The latest edition of the CLSI M100 has been published. What are the latest updates? One of them is the deletion of breakpoints for Burkholderia cepacia complex. What are the recommendations for susceptibility testing? Dr. April Bobenchik returns to the podcast to talk to Luis about the latest updates. She also talks about the M45. Will there be an update to the M45? Tune in to find out.

Link to CLSI free resources: https://clsi.org/all-free-resources/

Link to webinar: https://clsi.org/standards/products/microbiology/documents/m100/

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This week Luis continues going over organisms. This time he goes over Eikenella. Are there any other Eikenella species other than Eikenella corrodens? What is the morphology of E. corrodens? How about biochemicals? What are the members of the HACEK group? What is the HACEK group known for? Tune in to learn about this organism, which is seen in infections such as bite wounds, periodontitis, endocarditis, and more.

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Talk about a great career! In this episode Luis is joined by Janet Hindler. Janet is a microbiologist with a career that has spanned over many decades. Just like most Medical Laboratory Scientists, she started working in the lab and early on she had a passion for microbiology. Then she got involved in work that took her beyond the bench such as the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In this episode Janet talks about her career and offers her opinions on mentorship and the value of networking. Tune in for a great episode!

Link to ASM's biographical feature: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jcm.00511-22

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In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Kristen Pesavento from Loyola University in Chicago. She was a guest in 2023 when she came to talk about the MS in MLS degree that her institution was offering. This time she joins the podcast to talk about clinical certificates. They are offered on three subjects of the clinical laboratory. These certificates allow you to sit for the categorical certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) on the areas of Hematology, Blood Banking, and Microbiology. Join in and listen to this episode to get more information on these certificates.

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Does your institution teach distance microbiology courses? What do you use to teach students those critical skills required in microbiology? In this episode Luis is joined by Brittany Jackson, a specialist from the Carolina Distance Learning section of the Carolina Biological Supply company. Brittany talks about the kits for microbiology students. Which materials are in those kits? Gram stains? Media? Tune in to learn more.

Link to website: https://carolinadistancelearning.com/ready-to-ship/

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A great conversation between three microbiologists! In this episode Luis is joined by Kelli Maddock and Jessica D'Angelo to talk about their careers. Kelli is a previous guest and is currently a section head in microbiology. Jessica is a microbiology supervisor. What inspired them to pursue a career in the laboratory and microbiology? What challenges have they encountered? What is their favorite bug?

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If you work in laboratory medicine or microbiology, what led or inspired you to choose that career? What have you learned? Do you have a different occupation within the field than the one you started with? This episode is part of a series that features members of the laboratory and microbiology community, who come in and share their journey. They talk about their positions, what they have enjoyed, what challenges they have encountered, and more.

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It's time to talk about AFB! What is acid fastness? What are some stains used for acid-fast bacilli? In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Filipe Cerqueira to talk about AFB. He goes over stains, media, processing of AFB cultures, Runyon groups, and more. He also talks about Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and provides examples of organisms. Tune in for another great episode .

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The next episode of the AMR series is here! This time Luis and Andrea are joined by Sonali Kalathiya, a pharmacist and Medical Science Liaison. Sonali joins the podcast to talk about two classes of antibiotics: macrolides and lincosamides. Have you performed a D-test in the lab? What is the purpose of the test? If you have performed it and perform susceptibilities for erythromycin and clindamycin, then you are familiar with these classes of drugs. Tune in to learn more. Also, in the episode Sonali asks Luis about the origin of the Let's Talk Micro logo.

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A simulation laboratory? In this episode Luis is joined by Emily Matthys, an Assistant Professor at Northern Michigan University. Emily teaches at a Medical Laboratory Sciences program and she joins the podcast to talk about a simulation laboratory that was implemented for blood bank and microbiology for medical laboratory technician students. As some labs become more centralized, and end result might be diminished exposure to some areas for medical laboratory science students undergoing their clinical rotations. How does this simulation lab help students? What do the students do in this lab? Tune in for another great episode.

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