Let's Talk Micro
Clinical microbiology explained in simple terms, suitable for students and microbiologists alike. We discuss organisms, reactions, infectious diseases, and more. Hosted by Luis Plaza, a Medical Laboratory Scientist and microbiologist, who also shares his experiences in the field.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 33 minutes
- Episodes
- 210
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
69: Online unknowns
One of the ways of assessing and reinforcing a Microbiology student's learning is by giving them unknown organisms. They typically get a broth containing the organism, and they plate it on agar, and …
68: Respiratory cultures
In this episode Dr. Andrea Prinzi returns to the podcast to talk about respiratory cultures. What are the types of respiratory cultures? What are the pathogens? What is the significance of yeast in r…
67: Re-release: Wohlfarhtiimonas chitiniclastica Monomicrobial bacteremia
This episode was originally released on February 24 of this year. It features an interview with Dr. Paul Luethy from the University of Maryland Medical Center. It is about a case of Wohlfarhtiimonas …
66: Wohlfahrtiimonas and the fly who cried Wohlf
This episode is about another case of Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica. It was presented in an article titled : "The fly who cried wolf" which was published by the American Society for Microbiology. …
65: Yersinia pestis
Following the last episode about Yersinia species, on this episode I go over Y. pestis. Why is there concern about encountering Y. pestis in the laboratory? What do you do if you encounter potential …
64: Yersinia
Following last week's episode about Y. pestis, what better than to learn about different species of Yersinia. What temperature range does Yersinisia grow at? Have you heard the term "bull's eye"? How…
63: The source of the Black Death
This episode features an interview with Philip Slavin and Maria Spyrou. They talk about Y. pestis and the second plague pandemic. A historical overview is provided and they talk about how DNA was obt…
62: Fabimycin: an antibiotic candidate
This week Dr. Paul Hergenrother from the University of Illinois joins the podcast. Dr. Hergenrother talks about Fabimycin, an antibiotic candidate for gram negative bacteria. What is Fabimycin's mech…
61: Options for teaching microscopy remotely
This episode features an interview with Kathryn Lionetti and Heather Townsend. They are two Microbiology college professors. They implemented two ways of teaching microscopy remotely as a result of t…
60: Learning about Rabies with Dr. Rodney Rohde
Releasing on World Rabies Day (Sept. 28), this episode features an interview with Dr. Rodney Rohde, a Microbiologist and Professor and Chair of the Clinical Laboratory Science program at Texas State …
59: Teaching Microbiology Remotely
This episode features an interview with Dr. Garcia- Ojeda from the University of California Merced. One of the results of the pandemic was that educators had to adapt to remote teaching. How do they …
58: S. pneumoniae: testing and more
In this episode I continue going over S. pneumoniae. This time I go over a popular antigen test, and I also discuss molecular testing, including limitations and the importance of correlating the gram…
57: Streptococcus pneumoniae
This week I return to Streptococcus, this time S. pneumoniae. In this episode I go over its virulence, pathogenicity, and more. How do we identify it in the lab? What tests can we use? What is the bi…
56: Critical shortages in Microbiology
This week's episode features an interview with Dr. Jeniffer Dien Bard and Dr. Amy Leber. Dr. Dien Bard is the Director of Microbiology at the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Leber…
55: Michigan Tech University-MLS Summer Youth Program
This episode features an interview with Claire Danielson and Sarah LewAllen form the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at Michigan Tech University (MTU). They discuss an initiative that has been in…
Episode 54: VRE tests and media
In this episode I go two types of media and one PCR test used for the detection of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE). What is this media composed of? How does it detect VRE? What about this PCR…
Episode 53: Enterococcus species
In this episode I go over Enterococcus species. What are the most clinically significant species of Enterococcus? Morphology? Biochemicals? Tune in to find out more about these organisms, and why are…
Episode 52: Tips and suggestions in Microbiology part two
In this episode I continue going over tips and suggestions you can use when you don't have supplies or are having difficulty isolating an organism. What if you are out of PEA or CNA? Will Lim broth h…
Episode 51: Tips and suggestions in Microbiology
In the laboratory we have all experienced a shortage of supplies. We have also struggled to isolate and organism. What do we do when this happens? What if you are trying to isolate a gram positive co…
Episode 50: Lights, Camera… Lab! Dr. Alan Wu’s Vision
This episode features an interview with Dr. Alan Wu, Professor of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and co-Laboratory Director at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Ho…