Pathology Portal

Let's talk micro

Let’s Talk Micro Podcast

This podcast is hosted by Luis Plaza, a medical laboratory scientist (biomedical scientist) based in the United States. Many episodes focus on laboratory aspects of microbiology practice as they pertain to specific groups of organisms or diagnostic tests; other episodes have guests discussing various topics in laboratory microbiology, including their research works.

Notes for learners:

  • The host is a laboratory scientist and therefore focusses on the laboratory aspects of microbiology – clinical aspects are discussed only peripherally
  • Many methods discussed are no longer used in routine practice in laboratories in the UK – however, they provide useful insight into the characteristics of different species of bacteria, and may still be used when modern technologies fail or are unavailable

Healthcare systems in the United States function in a very different manner to those in the United Kingdom, which is worth bearing in mind when listening to episodes where test requesting and reporting are discussed.

S04 E164 - Episode 164: MicroClinUy (En Español/ In Spanish)

S04 E162 - Episode 162: TBT: Veterinary Microbiology

S04 E163 - Episode 163: Talking AMR - Glycopeptides

SO4 E161 - Episode 161: TBT: Biochemicals- catalase and coagulase

S04 E160 - Episode 160: TBT: Media

S04 E159 - Episode 159: A novel microbicide for Neisseria gonorrhoeae

SO4 E158 - Episode 158: Joint Infections PCR Panel

S04 E157 - Episode 157: Lactobacillus

S04 E156 - Episode 156: Actinotignum schaalii

SO4 E155 - Episode 155: ASCP: Microbiology Certifications

SO4 E154: Episode 154 - Dengue

S04 E152 - Episode 152: Potential antibiotics: lolamicin

S04 E152 - Episode 153: Bone and Joint Infections

S03 E151 - Episode 151: Ace the Boards: Microbiology

SO3 E150 - Episode 150: Sterile body fluids and Multiplex PCR

S03 E149 - Episode 149: Talking Microbiome

S03 E148 - Episode 148: Bonus: Live from ASM Microbe 2024

S03 E147 - Episode 147: Research in Medical Laboratory Science: moose, bears, ESBL, and more

S03 E146 - Episode 146: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

S03 E145 - Episode 145: Talking AMR: Polymyxins (lipopeptides)

S03 E144 - Episode 144: Serie en Español: Tinción de Gram

SO3 E143 - Episode 143: Navigating your Path

SO3 E142 - Episode 142: UAA MLS: Microbiology and Research

S03 E141 - Episode 141: AR Isolate Bank

S03 E140 - Episode 140: Talking AMR: Tetracyclines

S03 E139 - Episode 139: Bacillus: morphology and media.

S03 E138 - Episode 138: Bacillus species

S03 E137 - Episode 137: Corynebacterium diphtheriae: media and more

S03 E136 - Episode 136: Corynebacterium

S03 E135 - Episode 135: Talking ID Stewardship, learning antibiotics, and more

SO3 E134 - Episode 134: Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

S03 E133 - Episode 133: Teaching microbiology in high school

S03 E132 - Episode 132: Listeria: media and more

S03 E131 - Episode 131: Listeria

SO3 E130 - Episode 130: ABMM Certification

S03 E129 - Episode 129: AR Lab Network, GN7F panel, and more

S03 E128 - Episode 128: Talking AMR: Aminoglycosides

S03 E127 - Episode 127: Next-generation sequencing

S03 E126 - Episode 126: Talking Variovorax durovernensis

S03 E125 - Episode 125: Manual of Clinical Microbiology

S03 E124 - Episode 124: Collaboration with Breakpoints podcast: Talking AUR, CAP breakpoint requirements, and more

S03 E123 - Episode 123: Streptococcus agalactiae (re-release)

S03 E122 - Episode 122: Enterococcus species (re-release)

S03 E121 - Episode 121: S.pneumoniae: testing and more (re-release)

S03 E120 - Episode 120: Talking AMR: Fluoroquinolones

S03 E119 - Episode 119: Streptococcus pneumoniae (re-release)

