Let's Talk Micro

The field of Microbiology continues to change. Organisms were primarily identified in the clinical laboratory by biochemical testing. Then MALDI-TOF came to the lab and was incorporated into the workflow. Now labs are bringing next-generation sequencing (NGS). What is NGS? How does it work? Have you heard of Nanopore technologies? In this episode Dr. Jose Alexander and Daniel Navas from Advent Health Orlando, join the podcast to talk about NGS. They brought it to their laboratory and discuss the whole process, including the validation, challenges, and more. This episode was originally published on February 9th, 2024

• Dr. Jose Alexander
• Daniel Navas

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

Is your laboratory accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) ? Are you familiar with their checklists? What are the latest updates to the microbiology checklist? In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Christi Wojewoda to discuss the latest updates to the microbiology checklist: media quality control and nomenclature. Why are some media exempt and some non-exempt? Regarding nomenclature, do we need to report the new name or the old name? Tune in to find out.

ASM IQCP template link: https://asm.org/protocols/individualized-quality-control-plan-iqcp

Questions regarding checklists? Contact CAP at [email protected]

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

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/

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

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.

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

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

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

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.

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

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/

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

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?

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

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.

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro

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 .

Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected]

Want to support the podcast? Here's how:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro

Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro