MicrobeWorld Video (audio only)

At Microbe 2017 in New Orleans, the TWiM team speaks with Arturo Casadevall about his thoughts on the pathogenic potential of a microbe, rigorous science, funding by lottery, and moonshot science. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Elio Schaechter and Michele Swanson. Guest: Arturo Casadevall Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone, Android, RSS, or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Pathogenic potential of a microbe (mSphere) Rigorous science (mBio) Funding by lottery (mBio) Moonshot science (mBio) Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

Step inside the creative process with Agar Art 2015 winners Maria Peñil Cobo, Mixed Media Artist, and Mehmet Berkmen, PhD, Staff Scientist at New England Biolabs. During their multi-year collaboration, Maria and Memo have created astonishing works of art using living microbes. Find out how they meld science and art with this behind-the-scenes how-to video guide. Inspired? Submit your own agar art to ASM’s Agar Art 2017 contest through April 27, 2017 - http://www.asm.org/index.php/public-outreach/agar-art Prizes include up to $200 in Amazon gift cards and the chance for your art to be featured in the Agar Art Gallery at ASM Microbe 2017 (http://www.asm.org/index.php/asm-microbe-2017), June 1-5, 2017 in New Orleans, LA. Submissions must be high-resolution photos of an organism(s) growing on agar. Submitting artists must be ASM members ( http://asmscience.org/content/membership/all) or work with an official ASM Agar Art partner organization to create the submitted piece. Questions? Contact communications@asmusa.org.

Veteran medical journalist Meredith Wadman discusses her book The Vaccine Race. It tells the timely, epic, and controversial story of the development of the first widely-used normal human cell line and, through it, important viral vaccines, including the vaccine for rubella (German measles). Far from being an instrument of history, vaccine development in the modern era is targeting new (and reemerging) infectious diseases, including Ebola, Zika, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Dr. April Killikelly, a scientist at NIH's Vaccine Research Center, discusses the latest tools and technologies used to design tomorrow’s vaccines.

What happens to us after we die?  A decomposing corpse becomes its own mini-ecosystem, hosting insects, scavengers and multitudes of microbes.  Microbes from the environment, the corpse, as well as the insects and scavengers are blended together and work to recycle tissues back to their constituents.  Dr. Jennifer DeBruyn discusses the fascinating process of human decomposition, and how scientists are using that information to inform forensic science, livestock mortality management and fossilization.   

Dr. Michael Diamond, 2016 Elizabeth O. King Lecturer, has worked for the past two decades investigating how viruses work, with a goal of defining basic principles of pathogenesis and host immune restriction. His talk will focus on how his laboratory has studied three emerging mosquito-transmitted viruses (West Nile, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses) of global importance from a basic perspective, and how this information facilitates the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Subscribe to ASM's YouTube channel at https://goo.gl/mOVHlK Learn more about the American Society for Microbiology at http://www.asm.org Become a member today at http://www.asmscience.org/join Interact with us on social at: Facebook Show your support and get updates on the latest microbial offerings and news from the ASM. http://www.facebook.com/asmfan ASM International Facebook Groups Join an ASM International Facebook Group and connect with microbiologists in your region. http://www.asm.org/index.php/programs/asm-international-facebook-groups Twitter Follow all the latest news from the Society. http://www.twitter.com/ASMicrobiology Instagram Outstanding images of your favorite viruses, fungi, bacteria and parasites http://www.instagram.com/asmicrobiology/

Written and Produced by Erika Shugart, PhD Narration by Chaseedaw Giles Filmed and Edited by Sam Mandl and Chris Condayan Production Supervisor Katherine Lontok, PhD Additional Video Footage by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Photography and Illustrations from http://iStockphoto.com http://wikimedia.org http://epa.gov http://cdc.org/phil Royalty Free Music by "Fearless" by Reaktor Productions "Easy Does It" by Olive Musique "Green Fever" by Flash Fluharty "Where I am From" by Topher Mohr and Alex Elena "Back of the Room Hang" by Jingle Punks Additional Photography "Nitrogen Defeciency in Wheat" by CIMMT on Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported "Material Girl" Madonna Parody Performed by Chaseedaw Giles Music track courtesy of Karaoke Version and Tency Music http://www.karaoke-version.com http://www.tencymusic.com

Filmed live at ASM Biodefense 2016 with special guests: Rebekah Kading and Wyndham Lathem. From the ASM Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research meeting, Vincent Racaniello speaks with Rebekah and Wyndham about their work on Rift Valley Fever virus and other vector-borne pathogens, and the evolution and pathogenesis of Yersinia pestis, the agent of plague. See the video version at microbeworld.org/mwv

Why are obesity, juvenile diabetes and asthma increasing? Is it something in the environment or in our modern lifestyle? Dr. Martin Blaser thinks that it may be due to changes in our microbiome – the ecosystem of tiny microscopic creatures that live in and on us. Learn about his hypothesis that some of the greatest medical advances in the 20th century – antibiotics, C-sections and antiseptics- may be having unintended consequences. Dr. Martin Blaser has studied the role of bacteria in human disease for over 30 years. He is the director of the Human Microbiome Program at NYU. He founded the Bellevue Literary Review and has been written about in newspapers including The New Yorker, Nature, Science, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. His more than 100 media appearances include The Today Show, The Daily Show, Fresh Air (NPR) GMA, the BBC, The O'Reilly Factor, and CNN. He lives in New York City.  

