Podcasts about asm microbe

Dev Mittar, Ph.D., Scientific Director of the ASM Health Scientific Unit discusses the use of metagenomic next generation sequencing to develop agnostic diagnostic technology, giving scientists and clinicians alike, a tool to diagnose any infectious disease with one single test. He also discusses how the ASM Health Unit is empowering scientists and leveraging microbial science innovations to address critical global health challenges and improve lives worldwide. Ashley's Biggest Takeaways The Division of Research, Innovation and Ventures is a small entrepreneurial arm of BARDA that takes on early-stage projects with high potential of turning into medical countermeasures. Prior to his role as Scientific Director for ASM Health, Mittar worked as a health scientist and program officer at DRIVe, where he focused on advancing high-impact science. He is particularly passionate about his work to develop agnostic diagnostics—a single test that uses metagenomic next generation sequencing to identify any pathogen from 1 clinical sample. Mittar discusses applications for this technology in surveillance (pandemic preparedness), variant detection, AMR and clinical settings (diagnosing complicated infections where etiology is not clearly defined). He also shares how a recent bout with illness emphasized the value and potential of this technology to save money, time, pain and suffering of the patient. Agnostic diagnostics can also help prevent the overuse/misuse of antibiotics, which are key factors in the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, when this technology is coupled with the use of metatranscriptomics, it can provide information about the patient's immune profile that can be helpful in developing personalized treatment strategies, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach. ASM is organizing around 3 scientific units, ASM Health, ASM Mechanism Discovery and ASM Applied and Environmental Microbiology. These units will empower researchers and scientists to use science make a difference in the world and provide a forum for them to come together to shape the future of the field. Links for This Episode Learn More About ASM's Scientific Units. Join the Conversation on ASM Connect, our online community platform. Browse Volunteer Opportunities. Become an ASM Member. Register for ASM Microbe 2025.

Joseph James, biologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, discusses his career trajectory and the creation of Binning Singletons, a unique mentorship program built on peer-to-peer networking at scientific meetings and conferences and was first implemented in 2019 at ASM Microbe. Links for the Episode Binning Singletons and Peer-to-Peer Networking Learn more about Binning Singletons. Contact Joe James: Joe@binningsingleton.com Follow Binning Singletons on Bluesky. Binning Singletons: Mentoring through Networking at ASM Microbe 2019—mSphere article. Binning Singletons: Tackling Conference Networking When You Don't Know Anyone—Guest post on Addgene Blog. Mastering a Mentoring Relationship as the Mentee—asm.org article that James says has really helped him explain Binning Singletons as a coaching form of mentorship. Mapping a Mentoring Roadmap and Developing a Supportive Network for Strategic Career Advancement—article on developing networks of mentors, another area Binning Singletons tries to address. #FEMSmicroBlog: Networking at Online Conferences (for Early Career Scientists). Take the MTM listener survey! James' Research Dietary lead modulates the mouse intestinal microbiome: Subacute exposure to lead acetate and lead contaminated soil. In situ differences in nitrogen cycling related to presence of submerged aquatic vegetation in a Gulf of Mexico estuary. Quantifying stream periphyton assemblage responses to nutrient amendments with a molecular approach. Analysis of Bacterial Communities in Seagrass Bed Sediments by Double-Gradient Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis of PCR-Amplified 16S rRNA Genes. Use of composite data sets for source-tracking enterococci in the water column and shoreline interstitial waters on Pensacola Beach, Florida.

Fungal kingdom frontiersman Dr. Arturo Casadevall, asks, What if Fungi Win? Michael Schmidt and Mark O. Martin discuss with Arturo, his new book and the beneficial roles of fungi along with their mischievous and deadly impacts and how committed experts are researching ways to save us and our food supplies. Hosts: Michael Schmidt, Mark O. Martin Guest: Dr. Arturo Casadevall Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/nKJe5xNUocU Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Recorded at ASM Microbe 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Join us at the next ASM Microbe by visiting us at asm.org/microbe. Matters Microbial Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

Guinea 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 disease first-hand led to President Carter's and Weiss' passion for eradication, how behavior modification was key to guinea worm eradication, how a reservoir in dogs affects eradication efforts, and how being in the Peace Corps influenced his career path. Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/yt7cDHZhThI Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA). Adam Weiss, M.P.H. (Carter Center) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA). Jesus Romo, Ph.D. (UTSA).

ASM Microbe 2024 took place in Atlanta Georgia from June 13-17. Check out this bonus episode where Luis discusses his two events, favorite posters, and more. Questions? Feedback? Send those to letstalkmicro@outlook.comWant to support the podcast? Here's how:Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicroBuy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Episode Summary Timothy Donohue, Ph.D.—ASM Past President, University of Wisconsin Foundation Fetzer Professor of Bacteriologyand Director of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) calls genomics a game-changer when it comes the potential of microbes to create renewable resources and products that can sustain the environment, economy and supply chain around the world. He also shares some exciting new advances in the field and discusses ways his research team is using microorganisms as nanofactories to degrade lignocellulose and make a smorgasbord of products with high economic value. Take the MTM listener survey! Ashley's Biggest Takeaways: The bioeconomy can be broadly defined as the use of renewable resources, including microorganisms, to produce valuable goods, products and services. Microbes have the potential to create products that cannot be made by existing synthetic chemistry routes. Using raw, renewable resources to create a circular bioeconomy is beneficial to the environmental footprint, economic footprint and supply chain security around the globe. Links for This Episode: The theme of our Spring 2024 Issue of Microcosm, our flagship member magazine is Microbes and the Bioeconomy: Greasing the Gears of Sustainability, launches this week and features an article based on this MTM conversation. If you are an ASM Member, check back on Wed., June 30 for the newly published content! Not a member? Consider renewing or signing up today, and begin exploring endless potential to boulster your career and network with professionals, like Donohue, in your field.  Get Bioeconomy Policy Updates. Heading to ASM Microbe 2024? Check out this curated itinerary of sessions on the bioeconomy, including those discussing the use of algae for bioproduction and synthetic biology for natural product discovery. Learn more about the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. MTM listener survey!

