Microbe Talk

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A new age for conferences? Sep 18, 2020

Show notes

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed how we live and work. For scientists, this means that for the time being conferences have had to change. At the Microbiology Society, we recently held an online conference for early career microbiologists. In this month’s episode, Matt talks to Meaghan Castledine, a PhD student who spoke at the conference. They discuss how she got into microbiology, what it was like presenting at an online conference, and where her research is going next.
To find more about the Early Career Microbiologist’s Forum visit our website or LinkedIn page.
www.microbiologysociety.org/why-microbiology-matters/early-career-microbiologists-forum.html
www.linkedin.com/company/microbiology-society/

MicroNews August Aug 28, 2020

Show notes

MicroNews is the sister series of our podcast Microbe Talk, where we discuss microbiology in the news over the last month. As COVID-19 is taking over the news elsewhere, we decided to focus on other stories from the microbial world, including how insect wings are inspiring new ways to fight superbugs, an extreme fungus that could protect astronauts from deadly radiation and the huge plankton bloom off the UK coast that can be seen from space.
Acute oak decline - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8642473/Gangrene-like-disease-plaguing-English-oak-trees-caused-bacteria-beetles.html
Insect wings inspire new ways to fight superbugs - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200818103841.htm
Why doesn't Ebola cause disease in bats, as it does in people? - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200818142147.htm
Extreme Chernobyl fungus could protect astronauts from deadly radiation - https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/07/extreme-chernobyl-fungus-could-protect-astronauts-from-deadly-radiation/
In space, bacteria is even more deadly and resilient to antibiotics - https://thenextweb.com/syndication/2020/08/09/in-space-bacteria-is-even-more-deadly-and-resilient-to-antibiotics/
Huge plankton bloom off UK coast visible from space - https://newseu.cgtn.com/news/2020-08-19/Huge-plankton-bloom-off-UK-coast-visible-from-space--T2oNj5LZLO/index.html

SARS-CoV-2 and Covid-19 research in the UK Aug 21, 2020

Show notes

Last month, on 29 July, the Microbiology Society hosted a one day online workshop to support ongoing and future research around the pandemic. It was a fantastic event, headed by an organising committee of Professor Peter O’Hare, Professor Mark Harris, Professor Paul Kellam, Dr Steve Griffin and Dr Lindsay Broadbent. In this episode, Laura speaks with Lindsay, Steve and Peter about the day and how, going forward, we hope to continue to support the microbiology community in tackling the pandemic.
See our website for the the full programme of the event and check out the blog for what delegates were saying about the workshop on Twitter.

MicroNews July Jul 31, 2020

Show notes

MicroNews is the sister series of our podcast Microbe Talk, where we discuss microbiology in the news over the last month. As COVID-19 is taking over the news elsewhere, we decided to focus on other stories from the microbial world, including parasitic fungi with behaviour-changing effects, medieval medicines and the smell of sweat.
Return of the zombie cicadas: manipulative qualities of fungal-infected flyers: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727145424.htm
Caterpillar fungus on brink of extinction: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/09/caterpillar-fungus-and-european-hamster-on-brink-of-extinction
Medieval medicine remedy could provide new treatment for modern day infections: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200728113545.htm
Turmeric could have antiviral properties: https://microbiologysociety.org/news/press-releases/turmeric-could-have-antiviral-properties.html
Deep sea microbes dormant for 100 million years are hungry and ready to multiply: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200728113533.htm
The biological mechanism behind body odour: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/gene-scientists-on-scent-of-an-end-to-body-odour-hcmszcrl8

Microbial genomics amidst the Arctic crisis Jul 16, 2020

Show notes

On this month’s Microbe Talk, Matt talks to Dr Arwyn Edwards; an Arctic microbiologist based at Aberystwyth University. Dr Edwards recently published a paper in Microbial Genomics entitled ‘Microbial genomics amidst the Arctic crisis’. Dr Edwards and Matt discuss the paper, the challenges of working in the Arctic and how Arctic microbial research is changing
To read the article visit: www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.000375

A sustainable future and a circular economy Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

As part of our 'A Sustainable Future' policy project, the Microbiology Society's policy team have produced three special episodes of Microbe Talk to explore the role of microbiology to address some of the world’s biggest challenges. This episode, Eva speaks with Professor Alison Smith Head of the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge and Emilia Wojcik, PhD student at the University of Manchester to find out how their research contributes to moving towards a circular economy as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

MicroNews June Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

MicroNews is the sister series of our podcast Microbe Talk, where we discuss microbiology in the news over the last month. As COVID-19 is taking over the news elsewhere, we decided to focus on other stories from the microbial world, including the effect of e-cigarettes on the microbiome, the disease decimating bananas and an incredible discovery inside a fungus. 
The National Centre for Type Cultures - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/science/bacteria-library-nctc.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimesscience
What if all viruses disappeared? - https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200617-what-if-all-viruses-disappeared?ocid=ww.social.link.twitter
Panama disease - https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food-test/the-pandemic-threatening-bananas.html
E-cigarettes and the microbiome - https://theconversation.com/e-cigarettes-found-to-cause-change-in-mouth-bacteria-which-could-lead-to-gum-disease-or-oral-cancer-140579
New bacteria found in fungus - http://astrobiology.com/2020/06/nasa-discovers-two-new-types-of-bacterial-life-inside-a-fungus-on-earth.html
The oral microbiome and heart disease - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200623100126.htm

A sustainable future and antimicrobial resistance Jun 18, 2020

Show notes

As part of our 'A Sustainable Future' policy project, the Microbiology Society's policy team have produced three special episodes of Microbe Talk to explore the role of microbiology to address some of the world’s biggest challenges. This episode, Emily speaks with Professor Laura Piddock from the University of Birmingham, who is currently on secondment as the Director of Scientific Affairs, Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership. In the second half of the episode, Emily speaks with Dr Anne Leonard, research fellow at the University of Exeter. Listen to the episode to find out how research into antimicrobial resistance fits into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

MicroNews May May 29, 2020

Show notes

MicroNews is the sister series of our podcast Microbe Talk, where we discuss microbiology in the news over the last month. This episode, Laura and Matt discuss how microbiologists are working to improve the pneumococcus vaccine, the new species of fungus discovered through the power of social media and how microbes could be used to reduce coral bleaching.
Links to the news stories discussed during this episode can be found below:
Coral bleaching: scientists 'find way to make coral more heat-resistant': www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-austral…63C&at_campaign=64
Pollution affects underground microbial communities: phys.org/news/2020-05-human-d…ent-underground.html
How to improve the pneumococcus vaccine: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/…0519090310.htm
New species of fungus discovered through Twitter: www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/art…ed-TWITTER.html
Bumble bee disease, reproduction shaped by flowering strip plants: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/…0511154852.htm
Immunity to coronaviruses: what do we know so far?: microbiologysociety.org/news/press-re…w-so-far.html (Read the full review in the Journal of General Virology: www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jo…v.0.001439)

A sustainable future in soil health May 22, 2020

Show notes

As part of our 'A Sustainable Future' policy project, the Microbiology Society's policy team have produced three special episodes of Microbe Talk to explore the role of microbiology to address some of the world’s biggest challenges. This episode, Hannah speaks with Dr Ellie Harrison, Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield and Luke Hillary, PhD student at Bangor University to find out about how their research into soil health contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
Visit the 'A Sustainable Future' project webpage and find out more about how microbiology can be used to improve soil health.

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