Vincent take This Week in Microbiology to the University of California, San Diego campus and into the the laboratories of Kit and Joseph Pogliano, where he learns about their work on the bacterial cytoskeleton, sporulation, and the effects of antibiotics on bacterial cells.

Vincent, Elio, and Michele meet with Harry Mobley, Mary O’Riordan, and Vince Young at the University of Michigan, during the designation of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology as a Milestones in Microbiology site. They discuss how the laboratory has advanced the science and teaching of microbiology, and discuss faculty work on uropathogenic E. coli, induction of stress by bacterial infection, and the gut microbiome.

Watch the pilot episode of BioFilms in which we explore some creepy microbes just in time for Halloween. Learn how algae can suffocate a pond of all its life, discover the vampire bacterium known as Vampirococcus who literally sucks the life out its victims, and watch out for those sweet Halloween treats that can leave holes in your teeth!

Vincent meets up with Romney and Duncan at the 79th annual meeting of the Southern California branch of the American Society for Microbiology, where they talk about emerging technologies for antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and next generation sequencing and advanced molecular diagnostics.   Visit microbeworld.org/twim for complete shownotes including links mentioned.

Host: Vincent RacanielloGuest: Michele Banks Vincent meets up with Michele Banks in Washington, DC to discuss her career as a creator of science-themed art. Links for this episode: Michele Banks on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/artologica Artologicahttps://www.etsy.com/people/artologica Michele's bloghttp://artologica.blogspot.com The Finch and the Peahttp://thefinchandpea.com Joseph Cornellhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Cornell Not Exactly Rocket Science (Ed Yong)http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/blog/not-exactly-rocket-science/ Tree of Life (Jonathan Eisen)http://phylogenomics.blogspot.com Home Microbiome Studyhttp://homemicrobiome.com Kitten Microbiome Projecthttp://www.kittenmicrobiome.org Science Onlinehttp://scienceonline.com The Vexed Muddlerhttps://www.etsy.com/shop/theVexedMuddler Luke Jerramhttp://www.lukejerram.com A Daily Dish (Klari Reis)http://www.adailydish.com Neuroscience art (Greg Dunn)http://www.gregadunn.com Ai Weiweihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ai_Weiwei Questions? Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@twiv.tv

In 2011, the NIH Clinical Center had a cluster of infections of a pathogen that tops the CDC's list of urgent threats: antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. This bacteria, which can cause bloodstream and other infections, has recently developed resistance to the class of antibiotics known as carbapenems. The outbreak at NIH started with a single infected patient who was discharged weeks before any other cases were detected. This story of antibiotic-resistant infections is becoming more common around the world, and is especially dangerous in hospitals. Dr. Julie Segre, a senior investigator at the National Human Genome Research Institute, discuses how the outbreak was traced using state-of-the-art DNA sequencing.

ASM's Cultures magazine traveled to Colombia to speak with and film the researchers behind an innovative biotechnology project that is producing exciting results. The international Swiss – Colombian collaborative research team from the University of Lausanne – Switzerland, the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and the Universidad de la Salle – Utopia campus has been working to create and test novel strains of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to improve cassava production. AMF forms symbiotic relationships with the majority of the world’s plant species, including cassava and other major food security crops. By colonizing internal structures within the plant and extending its root system, AMF transports nutrients such as phosphate to the plants from inaccessible areas and sources in the soil. In exchange, the plant provides carbon to AMF species that have colonized the plant. The research team’s studies show that, with the inoculation of certain AMF strains, only half of the necessary phosphate amendments are needed in nutrient-poor tropical soil to produce an equal or greater amount of cassava yield. On a large scale, this technology could potentially provide a more sustainable approach to resource management, allow small shareholder farmers to reduce their input costs, and help create a food secure future for many. In fact, an early model for this success is already being realized by graduates of the Utopia campus, all of whom come from conflict and post-conflict zones. By utilizing their education in agronomy in conjunction with this technology, they can begin rebuilding their home communities while ensuring a food secure future for Colombia and the greater global community. To learn more about ASM's Cultures magazine please visithttp://www.asm.org/index.php/cultures-magazine Read the latest issue on food security on the following platforms:iTunes - iPad Onlyhttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/asm-cultures/id878473655… Google Playhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details…Flipbookhttp://mzines.net/publication.aspx?pid=829&pkey=grnbfxnlvPDF Versionhttp://www.mzines.net/…/ASM_Cultures_i4_141120_optimized.pdf Don't miss an episode of MicrobeWorld Video. Subscribe for free using iTunes or help support our work by purchasing the MicrobeWorld podcast application for iPhone and Android devices in the iTunes or Android app stores.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Maria Julia Marinissen, Edward H. You, and David R. Howell Vincent meets up with Maria, Edward, and David at the ASM Biodefense and Emerging Infections Research meeting to talk about alternative careers for scientists. Links for this episode: ASM Biodefense meeting FBI Biological Countermeasures Unit Office of Policy and Planning Division of Medical Countermeasures Strategy and Requirements Division of International Health Security Don't miss an episode of MicrobeWorld Video. Subscribe for free using iTunes or help support our work by purchasing the MicrobeWorld podcast application for iPhone and Android devices in the iTunes or Android app stores.