Dr. James Morton discusses how the gut microbiome modulates brain development and function with specific emphasis on how the gut-brain axis points to functional architecture of autism. Watch James' talk from ASM Microbe 2023: Using AI to Glean Insights From Microbiome Data https://youtu.be/hUQls359Spo

Plague 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 plague, why Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a growing health threat, and what it was like being John Mekalanos' first Ph.D. student. Dr. Koehler discusses why anthrax is considered a potential bioweapon, why significant scientific progress was made following the anthrax attacks of 2001, why gardeners shouldn't worry about catching anthrax, and her first failed experiment.  Both discuss their vision for ASM and the role it plays in microbiological research and society. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Virginia Miller, Ph.D. (UNC Chapel Hill) Theresa Koehler, Ph.D. (UT Health Houston) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Jesus Romo, Ph.D. (UTSA)

Dr. Maria Eugenia Inda-Webb, Pew Postdoctoral Fellow working in the Synthetic Biology Center at MIT builds biosensors to diagnose and treat inflammatory disorders in the gut, like inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. She discusses how “wearables,” like diagnostic diapers and nursing pads could help monitor microbiome development to treat the diseases of tomorrow.   Subscribe (free) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Android, RSS or by email. Ashley's Biggest Takeaways Biosensors devices that engineer living organisms or biomolocules to detect and report the presence of certain biomarkers.   The device consists of a bioreceptor (bacteria) and a reporter (fluorescent protein or light). Inda-Webb's lab recently published a paper in Nature about using biosensors (Sub-1.4 cm3 capsule) to detect inflammatory biomarkers in the gut. The work is focused on diagnosing and treating inflammatory bowel disease, but Inda-Webb acknowledged that that is a large research umbrella. The next step for this research is to monitor the use of the biosensor in humans to determine what chemical concentrations are biologically relevant and to show that it is safe for humans to ingest the device. It is believed that the gut microbiome in humans develops in the first 1000 days to 3 years of life. Early dysbiosis in the gut has been linked to disease in adulthood. However, we do not have a good way to monitor (and/or influence) microbiome development. Inda-Webb hopes to use biosensors in diapers (wearables) to monitor microbiome development and prevent common diseases in adulthood. In 2015, Inda-Webb became ASM's first Agar Art Contest winner for her piece, “Harvest System.” Inda-Webb is the 2023 winner of the ASM Award for Early Career Environmental Research, which recognizes an early career investigator with distinguished research achievements that have improved our understanding of microbes in the environment, including aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric settings. Learn More About ASM's Awards Program Featured Quotes: We engineer bacteria to sense particular molecules of interest—what we call biomarkers—if they are associated with a disease. And then, we engineer a way that the bacteria will produce some kind of molecule that we can measure—what we call reporter—so that could be a fluorescent protein or light, like the one that we have in this device. The issue is that inflammation in the gut is really very difficult to track. There are no real current technologies to do that. That is like a black box. And so, most of what we measure is what comes out from the gut, and has its limitations. It doesn't really represent the chemical environment that you have inside, especially in areas where you're inflamed. So, we really needed technologies to be able to open a window in these areas. The final device that I am actually bringing here is a little pill that the patient would swallow and get into the gut. And then they engineer bacteria that the biosensors, will detect, let's say, nitrous oxide, which is a very transient molecule. And the bacteria are engineered to respond to that in some way—to communicate with the electronics that will wirelessly transmit to your cell phone. And from there, to the gastroenterologist. We make the bacteria produce light. If they sense nitrous oxide, they produce light, the electronics read that, and the [information] finally gets into your phone. Part of the challenge was that we needed to make the electronics very very tiny to be able to fit inside the capsule. And also, the amount of bacteria that we use also is only one microliter. And so, imagine one microliter of bacteria producing a tiny amount of light. Finally, the electronics need to be able to read it. So that has been also part of the challenge. In this case, you have 4 different channels. One is a reference, and then the other 3 are the molecule of your choice. So, for example, what we show in the paper here is that we can even follow a metabolic pathway. So, you can see one more molecule turn into the other one, then into the other one. I'm really excited about that. Because normally we kind of guess as things are happening, you know, but here you can see in real time how the different molecules are changing over time. I think that's pretty exciting for microbiologist. The immediate application would be for a follow up. Let's say the patient is going to have a flare, and so you could predict it more much earlier. Or there's a particular treatment, and you want to see what is happening [inside the gut]. But for me, as a microbiologist, one of the things I'm most excited about will be more in the longer term. One of my favorite experiments that I do with the students is the Winogradsky column, and everyone gets super excited. So, we all have nice feelings for that. And it's basically a column where we asked the students to bring mud from a lake, for example, and then some sources of nutrients. And then, after 6months, you will see all the layers, which is super pretty—beautiful, nice colors. But actually, that gives the concept of how the microenvironment helps to define where, or how, bacteria build communities. And so, what I think this device is going to do is to help us identify what is this microenvironment and to characterize that. And then, from there, to know if [an individual's] microbiome is leaning towards the disease state, or if it's already in a serious or dangerous situation, to think about treatments that can lead to a more healthy state. So, I would just say it's really to have a window into the gut, and to be able to give personalized treatment for the patient. So, one application: I was thinking, I'm from the Boston area. So, one problem we have is getting a tick bite, right? After that, you could actually have to go through a very traumatic, antibiotic regime. I would imagine, in that case, you could [use the biosensor to] get the baseline [measurement], and then if you need to take these antibiotics, the doctors can follow how your microbiome is responding to that. Because one of the problems is that antibiotics changed the oxidation level [in the gut], and that really affects a lot the microbiome. To that point, for example, I get to know patients that they were athletes, and then, after antibiotic treatment, they have serious problems with obesity. Their life gets really messed up in many ways. And so, what I'm thinking is, if we could monitor earlier, there are a lot of ways that we could prevent that. We could give antioxidants; we could change the antibiotic. There are things that I think the doctor could be able to do and still do the treatment that we know. And of course, [although] we talk a lot about how much trouble antibiotics are, for certain things, we still need [them]. [The multi-diagnostic diaper] is one of my pet projects. I really love it. So yeah, basically, the issue is that the microbiome develops in the first 3 years. People even say like, 1000 days, you know. But there's really no way to monitor that. And now we're seeing that actually, if the microbiome gets affected, there are a lot of diseases that you will see in adult life. So, if we will be able to monitor the microbiome development, I really believe that we'll be able to prevent many of the diseases of tomorrow. What happens is that babies wear diapers. So, I thought it was really a very good overlap. We call that “wearables,” you know, like devices that you can wear, and then from there, measure something connected with health. So, in the diaper, I was excited because—different from the challenge with the ingested device, which was so tiny—here, we don't have the limitation of space. So, we could measure maybe 1000 different biomarkers and see how that builds over time. We can measure so many things. One could be just toxic elements that could be in the environment. I try to do very grounded science, and so, my question is always, ‘what's the actionable thing to do?' So, I'm thinking if there was a lot of toxicity, for example, in the carpet, or in the environment where you live, those are the easiest things to change, right? Then also, other things connecting more with the metabolism. [Often] the parents don't know that the kid has metabolic issues. So, before that starts to build and bring disease, it would be best if you could detect it as early as possible. From there, with symbiotics, we are thinking there are a lot of therapies that could engineer bacteria to produce the enzymes that the kid can't produce. We could also [develop] other products, like for example, a t-shirt to measure the sweat. I'm also thinking more of the milk. I'm very excited about how the milk helps to build the microbiome in the right way. And that that's a huge, very exciting area for microbiologists. And so, we could also have nursing pads that also measure [whether] the mother has the right nutrients. My family, my grandparents were farmers, and in Argentina, really the time for harvest is very important. You can see how the city and really the whole country gets very active. And at that time [during a course Inda-Webb was taking at Cold Spring Harbor] in this course, I could see that with yeast we were having a lot of tools that would allow us to be much more productive in the field. And I thought, ‘Oh, this feels like a harvest system for yeast.' Yes. So that was how it [Inda-Webb's winning agar artwork, ‘Harvest System'] came out. I really love the people. Here, [at ASM Microbe 2023], I really found that how people are bringing so much energy and really wanted to engage and understand and just connect to this idea of human flourishing, right, giving value to something, and saying, ‘okay, we can actually push the limits of what we know.' How beautiful is that? And you know, we can learn from that. That was very exciting. ASM Agar Art Contest Have you ever seen art created in a petri dish using living, growing microorganisms? That's agar art! ASM's annual Agar Art Contest is a chance for you to use science to show off your creative skills. Submissions Are Now Being Accepted! This year's contest theme is "Microbiology in Space." Head over to our Contest Details page to get all of the information about what you need to submit your entry. Submissions will be accepted until Oct. 28! Links for the Episode: Inda-Webb, et al. recent Nature publication: Sub-1.4 cm3 capsule for detecting labile inflammatory biomarkers in situ. Bacterial Biosensors: The Future of Analyte Detection. Let us know what you thought about this episode by tweeting at us @ASMicrobiology or leaving a comment on facebook.com/asmfan.

Everyone thinks microbes are very small, and most of them are. But how to see them? The microscope opened a whole new world to the observer, starting with the Dutch microbiologist Antonie van Leeuvenhoek. But photographs and peering through lenses have limitations. Mark introduces his friend and colleague, Ariane Briegel of the Institute of Biology at Leiden University to Matters Microbial. She discusses how her own work can allow us to see microbes at extremely fine detail using a technique called cryo-electron microscopy (cryEM). She will also discuss her path in science. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Ariane Briegel Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode The Martian meteorite from which my specimen was taken is described here.  Custom enamel pins by Hartiful can be found here.  The website of the great microbiologist and science artist Lizah van der Aart is here.   Here is a video discussing the role played by van Leeuvenhoek in microbial science that is SO worth your time. Dr. Briegel's lab website is very interesting. An explainer about cryoEM can be found here A really fine talk by Dr. Briegel about her work from ASM Microbe a few years ago. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Dr. Elli Theel and Dr. Alex McAdam discuss recent viral outbreaks with expert virologists. Recorded before a live audience at ASM Microbe 2023. Topics: What are the recent epidemiologic and diagnostic findings with Mpox?  What are the reservoirs for influenza A H5N1 and how is it transmitted to humans? Why was there such a large number of cases of human metapneumovirus this past respiratory virus season? Guests: Dr. Ben Pinsky, Director of the Clinical Virology laboratory and Professor of Pathology and Medicine at Stanford Health Care and the Stanford University School of Medicine Dr. Ryan Relich, Director of Clinical Microbiology and the Special Pathogens Unit laboratory at IU Health and Eskenazi Health and an Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at https://jcm.asm.org and on https://twitter.com/JClinMicro. Visit journals.asm.org/journal/jcm to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow JCM on Twitter via @JClinMicro