S03 E118 - Episode 118: Talking urine culture orders

S03 E117 - Episode 117: LPC-233: An LpxC inhibitor

S03 E116 - Episode 116: An introduction to anaerobes (re-release)

S03 E115 - Episode 115 :Talking MALDI-TOF MS PT.2 : pros and cons

S03 E114 - Episode 114: Collaboration with ID:IOTS podcast: Talking Laboratory and more

S03 E113 - Episode 113: Serie en español- Medios de cultivo (Spanish)

S03 E112 - Episode 112: Talking MALDI-TOF MS PT. 1

S03 E111 - Episode 111: Marburg virus

S03 - 110: Serie en español- Introducción y objetivos (Spanish)

S03 E108 - Episode 108: A Pediatric Hospital in Guinea Pt.2

S03 E107 - Episode 107: A Pediatric Hospital in Guinea Pt.1

S03 E106 - Episode 106: Talking Malaria

S03 E105 - Episode 105: Veterinary Microbiology

S03 E104 - Episode 104: Emerging viruses pt. 2

S03 E103 - Episode 103: Emerging viruses pt. 1

S03 E102 - Episode 102: Talking Francisella: an interesting case

S03 E101 - Episode 101: Talking AMR: Beta-lactams

S02 E100 - Episode 100: Collaboration with Microbe Mail podcast: Hey Micro-There's a yeast in my culture

S02 E99 - Episode 99: Talking MLS with Dr. Melissa Jamerson

S02 E98 - Episode 98: Talking AMR - An overview

S02 E97 - Episode 97: Digital Parasitology

S02 E96 - Episode 96: Live at ASM with the Microbe Moment podcast

S02 E95 - Episode 95: ASM Microbe 2023 - Sessions, posters and more

S02 E94 - Episode 94: CLSI M100 Ed. 33 updates

S02 E93 - Episode 93: An overview of Parasitology with Dr. Pritt

S02 E92 - Episode 92: Hospital network goes down pt. 2

S02 E91 - Episode 91: Hospital network goes down pt. 1

S02 E90 - Episode 90: Piperacillin-Tazobactam, automated systems, and CLSI breakpoints

S02 E89 - Episode 89: XDR Shigella

S02 E88 - Episode 88: Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook

S02 E87 - Episode 87: Lab week - St. Louis University MLS program

S02 E86 - Episode 86: Bacteria Game

S02 E85 - Episode 85: Bacterial biofilms and antimicrobial resistance

S02 E84 - Episode 84: Talking Candida auris

S02 E83 - Episode 83: Talking MS in MLS and Summer Immersion Program with Loyola University

S02 E82 - Episode 82: Discrepancies between phenotypic and genotypic testing in Microbiology (Part 2)

S02 E81 - Episode 81: Discrepancies between phenotypic and genotypic testing in Microbiology (Part 1)

S02 E80 - Episode 80: Talking DCLS with Dr. Brandy Gunsolus

S02 E79 - Episode 79: Failure to launch- Bacteria and the Hawaiian bobtail squid

S02 E78 - Episode 78: Cordyceps

S02 E77 - Episode 77: Bacillus anthracis

S02 E76 - Episode 76: Bacillus - morphology and media

S02 E75 - Episode 75: Bacillus species

S02 E74 - Episode 74: Microbes in cleaning appliances and tools

S02 E73 - Episode 73: Detecting amoeba: development of a PCR test

S02 E72 - Episode 72: Marine Microbiology with Dr. Ocean

S02 E71 - Episode 71: Let's Talk Micro meets ID:iots

S02 E70 - Episode 70: Microbes and your grocery list

S02 E69 - Episode 69: Online unknowns

S02 E68 - Episode 68: Respiratory cultures

S02 E67 - Episode 67: (Re-release) Wohlfarhtiimonas chitiniclastica Monomicrobial bacteremia