Vincent visits the San Diego State University campus and talks with Dean of Sciences, Stanley Maloy about his career in microbiolgy and his job as Dean.

The current Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa has sickened over 14,000 people and has killed over 5,100. Health workers from around the world are attempting to halt this deadly disease. On November 19th, the American Society for Microbiology featured two of these health workers, Dr. Joseph Fair and Dr. Michael Callahan, who have extensive experience with the virus, including direct field work during the current outbreak. In this presentation they discuss the virus, the response, and potential solutions.

Vincent Racaniello and Glenn Rall meet up with Ann Skalka at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia and talk about her long and productive career in virology, from biochemistry to bacteriophage lambda to retroviruses. Don't miss an episode of MicrobeWorld Video. Subscribe for free using iTunes or help support our work by purchasing the MicrobeWorld podcast application for iPhone and Android devices in the iTunes or Android app stores.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Laurene Mascola and David Persing Vincent meets up with Laurene and David at the Annual Meeting of the Southern California Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, where they discuss how the Los Angeles County Department of Health is preparing for an outbreak of Ebola virus infection, and Cepheid’s game-changing, modular PCR system for the diagnosis of infectious diseases.

Creating and maintaining a clean, sustainable water supply means delivering drinking water and collecting wastewater while dealing with pathogenic microorganisms and infrastructure challenges. It's not all challenges, however. Two speakers; Sudhir Murthy, PhD, PE, BCEE, Innovation Chief at DC Water, and Kellogg Schwab, PhD, Director of the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute, speak to Microbes After Hours about promising new endeavors in water management as well as issues of water safety. Speakers: Sudhir Murthy, PhD, PE, BCEE, Innovations Chief, DC WaterHow DC Water Addresses Microorganisms in Water: A US Water Utility Perspective  Kellogg Schwab, PhD, Director, Johns Hopkins University Water InstituteInternational Issues of Water Safety with a Specific Focus on the Presence of Pathogens Including Norovirus in the Water Supplies of Developing Countries

This Week in Virology, the podcast about viruses, celebrated its 300th episode on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 with a live recording at the Washington, DC headquarters of the American Society for Microbiology. This special episode features the TWiV hosts Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler recording together in person for the first time.

Vincent, Rich, and Kathy and their guests Clodagh and Ron recorded this episode at the 33rd annual meeting of the American Society for Virology at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Guests: Clodagh O'Shea and Ron Fouchier Links for this episode Viral polymer that inactivates tumor suppressors (Cell) Mutations driving airborne transmission of influenza H5N1 virus (Cell) Transmission of influenza H7N1 virus in ferrets (J Virol) Ron Fouchier on TWiV #177 Photo credit: Matt Evans Thanks to David Quammen for the title Video of this episode - view below or at YouTube Weekly Science Picks Rich - No sexual transmission of HCV (Am J Gastro) Vincent - Made with code (blog post) Kathy - Beautiful math images (and 50 Visions of Mathematics) Listener Pick of the Week Jon - Advances in Life Sciences winners (YouTube) Dave - Adam Ruben  