From ASM Microbe 2023 in Houston, TWiM speaks with Mimi Goldschmidt about her remarkable career in microbiology which included training astronauts to safely bring moon rocks back to Earth. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin. Guest: Mimi Goldschmidt Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Mimi Goldschmidt (Wikipedia) Dr. Millicent “Mimi” Goldschmidt - Women in Microbiology (YouTube) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

The 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 hands-on evolution experiments to high school students can stimulate the next generation of scientists, how scientists need to work to combat public distrust of science, how antibiotic resistance evolves in the presence of immunodeficiency, and how his initial experience with baculoviruses hooked him into a lifelong study of evolution. This episode was supported by Darbie's pinworm detection kit, to combat nematodes in your bikini bottom. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Vaughn Cooper, Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Jesus Romo, Ph.D. (UTSA)

Recorded at ASM Microbe 2023, Cesar has a conversation with Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi about the role of minority women in science and discovery, the journey of Hispanic women in science and the current challenges posed by society to deliver science and global health equity. Guest: Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi - Sr. Associate Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Distinguished Professor of Biology at Baylor University, Waco This episode is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy journal available at aac.asm.org. If you plan to publish in AAC, ASM Members get up to 50% off publishing fees. Visit asm.org/membership to sign up. Visit journals.asm.org/journal/aac to browse issues and/or submit a manuscript.

From ASM Microbe in Houston, Texas, Vincent speaks with Eddie Holmes about the evidence that SARS-CoV-2 spilled over into humans in the Huanan Market in Wuhan, absence of evidence for other origins, and his work on the virosphere. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guest: Eddie Holmes Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Huanan Seafood Market early COVID-19 epicenter (Science) SARSr-CoV-2 in Malayan Pangolins (PLoS Path) Zoonotic risk of farmed animals (Cell) Virusea at bat-tick interface (Microb Genom) Influenza H3N8 virus in southern China (J Virol) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

This episode was recorded while at the American Society for Microbiology's (ASM) Microbe 2023 at Houston. I go over my favorite posters, sessions and more. It was great connecting with fellow microbiologists. Great posters such as Shewanella and oysters, frogs and potential compounds, and more. Of course, as a podcaster I had to sit through an episode of Editors in conversation.

This episode was recorded while at the American Society for Microbiology's (ASM) Microbe 2023. I went over what I liked about this conference as a first timer. I also talk more about other courses I took and my experience overall. Then I was joined by great company: Elizabeth Deyett and Jon Mitchell from the Microbe Moment, They have a podcast called the Microbe Moment with the Microbigals. They talk about the impact of microbes in life, provide historical perspectives, and more. They also attended the conference and Elizabeth actually presented a poster. Tune in to listen to this great conversation.....Link to the Microbe Moment's podcast and webpage: https://www.microbigals.com/the-microbe-moment-science-podcast

Dr. Jessica Lee, scientist for the Space Biosciences Research Branch at NASA's AIMS Research Center in Silicon Valley uses both wet-lab experimentation and computational modeling to understand what microbes really experience when they come to space with humans. She discusses space microbiology, food safety and microbial food production in space and the impacts of microgravity and extreme radiation when sending Saccharomyces cerevisiae to the moon. Ashley's Biggest Takeaways Lee applied for her job at NASA in 2020. Prior to her current position, she completed 2 postdocs and spent time researching how microbes respond to stress at a population level and understanding diversity in microbial populations. She has a background in microbial ecology, evolution and bioinformatics. Model organisms are favored for space research because they reduce risk, maximize the science return and organisms that are well understood are more easily funded. Unsurprisingly, most space research does not actually take place in space, because it is difficult to experiment in space. Which means space conditions must be replicated on Earth. This may be accomplished using creative experimental designs in the wet-lab, as well as using computational modeling. Links for the Episode: Out of This World: Microbes in Space. Register for ASM Microbe 2023. Add “The Math of Microbes: Computational and Mathematical Modeling of Microbial Systems,” to your ASM Microbe agenda. Let us know what you thought about this episode by tweeting at us @ASMicrobiology or leaving a comment on facebook.com/asmfan.

From ASM Microbe 2022 in Washington, DC, Heran joins TWiM to discuss her career and her work on the agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Guest: Heran Darwin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Honey badger of pathogens (EMBO Rep) Pup-proteasome system (PNAS) Cytokinin signaling in M. tuberculosis (mBio) Bandwagoning (EMBO Rep) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

Infections caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia appear to be increasing in frequency among the immunocompromised population and are challenging to treat. Moreover, resistance to traditional drugs used against these organisms is now becoming more common. Antibiotic options in these circumstances are scarce and new options are needed. We discuss this important topic with experts in the field. Recorded live in Washington DC at ASM Microbe 2022. Topics • Stenotrophomas maltophilia as an opportunistic pathogen and • The intrinsic ability of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia to resist common antimicrobials • Common mechanisms of resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa • Debate on treatment approaches and rationale for these strategies. Guests: Maria Fernanda Mojica PhD Senior Instructor, Case VA Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Epidemiology. Case Western Reserve University Samuel Aitken, PharmD. Adjunct Clinical Professor of Pharmacy, University of Michigan. This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Journal and hosted by AAC Editor in Chief, Cesar Arias. AAC is available at https://asm.org/aac. Follow Cesar on twitter at https://twitter.com/SuperBugDoc for AAC updates. Subscribe to the podcast at https://asm.org/eic

