Dr Lorna Lancaster about the harmful and helpful microbes involved in making Christmas food.A full transcript of this episode is available on the Microbiology Society website.microbiologysociety.org/blog/podcast-…s-dinner.htmlMusic: Free Music Archive 'Adeline Yeo (HP) - Tis The Season To Be Jolly'

In this special episode of Microbe Talk for Disability History Month, Charlie talks to Kirsty Jones about her experience of accessibility in labs.A full transcript of this episode is available on the Microbiology Society website.https://microbiologysociety.org/blog/podcast-disability-history-month.html Music: Blue Dot Sessions 'The Corner Office'

Some fungal infections, like athletes' foot or thrush, are relatively common and are usually not serious. But in those with underlying conditions or compromised immune systems, fungal infections can be deadly.In recent weeks, the World Health Organisation has warned of the serious threat that fungi pose to humans with a new report and list of priority fungal pathogens. In this episode of Microbe Talk, Charlotte takes a look inside the creeping threat of fungal infections with guests Prof Kevin Kavanagh and Prof Neil Gow.

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Charlotte talks to Dr Ian Brown about what makes this year's bird flu outbreak bigger and more worrisome than before.Music:Maarten Schellekens – Sweet Dreams – Middle-East Remix (freemusicarchive.org)

In this episode of Microbe Talk Charlie talks to Dr Fiona Walsh about her team's research into how widespread plasmids carrying antimicrobial resistance genes are around the world, and what we can do about it.Music:Leatherbound by Blue Dot Sessions(www.sessions.blue)

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Charlie talks to Dr Jonathan Cox about his team's newly published research on a surprising use for Manuka honey. Music: Leatherbound by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

In this episode Charlie and Charlotte talk to Professor Nicola Stonehouse, Professor in Molecular Virology at the University of Leeds, about why we're talking about polio again, and what we need to know about it.Music: Mango Breeze - Allison & VexentoVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hzcHUK4WaASupport by RFM - NCM: https://youtu.be/xMUOdsywWcs

In this episode, Charlie talks to Jonathon Woods, a PhD student from Northumbria University about his research into the impact of meat alternative foods on the gut microbiome.True Blue Sky by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

Listen to part two of our new episode of ‘Microbe Talk', where we chat to some of our early career members about the cracks that exist in academia, and what needs to be done to safeguard the future of the microbiology research and innovation workforce.

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Katie and Eva from our Policy and Engagement team chatted with early career microbiologists Colman O'Cathail, Raphael Galleh, Natalie Ring McBrien and Helen Brown about how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their research and career progression.

Teaching and outreach in championing and advancing the understanding of microbiology is incredibly important. On this month's episode, I'm talking to Eliza Wolfson and Lizah van de Aart, two former microbiologists turned scientific illustrators and artists, about their work creating scientific art, and how scientific art can be used for scientific engagement.https://ko-fi.com/intothemicroverse/https://lizahvanderaart.com/https://lizawolfson.co.uk/https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lizah/resist-now-volume-1/description

On this month's MicrobeTalk, Matt takes a look back at Annual Conference; talking to delegates and staff of the Society about our first in-person conference since 2019.

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Charlie takes us on a behind the scenes tour of the Microbiology Society's Annual Conference preparations and talks to some staff members about this year's event. 

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Charlie talks to Jose Aguiar-Cervera, a final year PhD student at the University of Manchester working at Singer Instruments. Listen to Charlie and Jose discuss his research into non-conventional yeasts in cider brewing, and how the future of the industry is being shaped by robots.

In this episode of Microbe Talk, Matt talks to Ryan Hames, a PhD student from the University of Leicester, UK. Listen to Matt and Ryan discuss his research into the circadian rhythm and how it affects the body's immune response to invasive infection.

COVID-19 has put the subject of infections and pathogens firmly on the centre stage. But it can be difficult to know where to go to find information that is easy to understand and that you can trust. This week Matt talks to Dr Tregoning, author of ‘Infectious: pathogens and how we fight them', a book that gives a fascinating overview of our ongoing fight against pathogens, uncovering success stories in immunology and virology, and providing some hope in these uncertain times.