Have you ever wondered why mozzarella bubbling and stretching between pizza slices is so different from the earthy flavors of blue-veined gorgonzola? The diversity of cheeses we love are created by encouraging and manipulating the growth of specific microbes. The American Society for Microbiology is excited to explore and celebrate the roles microbes play in the production of a variety of cheeses - from milk-gathering to cheese aging. This video was streamed live from ASM headquarters in Washington, D.C., on June 10, 2014, as part of its Microbes After Hours program. Presenter's include: Dr. Rachel Dutton, Harvard UniversityAfter receiving her PhD in Microbiology from Harvard Medical School, Rachel Dutton was awarded a Bauer fellowship at Harvard University to start an independent research group. She combined her passions of microbiology and food into a research program that has the goal of using cheese as a way to understand microbial ecosystems. Cheese is home to a fascinating assortment of microbes; from bacteria, yeasts and molds, to microscopic mites. Work in the Dutton lab involves studying the microbial diversity of cheeses from around the world, and looking at how cheese microbes interact with each other to form communities. Rachel has been a speaker at events such as the World Science Festival, and regularly gives classes to the general public on the science of cheese and other fermented foods. Research from the Dutton lab has been featured in Lucky Peach Magazine, The Mind of a Chef TV series on PBS, EdibleBoston, the Boston Globe, NPR, and the New York Times. Mateo Kehler, Jasper Hill FarmsMateo Kehler started Jasper Hill Farm with his brother Andy in 2003 where they produce a wide range of cheeses from the milk of their herd of 45 Ayrshire cows. In 2008 they started a new venture, the Cellars at Jasper Hill, a 22,000 square foot underground cheese ripening facility, to lower the barriers to entry for new cheesemakers by maturing, marketing and selling cheeses, managing logistics and administration and providing technical support to local producers. The Cellars at Jasper Hill is committed to developing economic mechanisms to keep the working landscape in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom working, and delivering deliciousness is a core and principle component in this effort. Mateo lives on the farm in Greensboro, VT with his wife Angie and children Reed and Zola.

The American Society for Microbiology hosted a live podcast of This Week in Virology with Vincent Racaniello with co-host Alan Dove that includes guests Paul Duprex, Director of Cell and Tissue Imaging Core, Boston University, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), and Julie Pfeiffer, Professor, Associate Professor of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.  Vincent, Alan, Julie and Paul  talk about their work on the pathogenesis of poliovirus and measles virus. Links for this episode Threading the NEIDL (YouTube) Transmission of measles virus from macaques (J Gen Virol) Tropism of green measles virus in macaques (J Virol) Intestinal microbiota promote enteric virus replication (Science) Bacterial LPS enhances poliovirus stability (Cell Host Micr) Video of this episode - view below or at YouTube Weekly Science Picks Vincent - ASM Live 2014 Alan - I will not follow the herd Paul - Invisible Threat Julie - The importance of stupidity in biological research Listener Pick of the Week Neil - WEHI movies and VIZBI  Send your virology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twiv@twiv.tv  Don't miss an episode of MicrobeWorld Video. Subscribe for free using iTunes or help support our work by purchasing the MicrobeWorld podcast application for iPhone and Android devices in the iTunes or Android app stores.

Listen to a live video episode of This Week in Virology (TWiV), a podcast about viruses. Started in September 2008 by Vincent Racaniello, a Higgins Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Columbia University, the goal of the show is to have an accessible discussion about viruses that anyone can understand and enjoy. In Washington, D.C., Racaniello, co-host Condit, and guests Kawaoka and Hruby discuss antivirals against smallpox and influenza viruses H5N1 and H7N9.  Moderators: Vincent Racaniello; Columbia Univ. Coll. of Physicians & Surgeons, NY Richard C. Condit; Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL Panelists: Yoshihiro Kawaoka; Dept. of Pathobiological Sc., Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, WI Dennis Hruby; SIGA Technologies, Inc., Corvallis, OR Links for this episode • ASM Biodefense Meeting - http://www.asmbiodefense.org/ • Influenza H5N1 transmission (Virus Res) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23954580 • Aerosol transmission of H5N1 virus in ferrets (Nature) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22722205 • Characterization of H7N9 virus from humans (Nature) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23842494 • ST-246 efficacy in primates (AAC) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24100494 • Antiviral options for biodefense (Curr Op Virol) • ST-246 safety in humans (Antimicrob Agents Chemother) • Gain-of-function experiments (Science) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23929965 • Letters read on TWiV 270 - http://www.twiv.tv/twiv-270-letters/ Weekly Science Picks Vincent - Quanta Magazine - https://www.simonsfoundation.org/quanta/ Rich - Colour is in the eye of the beholder - http://www.boreme.com/posting.php?id=30670#.UufLtBAo7VR Listener Pick of the Week Kehau - Beautiful but deadly viruses - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/13/deadly-viruses-beautiful-photos_n_4545309.html Send your virology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twiv@twiv.tv

Rob Knight studies the diversity of microbial communities. For every person, microbes outnumber human cells by a factor of ten. Rob has found that this large population of microbes differs based on which part of your body they inhabit (head, hands, gut, etc.). These same microbes vary widely in type from person to person. Unlike the human genome which is 99.9% alike from person to person, people are 80 to 90% different in their microbial make up. Rob shares what the microbiome project as been able to learn about these variances among the microbes on and in us and how probiotic therapies might be developed to help treat specific issues related to a person's microbiome. Ecosystem level therapies such as stool transplants that recolonize a person's gut microbiome have shown promising results. The question then is, do we know enough about therapies that alter someone's microbial flora to avoid the same kind of problems that non-native species have wreaked on other natural environments? Rob also discusses a project he's been working on in Bangladesh which brings powerful computing analysis to scientists who don't have the resources to utilize advanced computing in their research. Filmed in Vancouver, Canada at the 2012 AAAS meeting.