From ASM Microbe 2022 in Washington DC, Vincent and Michael speak with science artists Michele Banks and Jane Hartman about their work and their inspiration. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Michael Schmidt Guests: Michele Banks and Jane Hartman Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Trilobite Glassworks (Jane Hartman) Artologica (Michele Banks) Science art with Michele Banks (TWiV 352) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Denise Akob discusses her studies of microbial communities of contaminated and pristine environments using life science and earth science techniques. She discusses how to figure out “who’s there,” how to optimize select natural microbial activities, and her career path into government research. Julie’s Biggest Takeaways: Biogeomicrobiology straddles the life science and earth science fields. This is a growing area of research in the academic setting as well as in the private sector, where one can contribute to hydrogeology or bioremediation efforts.   What happens on the surface when extracting resources like natural gases? Wastewater from hydraulic shale fracking, or fracking, can contaminate microbes. Preliminary data suggests that microbes that thrive in that wastewater can be a fingerprint for surface contamination, and this is one of the areas of active research in Akob’s lab. Additionally, microbes can respond to contaminants to remove that risk and remediate the spills. One trip to the field can provide samples for years of analysis. From one sample, scientists can conduct: Microbiome studies through amplicon sequencing to understand population structures. Metagenomics studies to understand functional potential. Biochemical studies to understand active metabolic processes. Akob asks how to make natural microbial degraders happy. For example: acetylene, a triple-bonded carbon compound, can inhibit degradation of chlorinated solvents, a potent groundwater contaminant. By studying the microbes that use acetylene as a primary energy source (acetylenotrophs), this removes this inhibition caused by acetylene and the chlorinated solvent-degraders can increase their activity.   Akob studies pristine environments to understand natural microbial communities. A cave she studied in Germany was ‘ultra pristine,’ discovered while building a highway. Understanding natural processes, such as the biomineralization promoted during stalagmite and stalactite formation helps scientists imagine how to use tehse processes in other applications. Links for this Episode: Mumford AC et al. Common Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid Additives Alter the Structure and Function of Anaerobic Microbial Communities. Applied and Environmetnal Microbiology. 2018. Akob DM et al. Acetylenotrophy: a Hidden but Ubiquitous Microbial Metabolism? FEMS Microbial Ecology. 2018. Akob DM et al. Detection of Diazotrophy in the Acetylene-Fermenting Anaerobic Pelobacter sp. Strain SFB93. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2017. ASM Article: The Microbial World of Caves James J, Gunn AL, and Akob DM. Binning Singletons: Mentoring through Networking at ASM Microbe 2019. mSphere. 2020. HOM Tidbit: Scientists Find Ancient Cave Dwelling Resistant Bacteria ASM Press: Women in Microbiology  

Cheese 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 long history of cheesemaking practices gives great insight into microbial interactions, where the holes in Swiss cheese come from, and how studying the cheese microbiome has the added benefit of being able to eat your experiments. microTalk was pleased to be joined by Dr. Jimmy Ballard (University of Oklahoma Health Science Center) when this podcast was recorded at the ASM Microbe 2019 conference in San Francisco, CA. The microCase for listeners to solve is about Houser Sampson, whose voracious appetite for sushi causes him to come down with a mysterious illness. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Rachel Dutton, Ph.D. (University of California San Diego) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Mylea Echazarreta (UTSA) Jimmy Ballard (OUHSC)

Some 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 magnetosomes could be used to generate energy.   microTalk was pleased to be joined by Dr. Marvin Whiteley (Georgia Tech) when this podcast was recorded at the ASM Microbe 2019 conference in San Francisco, CA. The microCase for listeners to solve is about Randy Farmer, a businessman who comes down with an uncomfortable disease after a trip to Bangkok. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Arash Komeili, Ph.D. (University of California Berkeley) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Mylea Echazarreta (UTSA) Marvin Whiteley, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)

What 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 dividing, how carbohydrate modifications in old bacteria can help illuminate diabetes, how small differences in bacterial growth conditions can result in huge differences in bacterial physiology, and how building Mission Control in his kindergarten class ignited his passion for science. microTalk was pleased to be joined by Dr. Marvin Whiteley (Georgia Tech) when this podcast was recorded at the ASM Microbe 2019 conference in San Francisco, CA. The microCase for listeners to solve is about Yakov Smirnov, a Siberian lab worker who comes down with a life-threatening disease at work. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Steve Finkel, Ph.D. (University of Southern California) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Mylea Echazarreta (UTSA) Marvin Whiteley, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology). Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Steve Finkel, Ph.D. (University of Southern California) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Mylea Echazarreta (UTSA) Marvin Whiteley, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology) Visit asm.org/micoTalk for more.