S02 E66 - Episode 66: Wohlfahrtiimonas and the fly who cried Wohlf

S02 E65 - Episode 65: Yersinia pestis

S02 E64 - Episode 64 Yersinia

S02 E63 - Episode 63: The source of the Black Death

S02 E62 - Episode 62: Fabimycin: an antibiotic candidate

S02 E61 - Episode 61 Options for teaching microscopy remotely

S02 E60 - Episode 60: Learning about Rabies with Dr. Rodney Rohde

S02 E59 - Episode 59: Teaching Microbiology Remotely

S02 E58 - Episode 58: S. pneumoniae: testing and more

S02 E57 - Episode 57: Streptococcus pneumoniae

S02 E56 - Episode 56: Critical shortages in Microbiology

S02 E55 - Episode 55: Michigan Tech University-MLS Summer Youth Program

S01 E54 - Episode 54: VRE tests and media

S01 E53 - Episode 53: Enterococcus species

S01 E52 - Episode 52: Tips and suggestions in Microbiology part two

S01 E51 - Episode 51: Tips and suggestions in Microbiology

S01 E50 - Episode 50: Interview with Dr. Alan Wu

S01 E49 - Episode 49: Streptococcus anginosus group

S01 E48 - Episode 48: Talking monkeypox with Dr. Rodney Rohde

S01 E47 - Episode 47: Streptococcus dysgalactiae

S01 E46 - Episode 46: University of Utah MLS- Summer Immersion Program

S01 E45 - Episode 45: Talking Breakpoints with Dr. Andrea Prinzi

S01 E44 - Episode 44: Talking BacterioSight and urine cultures with Dr. Rhoads

S01 E43 - Episode 43: The Microbe Moment talks micro with me

S01 E42 - Episode 42: Talking HIV with Dr. Hsu

S01 E41 - Episode 41: Talking Neisseria with Charlene Kahler

S01 E40 - Episode 40: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and automated susceptibility testing

S01 E39 - Episode 39: Talking disk diffusion performed on early growth

S01 E38 - Episode 38: Staphylococcus singaporensis

S01 E37 - Episode 37: GBS testing

S01 E36 - Episode 36: Streptococcus agalactiae

S01 E35 - Episode 35: Talking Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica

S01 E34 - Episode 34: Group A Strep Testing

S01 E33 - Episode 33: Streptococcus pyogenes

S01 E32 - Episode 32: Talking Lab with Xander and Maria

S01 E31 - Episode 31: CNS, Micrococcus and Aerococcus

S01 E30 - Episode 30: Coagulase Negative Staph

S01 E29 - Episode 29: Talking Staphylococcus argenteus

S01 E28 - Episode 28: Chromogenic agar for MRSA and more

S01 E27 - Episode 27: Staphylococcus aureus, biochemicals and MRSA

S01 E26 - Episode 26: Staphylococcus aureus

S01 E25 - Episode 25: MALDI-TOF (part 2)

S01 E24 - Episode 24: MALDI-TOF (part 1)

S01 E23 - Episode 23: Pasteurella, why is it my favorite?

S01 E22 - Episode 22: Anaerobic agar

S01 E21 - Episode 21: Anaerobes: Sources and incubation

S01 E20 - Episode 20: An introduction to anaerobes

S01 E19 - Episode 19: Thioglycolate broth

S01 E18 - Episode 18: Talking Micro with Dania Casellas

S01 E17 - Episode 17: Gram negative cocci

S01 E16 - Episode 16: Catarrhalis disk

S01 E15 - Episode 15: Urease test

S01 E14 - Episode 14: Lysine Iron Agar

S01 E13 - Episode 13: Triple Sugar Iron

S01 E12 - Episode 12: Hektoen, XLD and more

S01 E11 - Episode 11: A conversation with Karla Zamora

S01 E10 - Episode 10: Oxidase

S01 E09 - Episode 9: Indole

S01 E08 - Episode 8: Optochin and Microdase disk

S01 E07 - Episode 7: PYR and Strep Typing

S01 E06 - Episode 6: Biochemicals- Catalase and Coagulase

S01 E05 - Episode 5: 40x Objective- What do we use it for?

S01 E04 - Episode 4: Blood Culture Gram Stains

S01 E03 - Episode 3: Gram Stain morphology and reporting

S01 E02 - Episode 2- Gram stains

S01 E01 - Episode 1: Media

S1 E0 - An Introduction