Sheldon Campbell sings about microbiology. Dr. Campbell teaches microbiology at Yale School of Medicine and he uses music to enhance his lectures. He has one song for every block of lectures he gives on a major topic. Songs he's written include a song about fungi, tick borne disease, tuberculosis and one that reviews all of microbiology in eight minutes. Dr. Campbell hasn't done any testing to see his songs are more effective at getting his message across but he does get the occasional student who says they remembered something on a test because of his music. And the students seem to enjoy it, if not at first, by the end of the course they're singing along. Dr. Campbell uses his love of music because he believes that if you bring something of yourself into your teaching you'll be a much more engaging and effective teacher.

Vincent Racaniello speaks with Professor Harald zur Hausen, recipient of the 2013 Society for General Microbiology Prize Medal for "work that has had a far-reaching impact beyond microbiology." Professor zur Hausen talks about the beginnings of his work on the human papilloma virus (HPV) starting in 1972 with a group he setup to look at the "isolation and characterization of the viruses in genital warts." This group would lead to the discovery of HPV 16 and 18 (the leading cause of cervical cancer) amongst many other types. The discovery of these two particular strains of HPV led to insights into the cancer causing properties of HPV which would result in the production of the HPV vaccine. Vincent and Professor zur Hausen also discuss other virus related cancers including the possibility that colon cancer is a product of a virus and the application of the HPV vaccine to males as well as females. Filmed on location in Manchester, England at the 2013 Society for General Microbiology conference.

The master ingredient in beer is yeast -- a microbe -- and every step in the brewing process helps the yeast do its job better. Watch this live streamed video from the American Society of Microbiology to learn more about how microbes are selected, grown, and manipulated in modern breweries to develop a wide variety of flavors and textures! Speakers include ... Dr. Charles Bamforth, University of California, Davis Rebecca Newman, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Resources The Microbiology of Beer Poster (.pdf) FAQ: If the Yeast Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy: The Microbiology of Beer, February 2013 (.pdf)

Vincent and Michael recorded this episode at the 53rd ICAAC in Denver, where they spoke with James Gern and James Johnson about rhinoviruses and extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli. Links for this Episode: Virus/allergen interactions in asthma (Curr Allerg Asth Rep) Features of rhinovirus C (Microbes Infect) Multidrug resistant ExPec in animals and food (Vet Micro) STS131 an emerging pathogen among veterans (Clin Inf Dis) Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twim@twiv.tv, or call them in to 908-312-0760. You can also post articles that you would like us to discuss atmicrobeworld.org and tag them with twim.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Robert Garcea Vincent and Robert recorded this episode at the 53rd ICAAC in Denver, where they talked about polyomaviruses. Links for this episode: A cornucopia of human polyomaviruses (Nat Rev Micro)Polyoma assembly factories in nucleus (PLoS Path)Overprinting gene in Merkel cell polyomavirus (PNAS)Human JCV as population marker (PLoS One)Letters read on TWiV 250Weekly Science Picks Robert - The Panic Virus by Seth MnookinVincent - Aliens chestburster behind the scenes Listener Pick of the Week Adam - Virology Fact of the DayChristophe - dr Karl Send your virology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twiv@twiv.tv

Dr. Jeffrey Almond began his career as an academic virologist studying influenza. Eventually Jeffrey started his own lab and began studying picornaviruses working on an oral polio vaccine strain. Following twenty years in academics including major contributions in the eradication of polio worldwide, Jeffrey transitioned into a career in industry working on vaccine development at Sanofi Pasteur. In March of 2013, Jeffrey was at the Society for General Microbiology's Spring conference to give the Colworth Prize Lecture awarded biennially for an outstanding contribution in an area of applied microbiology. Jeffrey's talk was titled: Vaccines R&D: challenges for the 21st century. On this episode, Vincent Racaniello talks with Dr. Almond about the future of vaccines, his transition from academia to industry and his prize lecture.

David Bhella, Ph.D., MRC Centre for Virus Research, accepts the Peter Wildy Prize for Microbiology Education, awarded annually by the Society for General Microbiology for an outstanding contribution to microbiology education.

Dr. David Bhella studies the structural components of viruses using the techniques of electron-cryomicroscopy and image analysis. In addition to his research, David participates with the Glasgow Science Centre in public outreach to help teach students the processes behind his science. Due to his work, David received the 2013 Peter Wildy Prize for Microbiology Education. David's acceptance speech detailed his work with students as well as the stunning images he has produced through his work in electron-cryomicroscopy in particular a project he did with artist Murray Robertson called Molecular Machines which features animated 3D images from virus research.  On this episode, Vincent Racaniello talks with David about the Wildy Prize, his work with electron-cryomicroscopy, public outreach and his passion for combining science and art.