Genomics-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 encephalitis, how the sewer may hold the key to predicting infectious disease outbreaks, how computational capabilities represent the current bottleneck to global benefit from genomics technologies, and how the early mysteries surrounding the AIDS epidemic led him into science. microTalk was thrilled to be joined by Julie Wolf, “Meet the Microbiologist” podcast host from ASM, when this podcast was recorded at the ASM Microbe 2019 conference in San Francisco, CA. The microCase for listeners to solve is about Tess Tamoni, a retired teacher who gets a nasty infection while on vacation at a tropical resort. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Joe DeRisi, Ph.D. (University of California San Francisco) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Mylea Echazarreta (UTSA) Julie Wolf (ASM)

From ASM Microbe 2019 in San Francisco, Vincent speaks with Victoria McGovern, Carl Nathan, and Dan Portnoy about advancing human health through innovative collaborations. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Victoria McGovern, Carl Nathan, and Dan Portnoy Links for this episode: Getting grants (Virulence) Nitric oxide synthase protects against tuberculosis (PNAS) Actin filaments and Listeria monocytogenes (J Cell Biol) Become a Patron of TWiM! Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv

Bacteriophages (“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 Hughes Medical Institute. Hatfull talks about how the SEA-PHAGES program has allowed entering students at more than 100 colleges and universities around the country to discover thousands of new phages, how phages isolated from the program were used to save the life of a patient infected with Mycobacterium, what the prospects are for phage therapy being used as treatment for other diseases, how bacterial resistance to phage infection impacts phage therapy, and how important research experience can be for students. microTalk was joined by Dr. Jimmy Ballard when this podcast was recorded at the ASM Microbe 2019 conference in San Francisco, CA. The microCase for listeners to solve is about Buck Shott, an aging Western movie stunt double who comes down with a potentially fatal infection after filming an action scene for “The Old, the Ancient, and the Geriatric”. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Graham Hatfull, Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh) Jimmy Ballard, Ph.D. (University of Oklahoma) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Mylea Echazarreta (UTSA)

From ASM Microbe 2019, Vincent, Brianne and Calvin meet up with Craig Cameron to discuss his career and his work exploring RNA-dependent RNA synthesis and single cell virology. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Brianne Barker, and Calvin Yeager Guest: Craig Cameron Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Cameron laboratory Curioscity podcast Ribavirin is an RNA virus mutagen (Nat Med) RNA virus error catastrophe: test using ribavirin (PNAS) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

From ASM Microbe 2019, Vincent, Brianne and Calvin meet up with Craig Cameron to discuss his career and his work exploring RNA-dependent RNA synthesis and single cell virology. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Brianne Barker, and Calvin Yeager Guest: Craig Cameron Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Cameron laboratory Curioscity podcast Ribavirin is an RNA virus mutagen (Nat Med) RNA virus error catastrophe: test using ribavirin (PNAS) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

From ASM Microbe 2019, the Microbials meet up with Susanna L. Harris and Alex Politis to talk about mental health in graduate school and NIH peer review. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michele Swansonand Michael Schmidt Guests: Susanna L. Harrisand Alex Politis Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Android, RSS, or by email. Get the entire ASM Podcast Network via our Microbeworld app. Become a patron of TWiM Links for this episode PhD Balance Susanna’s video(Vimeo) NIH Center for Scientific Review TWiM Listener survey Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv  

Since Zika broke into the news in 2016, new research has been uncovering more information about this virus – we spoke to Dustin Farr at the recent ASM Microbe meeting where he was presenting a poster on Zika infection in corneal cells.

Vincent speaks with Mark O. Martin about microbial centricity, teaching undergraduates microbiology, lux art, painting with glowing bacteria, tardigrades and much more at ASM Microbe 2018. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guest: Mark O. Martin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Android, RSS, or by email. Get the entire ASM Podcast Network via our Microbeworld app. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Microbial menagerie All creatures great and small Carski Award Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

Vincent, Kathy and Rich travel to ASM Microbe 2018 in Atlanta where they speak with Stacy Horner and Ken Stapleford about their careers and their research. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Guests: Stacy Hornerand Ken Stapleford Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode TWiV 2018 World Tour RNA modifications go viral(Plos Path) N6-methyladenosinein flavivirus genomes (Cell Host Micr) Chikungunya virus evolution(Cell Host Micr) Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiM team travels to ASM Microbe 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia to speak with Christina Kellogg about her career and her research on coral microbial ecology. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Elio Schaechter and Michele Swanson Guest: Christina Kellogg Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes, Stitcher, 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: Christina Kellogg on twitter Coral microbial ecology Coral reef ecosystem studies Connectivity of vulnerable reefs Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv

Vincent and Rich recorded this episode at Vaccines in the 21st Century, a meeting held at the University of California, Irvine, where they spoke with Stacy Schultz-Cherry, Douglas Diekema, and Andrew Noymer about vaccine facts and fiction. Hosts: Vincent Racanielloand Rich Condit Guests: Stacey Schultz-Cherry, Douglas Diekema, and Andrew Noymer Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Support Viruses & Cells Gordon Conference Faculty positions at Icahn School of Medicine International dsRNA Virus Symposium Dummheit (Healthc Policy) Universal influenza vaccine (mBio) Vaccine personal belief exemptions (Ann Rev Pub Health) Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiVerati follow up on the Ebola virus outbreak, virulence of Ebola-Makona, and reveal how a parasitoid is revealed to hyperparasitoids, and binding of influenza virus to a calcium ion channel to mediate influenza virus entry. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Support Viruses & Cells Gordon Conference Faculty positions at Icahn School of Medicine International dsRNA Virus Symposium Tracing Ebola virus contacts(CIDRAP) WHO FAQ Ebola virus vaccine(WHO) Nipah virusoutbreak (CIDRAP) Revealingparasitoid to hyperparasitoid (PNAS) Hyperparasitoidvideo (YouTube) Calcium channeland influenza virus entry (Cell Host Microbe) Letters readon TWiV 495 Weekly Science Picks Alan - National Cryptologic Museum Rich - Science is mostly about staring Dickson - New Zealand gloworms Kathy - Openingof Smithsonian Outbreak; conference advice General ASV Vincent - ICTV online Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Vincent, Kathy, and Alan review the ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the finding that mutations identified in the 2015 West African epidemic do not alter pathogenesis in animals. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Support Viruses & Cells Gordon Conference Faculty positions at Icahn School of Medicine International dsRNA Virus Symposium New Ebola virus outbreakin DRC (WHO) Ebola virus case in urban area of DRC(WHO) Ebola virus outbreak not PHEIC(WHO) Ebola virus vaccinearrives in DRC (CIDRAP) Recent Ebola-Makona mutationsdo not alter pathogenesis (Cell Rep) Letters readon TWiV 494 Weekly Science Picks Alan - Happy 35th birthday, PCR Kathy- Everything can be a speaker Vincent - Ocean rise due to rocks(debunked); Gates advises Trump on viruses Listener Pick Noah- David Baltimore on iBiology Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiVerati discuss the FDA Advisory Committee deliberation on the anti-poxvirus drug tecovirimat, and immune cells in gut-associated lymphoid tissue as the major target during acute murine norovirus infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Support Viruses & Cells Gordon Conference Faculty positions at Icahn School of Medicine FDA meeting materials for tecovirimat(FDA) SIGA Briefing Information (pdf) Errata to the SIGA Briefing Information (pdf) Gut immune cells major targets of norovirus infection(Nat Micro) RNAscope(J Mol Diag) Image credit Letters readon TWiV 493 Weekly Science Picks Alan - Personal Finance for PhDsby Emily Roberts Kathy- Optical illusions fool artificial intelligence Rich- 2017-2018 snowfall graphic Dickson- Dust from the Sahara Vincent - The Last Days of Smallpoxby Mark Pallen Listener Pick Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The Masters of the TWiXome review the development of sensitive, portable, and field-based viral diagnostics using the CRISPR-Cas system. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Support Viruses & Cells Gordon Conference Faculty positions at Icahn School of Medicine Norovirus outbreaks from nori(Emerging Inf Dis) SHERLOCK(Science) HUDSON(Science) DETECTR(Science) Letters readon TWiV 492 Weekly Science Picks Alan - Decline of local newspapers leaves epidemiologists blind Kathy- Journal oversight, mental health research Rich- The Big Sort: An Insider's Tour of a Recycling Plant Dickson- When Science Meets Art Vincent - A Crack in Creationby Doudna and Sternberg Listener Pick Tom- Trillions Upon Trillions of Viruses Fall From the Sky Each Day Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiVome deconstructs the evolutionary history of RNA viruses, and immune promortion of murine norovirus pathogenesis by replication in intestinal tuft cells. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Support Viruses & Cells Gordon Conference Faculty positions at Icahn School of Medicine Evolutionary historyof RNA viruses (Nature) The amphioxus song Norovirus tropism for tuft cells(Science) Letters readon TWiV 491 Weekly Science Picks Alan - Oligodendroglioma in song Kathy- Everything-repellent coating to grime proof phone screens & more Rich- Gaia star map Dickson- Clouds are complicated Vincent - Eradicating polio with a vaccine we must stop using Listener Pick Stephen- Forget the Avengers, it took real heroes to make India polio-free Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

From the TWiV team, human cowpox infection possibly acquired from a pet cat, and a new giant mimivirus of green algae with genes encoding enzymes of fermentation. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 ASV Job Site revamped Support Viruses & Cells Gordon Conference Faculty positions at Icahn School of Medicine Dick Courtney obit Human cowpox infection(NEJM) Mimivirus encodes fermentation genes(Virology) Letters readon TWiV 490 Weekly Science Picks Kathy- Landscapes that look like another world (but they are from Spain) Rich - Brighton Collaboration; Viral Vector Vaccines Safety Working Group (V3SWG)(Chen & DeStefano: Vaccine adverse events: causal or coincidental?) Dickson- Clouds of Jupiter and EBNA2 and autoimmunity Vincent - More than one-third of graduate students report being depressed (original article) Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiV team reveals that recent mumps virus outbreaks in the US are due to waning vaccine efficacy, and an intranasally delivered small interfering RNA that controls West Nile infection in the brain. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 ASV 2018 Microbiology Student Symposium at UC Berkeley Support Viruses & Cells Gordon Conference Waning mumps vaccinein US (Sci Trans Med) siRNA controlof West Nile virus brain infection (Cell Host Microbe) Image credit Letters readon TWiV 488 Weekly Science Picks Kathy- Peak bloom and photographing cherry blossoms Dickson- Origins of vertebrate RNA viruses Alan- Rare footage of anglerfishin the deep ocean Vincent - NIH must reduce disparities in funding Listener Picks Mariann - Eden Project and Bellyvision Apparatus and the Like Amir- Winners of ICR Science Photography and Photography Contest Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiV posse considers viral insulin-like peptides encoded in fish genomes, and insect antiviral immunity by production of viral DNA from defective genomes of RNA viruses. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Insulin-like peptides in Iridovirus genomes (PNAS) Dicer-2 dependent generation of cvDNA from defective genomes (Cell Host Micr) Carla Saleh on insect antiviral immunity (TWiV 301) RNAseIII ancient antiviral RNA platform (TWiV 450) cvDNA precursor to EVEs (TWiV 482) Image credit: Paul Young Letters read on TWiV 485 Weekly Science Picks Kathy - Vegas casinos lost money on physicists Brianne - Astronaut twin's DNA is not 7% different! Dickson - Parasitic Diseases lecture videos Alan - In Season blog by Donna Long Vincent - Buckyball viruses Listener Picks Paul - Wine labels (front, back) Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiVumvirate discuss the giant Tupanvirus, with the longest tail in the known virosphere, and dampened STING dependent interferon activation in bats. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2018 Tailed giant Tupanvirus (Nat Commun) Soda Lakes (Wikipedia) Dampened STING in bats (Cell Host Microbe) Image credit Letters read on TWiV 484 Weekly Science Picks Kathy - How to read a phylogenetic tree Brianne - No immune overload for vaccines Dickson - Flowchart of viral families Alan - Letters to a Pre-Scientist Vincent - True believers, entrepreneurs, and scammers in alternative medicine and Simply Put: Vaccines Save Lives Listener Picks Vinayaka - Code of Ethics for Young Scientists Matt - TWiV 443 Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

