Matters Microbial

Latest Episodes:

Matters Microbial #59: Some (Microbes) Like It Hot—Discussions with the Thermal Biology Institute Oct 03, 2024

Show notes

Matters Microbial #59: Some (Microbes) Like It Hot—Discussions with the Thermal Biology Institute October 3, 2024

Today is an unusual episode of the podcast. I am visiting four microbiologists in the Thermal Biology Institute at Montana State University of Bozeman, Montana. They discuss their work exploring the unusual microbes and environments to be found in Yellowstone National Park, ranging from the history of the park to opportunities for undergraduate students, as well as up-to-the-minute research done on the microbial denizens of this microbiological landmark.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guests (in order of appearance:): Brent Peyton, Dana Skorupa, Zackary Jay, Anthony Kohtzy

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Links for this episode

A history and overview of Yellowstone National Park.
An overview of microbiology in Yellowstone National Park.
The story of Yellowstone National Park and PCR.
Website for the Thermal Biology Institute.
A prior podcast of #MattersMicrobial involving Dr. Roland Hatzenpichler and the research done by several of today's guests.
Dr. Peyton's faculty website.
Dr. Peyton's laboratory website.
Dr. Skorupa's faculty website.
A great article on the adventurous REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) that Dr. Skorupa supervises.
Dr. Jay's faculty website.
A journal article describing some of Dr. Jay's (and Dr. Kohtz') work.
A page including Dr. Kohtz
An article describing some of Dr. Kohtz' (and Dr. Jay's) work.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #58: The Virosphere from Coral Reefs to Other Worlds Sep 26, 2024

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Today, Dr. Cynthia Silveira of the Department of Biology at Miami University joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her research team's efforts to explore how bacterial viruses interact with their host cells from coral reefs to other planets! In addition, Dr. Silveira will discuss her microbiological path and a course she teaches on virology.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Cynthia Silveira

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Links for this episode

A video about marine bacteriophages and the role they play in ecological systems.
A fine article about the role that bacteriophages can have in marine environments.
An essay suggested that marine viruses may influence global climate.
A link to the wonderful book, "Coral Reefs in a Microbial Sea."
Forest Rohwer's laboratory website.
The role of a retrovirus in the development of the mammalian placenta.
A bacterial role in snow making, using the commercial product "Snomax."
A "faculty spotlight" essay on Dr. Silveiro.
Dr. Silveiro's laboratory website.
Dr. Silveiro's faculty website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #57: Pitting Metabolic Inhibitors Against Viruses Sep 19, 2024

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Matters Microbial #57: Pitting Metabolic Inhibitors Against Viruses September 18, 2024

Today, Dr. Tracie Delgado of the Biology Department at Seattle Pacific University joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her undergraduate research team's explorations of how some herpesviruses can cause cancer . . . and how to use the host cell's metabolism to fight those viruses!

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Tracie Delgado

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Links for this episode

An overview of the herpesviruses as a group.
A description of gammaherpesvirus, the type of herpesvirus with which Dr. Delagado and colleagues work.
The relationship between some herpesviruses and cancer.
The mysterious Warburg Effect, discussed by Dr. Delgado today.
A wonderful TED talk by Dr. Delgado.
A talk Dr. Delgado gave at a 2017 March for Science Event, arguing for more and better representation in STEM.
An article about Dr. Delgado's journey to science.
Dr, Delgado's research team's website with links to research articles that were discussed.
Dr. Delgado's faculty website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #56: Marine Microbial Echoes of Evolution Sep 12, 2024

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Matters Microbial #56: Marine Microbial Echoes of Evolution September 11, 2024

Today, Dr. Carolina Martinez Gutierrez of the Department of Earth Science at the University of California Santa Barbara joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her research team's efforts to unravel how ancient microbes thrived in the early oceans of Earth's history . . . and to sing the praises of marine microbiology!

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Carolina Martinez Gutierrez

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Links for this episode

An overview of the microbiome of the ocean and geochemistry.
A description of likely conditions on Ancient Earth.
An essay about the Great Oxidation Event—the event that changed our entire planet.
An article by Dr. Martinez Gutierrez and colleagues discussing how phylogenomics can help dissect microbial evolution without fossils.
An overview of Prochlorococcus, one of the microbes Dr. Martinez Gutierrez discussed.
A wonderful video about Prochlorococcus and a remarkable scientist.
An overview of Pelagibacteri ubique (SAR11), one of the microbes Dr. Martinez Gutierrez discussed. An article about the work of Dr. Martinez Gutierrez and her research interests while a postdoctoral scholar
The departmental website for Dr. Martinez Gutierrez
The laboratory website for Dr. Martinez Gutierrez's research group.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #55: An accidental microbiologist Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

Today, the award winning and affable Dr. David Westenberg of the Missouri University of Science and Technology joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss his efforts at microbial outreach from K-12 (and beyond), his fascinating research program, and his experiences teaching microbiology to engineers.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: David Westenberg

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Links for this episode

A TEDX talk by Dr. Westenberg.
An overview of the BioBuilder program.
An overview of the iGEM program.
Dr. Westenberg's page on the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biointeractive website.
An article about "agar art" with microbes, featuring Dr. Westenberg.
An article about the Woods Hole Microbial Diversity course by Dr. Westerfield.
An article that shows Dr. Westernberg's approach to teaching in a fun and accessible manner.
Dr. Westenberg's faculty website.
Dr. Westeinberg's laboratory group website