How can something too small to be seen with the naked eye be powerful enough to bring down something like the U.S. Government? It turns out that microbes, mostly invisible, have the extraordinary capacity to affect our lives – through outbreaks of disease and the spread of fear. Twice in history, microbes have even brought the U.S. Government to a halt! Join us at the D.C. headquarters of the American Society for Microbiology to learn more about the Yellow Fever outbreak of 1792 that caused the fledgling Congress to flee and the Anthrax scare of 2001 that also shut down government buildings and agencies.  Guest speakers include ... Dr. Marshall Bloom, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Dr. Douglas Beecher, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Evolvability, the Built Environment and Open Science

Vincent, Elio and Michael recorded this episode of This Week in Microbiology before an audience at the 2013 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Denver, Colorado, where they spoke with Andrew Camilli, Ferric Fang, Suzanne Fleiszig, and Michelle Swanson about their research on a phage system for evading innate immunity, retractions of research papers, bacterial infections of the eye, and cytoplasmic defenses against intracellular bacteria.

2012 saw a surge of West Nile Virus infections, particularly in the central United States. What exactly is West Nile Virus and why do outbreaks occur? Join us at ASM headquarters to learn more about the biology of this fascinating virus - how it moves between hosts, how the disease is diagnosed and treated, and how outbreaks can potentially be prevented. West Nile virus was first detected in North America until 1999 when an outbreak occurred in New York City. In the next five years, West Nile virus swept across the continent, reaching the Pacific shore in 2004. Like other Flaviviruses, West Nile is an "arthropod-borne virus" or "arbovirus". Its transmission and the completion of its life cycle critically depends on the feeding activities of mosquitos, who transmit the virus as they feed on the blood of infected animals Despite the incidence of infection among humans, however, Homo sapiens are actually dead-end hosts for the West Nile virus. Indeed, birds are the primary amplifying hosts and their migratory patterns are thought to have promoted the rapid spread of the virus to new habitats.  Guest speakers include: Dr. Lyle Petersen  Lyle R. Petersen, M.D., M.P.H., has served as the director of the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases since 2004. Dr. Petersen began his training at the University of California, San Diego where he received an undergraduate degree in biology. He then studied medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. After medical school, Dr. Petersen completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Stanford University, CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) applied epidemiology training program, CDC's Preventive Medicine Residency Program, and a masters of public health program at Emory University. He served in several positions at CDC before joining the Division of Vector-borne Diseases, first as Deputy Director for Science and then Director. He is the author of more than 175 scientific publications and has received a number of scientific awards. His current research focuses on the epidemiology of arboviral and bacterial vector-borne zoonoses. Dr. Roberta DeBiasi  Roberta Lynn DeBiasi, MD, FIDSA, is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine, Acting Chief and Attending Physician in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Children's National Medical Center, and investigator at Children's Research Institute in the Center for Translational Science in Washington, D.C. A fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and a member of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), she is also a past recipient of IDSA's Young Investigator Award. Dr. DeBiasi's research expertise includes basic science as well as clinical/translational research in several areas. She is currently the Principal Investigator for several clinical research projects and trials, focusing on improved treatments for viral encephalitis, influenza, neonatal herpes simplex virus, congenital cytomegalovirus, and adenovirus in normal and immunocompromised children. An active investigator in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) Collaborative Antiviral Study Group, through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), she also performs research on community acquired pneumonia and hospital acquired infections with multiple drug resistant organisms. Her basic research focused on mechanisms of viral pathogenesis and the development of new treatments for viral myocarditis. She is the author of original research, review articles, and book chapters focusing on severe viral infections, including viral myocarditis, encephalitis, meningitis, West Nile Virus, and adenovirus in patients with compromised immune systems. Dr. DeBiasi also treats immunocompetent and immunocompromised children hospitalized with severe infections at Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