From ASM Microbe 2017 at New Orleans, Vincent and Rich meet up with Kate Rubins to talk about becoming an astronaut, space travel, and doing science in space. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit Guest: Kate Rubins Thumbnail Photo by Chris Condayan Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

From ASM Microbe 2017 at New Orleans, Vincent and Rich meet up with Kate Rubins to talk about becoming an astronaut, space travel, and doing science in space. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit Guest: Kate Rubins Thumbnail Photo by Chris Condayan Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

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, Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter. Watch the video version recorded live at ASM Microbe 2017! 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

From ASM Microbe 2017 at New Orleans, Vincent and Rich meet up with astronaut Kate Rubins to talk about becoming an astronaut, space travel, and doing science in space. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit Guest: Kate Rubins Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Live from the Space Station, NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins Kate Rubins (NASA, Wikipedia) Expedition 48-49 launches to the ISS Expedition 48-49 Crew Docks to the Space Station Expedition 48-49 Crew Welcomed to the Space Station Expedition 48 Crew Hands Over the Space Station to Expedition 49 Photo by Chris Condayan Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

The TWiM team ventures into preprint space with an analysis of type VI secretion across human gut microbiomes, and provide insight into urinary tract infection: how bladder exposure to a member of the vaginal microbiota triggers E. coli egress from latent reservoirs. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter. 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 ASM Microbe 2017 TWiM Live from ASM Microbe 2017 Landscape of type VI secretion (BioRxiv) Type VI secretion structure (jpg) Activation of dormant E. coli in urinary tract infection (PLoS Path) Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

The TWiMmers get cozy with symbionts: the bacteria that allow a giant shipworm to oxidize sulfur, and algae that live within salamander cells. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Elio Schaechter. 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 ASM Microbe 2017 Chemoautotrophic symbiosis in giant shipworm (PNAS) There’s gold in them hills (TWiM 97) Vertebrate-algal symbiosis (eLife) Letters read on TWiM 152 Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler The esteemed TWiVumvirate reveal the discovery of a new negative stranded RNA virus of wasps that regulates longevity and sex ratio of its parasitoid host.   Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASM Microbe 2017 Parasitoid wasp virus regulates sex ratio (PLoS Path) What is a contig? Image credit Letters read on TWiV 434 This episode is brought to you by Blue Apron. Blue Apron is the #1 fresh ingredient and recipe delivery service in the country. See what’s on the menu this week and get your first 3 meals free with your first purchase – WITH FREE SHIPPING – by going to blueapron.com/twiv Weekly Science Picks Alan - The Wrath of Khan from Bug Chicks Kathy - Boaty McBoatface submarine launching Dickson - Fierce animal portraits Vincent - Westworld Listener Picks Hannah - Plague, Inc Stig - John Oliver: Trump vs the truth Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@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.  

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.  

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.

Filmed live in Boston, MA at Microbe 2016, David S. Schneider and Vanessa Sperandio talk about their work on regulation of bacterial virulence in the gut by bacterial adrenergic sensors, and the physiological mechanisms that make us ill and that help us recover.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Alan Dove Guest: Erica Ollmann Saphire Vincent and Alan speak with Erica about her career and her work on understanding the functions of proteins of Ebolaviruses, Marburg virus, and other hemorrhagic fever viruses, at ASM Microbe 2016 in Boston, MA.   Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Structure of antibodies bound to Ebola virus glycoprotein (PNAS) Structure of cross-reactive filovirus antibody (Cell) Multiple functions of Ebola virus VP40 protein (Cell) View video of this episode on YouTube Letters read on TWiV 394 This episode is sponsored by CuriosityStream. Get two months free when you sign up at curiositystream.com/microbe and use the promo code MICROBE. Weekly Science Picks Alan - Slime LapseVincent - Virus Watch Listener Picks Patricia - NECSS, People Behind the Science, The Life Scientific Peter - Iron Lung on eBay Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter and Michele Swanson On the last episode for 2015, Vincent, Elio, and Michele discuss how soil amoeba hunt nematodes in packs, and the role of mushrooms as rainmakers. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes, Stitcher, Android, RSS, or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app. Links for this episode  Pack hunting by a common soil amoeba on nematodes (Environ Micro) Mushrooms as rainmakers (PLoS One) Mushroom by Nicholas Money In the Company of Mushrooms by Elio Schaechter Image credit Letters read on TWiM 118 This episode is sponsored by ASM Microbe 2016 and ASM Biodefense Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twim@twiv.tv.

The TWiM team marvels over the finding of a completely nitrifying Nitrospira, and horizontal gene transfer from Wolbachia into an animal genome. Links for this episode: Complete nitrification by Nitrospira bacteria (Nature one, two) Enigmatic comammox (PhysOrg) Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (Ann Rev Micro) Tardigrade controversy (SciAlert) Horizontal gene transfer from Wolbachia to grasshopper (PeerJ) Thumbnail Image (nitrogen cycle) credit Letters read on TWiM 117 This episode is sponsored by ASM Microbe 2016 and ASM Biodefense Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twim@twiv.tv.