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #54: In the shadow of giant viruses Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

Today, Dr. Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Assistant Professor at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science at the University of Miami joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss his laboratory group's work investigating a remarkable group of giant viruses and how they can shape marine algal community structure.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Mohammad Moniruzzaman

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Links for this episode

Here is a recent review of the giant viruses (more information appears almost monthly!).
Another overview of giant viruses.
An even more recent review of the giant viruses.
An article exploring what we do not know about giant viruses.
A video about giant viruses.
An interesting article relating giant viruses to early cellular evolution.
An article exploring the involvement of giant viruses in the evolution of the eukaryotic nucleus?
A report of endogenous giant viruses making their own genomes part of marine green algae.
The preprint of an article discussed by Dr. Moniruzzaman.
An article about finding giant viruses in very hostile underwater brine pools—the giant viruses are ubiquitous!
An article about Dr. Moniruzzaman's research.
A video by Dr. Moniruzzaman.
Dr. Moniruzzaman's faculty website.
Dr. Moniruzzaman's research laboratory website

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #53: Heavy metal microbes! Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

Today, Dr. Jennifer Goff of the Department of Chemistry at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her laboratory's work studying the relationship between microbes in metal, as well as her path in the microbial sciences.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Jennifer Goff

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Links for this episode

A fine remembrance of Carl Woese from the journal Nature.
A wonderful book by the great David Quammen that emphasizes the impact Carl Woese had on biology.
An article by yours truly on the impact Carl Woese has on my students.
An overview of biogeochemistry.
The carbon cycle and how the microbial world is involved with the process.
The nitrogen cycle and how the microbial world is involved with the process.
An article about tellurium and microbes.
An older overview of how microbes are involved in mining, as well as a more recent article on that topic.
A review of metals and microbes.
Dr. Goff's faculty website.
Dr. Goff's fascinating laboratory group website, including links to the papers discussed by Dr. Goff.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #52: A relationship between the microbiome and nasopharyngeal cancer? Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

Today, Dr. Justine Debelius of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her fascinating work relating the human microbiome to nasopharyngeal cancer, as well as her path in the microbial sciences.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Justine Debelius

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Links for this episode

A video overview of the human microbiome for introductory MIcronauts.
Another interesting video introduction to the human microbiome.
A review article describing relationships between microbiome and disease in general.
A review article describing possible links between the microbiome and some forms of cancer.
A short video describing possible links between the microbiome and some forms of cancer.
An overview of nasopharyngeal cancer.
A link to the article by Dr. Debelius on the relationship between the microbiome and NPC.
Some updated information on this relationship.
Dr. Debelius' faculty scientist website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #51: From Legionella to mentoring to outreach Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

Today, Dr. Michele Swanson, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Michigan, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss the her journey to microbiology, the mysterious disease causing bacterium Legionella, and how to best create a better scientific ecosystem.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Michele Swanson

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Links for this episode

An overview of Legionella and its ability to cause disease from the Centers for Disease Control.
A more formal overview of Legionella and Legionnaire's Disease.
An overview of Legionella as an interesting microbe.
A review article by Dr. Swanson and colleagues about Legionella.
A review article by Dr. Swanson and colleagues about Legionella's life cycle.
A history of Legionnaire's Disease.
An article about the Flint, Michigan outbreak of Legionella related disease.
An article describing how Legionella can use amoebae as hosts, and how that can relate to disease.
An article by Dr. Swanson and colleagues about the Flint, Michigan outbreak of Legionella.
A link to the NIH Advisory Committee to the Director Working Group on Re-envisioning NIH-supported Postdoctoral Training, Dec 2023
The Frontline "Flint's Deadly Water" documentary.
A link to the NASEM's 2020 report "Management of Legionella in Water Systems"
A video interview with Dr. Swanson.
Dr. Swanson's faculty page.
Dr. Swanson's laboratory page.
Dr. Swanson's Wikipedia page.
Dr. Swanson coauthored a fine textbook on microbiology.
Dr. Swanson is a cohost on the This Week in Microbiology podcast.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #50: One versus many, the evolution of multicellularity Aug 02, 2024

Show notes

Today, Dr. Will Ratcliff of the Georgia Institute of Technology joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss the fascinating work his group has done exploring the evolution of multicellularity, and the wonderful example of "snowflake yeast."

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: William Ratcliff

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Links for this episode

A video of a #LuxArt workshop that Dr. Jennifer Quinn and I organized at an ASMCUE conference a few years ago. Such creativity!
Here is a nice editorial overview of the issue of the evolution of multicellular versus unicellular life and how the latter could lead to the former.
Here is a review essay on the topic of the evolution of multicellularity from Dr. Ratcliff's laboratory group.
A very recent and interesting review article exploring the possible "black swan" event leading to multicellularity in evolution.
A foundational journal article on snowflake yeast from Dr. Ratcliff and research colleagues.
A nice video of the snowflake yeast described by Dr. Ratcliff.
A wonderful 'must read" essay on the topic of snowflake yeast from Quanta magazine.
A wonderful 'must read" essay on the topic evolving multicellularity from Quanta magazine.
A wonderful 'must read" essay about the possibility of multicellular prokaryotes from Quanta magazine.
A really engaging video about the evolution of snowflake yeast from Dr. Ratcliff.
Dr. Ratcliff's faculty website.
Dr. Ratcliff's quite fascinating laboratory website. A must read!
Dr. Ratcliff's outreach website. Another must read!

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

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