Richard Cogdell is the Director of the Institute for Molecular Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Glasglow, Scotland. Richard was led to a career in studying bacterial photosynthesis by a desire to learn and understand basic photosynthesis, he "wanted to know how natured worked." In 1995, Richard's research group, in collaboration with others, used protein crystallography to determine the three dimensional structure of a light-harvesting complex from the purple bacterium, Rhodospsedomas acidophilia. This breakthrough led to two key elements in the understanding of bacterial photosynthesis. One, once you have established the structure you can understand its function. Two, this view of a light-harvesting complex attracted an interdisciplinary group of scientists from the fields such as chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology. Richard's current challenge is to take the process of photosynthesis (using solar energy to make a fuel) and apply it to the world's energy needs in a sustainable manner. To do this, Richard says "you must break photosynthesis down to it's four most basics steps", absorb solar energy, concentrate it, break it apart and make a fuel. These are the steps that must be duplicated if they are going to be successful at creating sustainable, renewable energy. The first two steps, says Cogdell, are like a solar battery (easy to recreate). The hard part is finding ways to use renewable energy to drive the chemistry. That's the process Richard spends most of his time working on and he uses the concept of an artificial leaf to help explain this complex process to the public. According to Cogdell, if the current rate of investment continues, it will be approximately five to six years before we see a small pilot system that demonstrates the feasibility of the process. Richard emphasizes that if mankind wants to survive, we must find a way to convert solar energy into fuel because when fossil fuels run out so do we.

Constructed in 2009 in the highly populated South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) facility contains labs that operate at biosafety levels 2, 3 and 4. Due to its location the NEIDL has faced a raft of legal and regulatory hurdles that have prevented BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs from becoming functional. “Threading the NEIDL,” is a 1-hour documentary produced by MicrobeWorld (the public outreach website by the American Society for Microbiology) and narrated by Vincent Racaniello, Ph.D., Higgins Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Columbia University, which explores how the NEIDL is secured from unauthorized entry, what's like to wear a BSL-4 level safety suit, how the facility is constructed to make it safe, and how workers carry out experiments with highly dangerous viruses such as Ebola virus and Lassa virus without jeopardizing their health or that of the surrounding community. This is a never before seen look at how one of America's state of the art biodefense research facilities operates and the security measures put in place to keep it safe, even in the heart of a major urban center. This documentary was filmed in conjunction with Boston University School of Medicine and the popular science podcast This Week in Virology, which is also hosted by Vincent Racaniello.

No bacterium lives alone – it is constantly encountering members of its own species as well as other kinds of bacteria and diverse organisms like viruses, fungi, plants and animals. To navigate a complex world, microbes use chemical signals to sense and communicate with one another. Recorded live on January 28th, 2013, at ASM's headquarters, catch a glimpse into the fascinating language of bacteria with discussions by Bonnie Bassler, Princeton University, and Steven Lindow, University of California, Berkley.

In MicrobeWorld Video episode 66 Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Curtis Suttle, Professor of Earth & Ocean Sciences, Microbiology & Immunology, and Botany, and Associate Dean of Science University of British Columbia.  Dr. Suttle is one of the World's leading marine virologists, and is among a small group of researchers that is credited with launching the field of marine virology. Dr. Maloy talks with Dr. Suttle about the incredible diversity of the ocean's microscopic inhabitants that have long been overlooked.  The oceans are mostly microbial, 98% by weight, which means most of what is going on in the oceans is unseen and until recently largely unknown. Dr. Suttle explains the large role that ocean viruses play in keeping our planet alive. In fact, Dr. Suttle points out that viruses do more to create life than take it away. If you were to take the viruses out of the ocean much of the planet's life-cycle would stop, there would be no more photosynthesis. Viral replication drives the major bio-geochemical cycles on Earth.  Dr. Suttle also discusses transposons, "the world's first immune system," phage and using genomic sequencing to do ecology outside of the lab environment.  This episode was recorded at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia on February 17, 2012.

In episode 65 of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Natalie Prystajecky Ph.D., Environmental Public Health Microbiologist, BCCDC Public Health Microbiology and Reference Laboratory, about her work with norovirus. This episode was filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on February 16th, 2012.   Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in the world. In the U.S. norovirus accounts for up to sixty percent of all gastrointestinal related illness representing approximately twenty-three million cases annually.    Because norovius is easily transmitted from person to person, outbreaks such as the kind that occur on cruise ships, airplanes and universities are common news. New technologies such as real-time PCR have led to more effective techniques for diagnosing the virus and thus the appearance of more cases of norovirus.   However, according to Prystajecky, cases of norovirus have been decreasing since their peak in 2003. The number of acute illnesses related to norovirus rise when new strains emerge such as the GII.4 strain in late 2009.   Beyond person to person transmission, norovirus has the ability to spread via food and waterborne sources. In every case using proper food handling techniques, being aware of your food and water source and proper hand washing (soap and water) are all effective measures for avoiding the virus.    There are no current vaccines against norovirus.

In episode 64 of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Anne Tanner Ph.D., BDS, MDCH (Hon.), Associate Professor at Harvard School of Dental Medicine about her research into dental caries and the oral microbiome. This episode was filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on February 18th, 2012. Anne's work with Streptococcus mutans, the leading know cause of Early Childhood Caries (ECC), has led to the discovery of a new bacterium, Scardovia Wiggsiae. This discovery was the result of using modern molecular techniques combined with traditional anaerobic culture methods perfected in the practice of periodontology. Anne is now working with this new bacterium to see if it's a caries pathogen. Anne discusses the role probiotics have played in the treatment and prevention of dental caries. She is optimistic that these good bacteria can be effective in the battle against harmful oral bacterium. Finally, Anne talks about being one of only a few people who has more than one microbe (Prevotella Tannerae and Tannerella forsythia) named after her.

In episode 63 of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Forest Rohwer Ph.D., Professor of Biology, San Diego State University, about his research on the microbes of the ocean, coral reefs and the human lung. This episode was filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on February 18th, 2012. Viruses make up a large portion of the world's oceans, with over ten million per milliliter of seawater. Rohwer's interest in better understanding these viruses led him to becoming an expert in marine virology and a founder of the field of viral metagenomics.  Forest discovered that these viruses are very good at controlling the number and type of bacteria in the ocean and through the process of gene transfer possess the potential to change marine bacteria into human pathogens.  Among Forest's other interests are coral reefs. He has studied the link between humans inhabiting the land around coral reefs and the decaying health of the corresponding coral.  Forest also studies cystic fibrosis, a disease of the human lung, which mimics what he sees going on with the health of coral reefs. Rohwer explains how his work across many different scientific disciplines has helped his research interests broaden while leading to new discoveries unlikely to have been made without the knowledge and tools of other scientific fields. 

In episode 61 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on February 17th, 2012, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Richard Lenski Ph.D., Hannah Professor of Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, about his research into the evolution of bacteria and the new frontier of digital evolution. Lenski's Long Term Evolution Experiment with E. coli has seen over 50,000 new generations since its inception in 1998. This has led to insights such as how viruses can evolve from types that don't infect humans to ones that do. Lenski's work with E. coli has also led him into the digital world. Using computers, Lenski can achieve precise, rapid results by manipulating digital organisms. Software that evolves much like bacteria in the real world. Lenski is optimistic about the future of evolution research. Applying the generalities that have resulted from his studies to any number of other microbial species. He also sees large potential in applying what he's learned to the study of antibiotic resistance and bioengery. 

The American Society for Microbiology at the USA Science and Engineering Festival 2012 in Washington, D.C. Learn what kids have to say about the science and microbiology and the various educational resources ASM offers to students, teachers and parents alike. Filmed on April 27-28, 2012 at the USA Science and Engineering Festival inWashington, D.C. Special thanks: ASM Volunteers David J. Westernberg, Ph.D., Missouri University of Science and Technology Neil Baker, Ph.D., Ohio State University Ron Atlas, Ph., D., University of Louisville, Kentucky Stanley Maloy, Ph.D., San Diego State University Vincent Lee, Ph.D., University of Maryland Stephanie Yarwood, Ph.D., University of Maryland Ann Smith, Ph.D., University of Maryland Wade Winkler, Ph.D., University of Maryland Daniel Stein, Ph.D., University of Maryland Ken Frauwirth, Ph.D., University of Maryland Jeff Blazar, University of Maryland ASM Staff Garth Hogan Alaina Scalercio Barbara Hyde Basar Akkuzu Jim Sliwa Barb Slinker John Bell Students and Attendees Cheryl and Evan Demas Jacquelyn Campbell Kennedy Deam Nima Ranaghi Rebecca Wilman Sarah Marsh Stephanie Brower Debbie Atlas Cameras Ray Ortega, American Society for Microbiology Chris Condayan, American Society for Microbiology Edited and Produced by: Chris Condayan, American Society for Microbiology All views, comments and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily represent those of the American Society for Microbiology.

In episode 59 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, BC Canada on February 17, 2012, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Anne Jones, D. Phil., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, Arizona State University, about why her research into harvesting excess light energy has promising potential as an energy alternative.  Anne explains why photosynthesis is an inefficient process and how she's attempting to improve its efficiency by using cyanobacteria to absorb and transfer light energy into a usable fuel product.

Listen to Vincent Racaniello and guests Connor Bamford, Ron Fouchier, Wendy Barclay and Richard Elliott, in a live-streaming episode of This Week in Virology from the Society for General Microbiology 2012 Spring Conference in Dublin, Ireland. In his show, Racaniello discuses the H5N1 research publication controversy and emerging bunyaviruses.

In episode 57 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, BC Canada on February 18, 2012, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Ron Atlas Ph.D., Chair of ASM's Biodefense Committee and Professor of Biology, University of Louisville. Stan and Ron discuss the recent recommendation by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) to withhold some of the key data regarding transmissibility from recent research on the H5N1 virus. Ron explains how the NSABB was created and the role they play together with the American Society for Microbiology in attempting to establish a set of guidelines used to safeguard the scientific knowledge base from being misused. Ron discusses the need for this research to emerge from it's current moratorium and continue in order to remain a step ahead of the virus in an attempt to be alerted to possible future pandemics.