Matters Microbial

• Matters Microbial #96: Molecular Microbiology in High Schools

  Matters Microbial #96: Molecular Microbiology in High Schools June 19, 2025 Today, Bob Kuhn, biotechnology teacher at the Fulton County Schools Innovation Academy STEM high school in Alpharetta, Georgia joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss his strategies for teaching molecular microbiology skills and concepts to high school students — and why that matters. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Bob Kuhn Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode An article on Mr. Kuhn’s original microbiological interest:  salt marsh foraminifera. Another interest:  a video of the beautiful organism Volvox. An overview of the fantastic world of protists. A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses:  the Tiny Earth program. A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses:  the SEAPHAGES program. A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses:  the Evolving Stem program. A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses:  the Discover the Microbes Within program. Mr. Kuhn’s classroom received help from the University of Georgia Microscopy Center. A video of the Wolbachia Project with which Mr. Kuhn has collaborated for years. An overview of wonderful and various isopods, including the “roly polies” used in some Wolbachia work. The Journal of Emerging Investigators, in which some of Mr. Kuhn’s high school students have published. The LTEE program that studies evolution in E. coli.   The Experiment.com program that supported some of Mr. Kuhn’s students. The very inspirational MEGAplate video that demonstrates how quickly antibiotic resistance can occur. Innovation Academy STEM program in Georgia, where Mr. Kuhn works with high school students. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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• Matters Microbial #95: Bacteria and Aphids — A Symbiotic Story

  Matters Microbial #95: Bacteria and Aphids — A Symbiotic Story June 12, 2025 Today, Dr. Tory Hendry, Associate Professor of Microbiology at Cornell University, joins the #QualityQuorum to tell us about the relationship between plant munching aphids and fluorescent Pseudomonas . . . and why we should care. Host: Mark O. Martin Guests: Tory Hendry Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode An overview of siderophores in microorganisms. An essay about aphid life cycle and characteristics. An article describing parthenogenesis in aphids. An essay describing aphids and color vision. The agricultural costs of aphids as pests. An article describing aphids and one type of bacterial symbiont. An overview of microbes of the phyllosphere. An overview of quorum sensing. An overview of pyoverdin, a fluorescent siderophore.  An old essay I wrote for the Small Things Considered blog about semiochemicals, bacterial, and insect predation. A nice description of the work Dr. Hendry talked about during today’s podcast.  The actual article by Dr. Hendry and collaborators. A preprint by Dr. Hendry’s research group, following up on the above research.  Dr. Hendry’s faculty website. Dr. Hendry’s research group website (with SO MANY cool projects to think about, including the topic discussed today). Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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• Matters Microbial #94: One Health and Microbiomes Everywhere

  Matters Microbial #94: One Health and Microbiomes Everywhere June 5, 2025 Today, Dr. Seth Bordenstein and Dr. Nichole Ginnan of Pennsylvania State University join the #QualityQuorum to tell us about their new publication linking One Health to the myriad microbiomes that exist all around us through the lens of the holobiome—and an opportunity to see the world in a different fashion. Host: Mark O. Martin Guests: Seth Bordenstein and Nichole Ginnan Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode Michele Banks microbially themed art can found at her Etsy site.  Highly recommended! The paper under discussion today, with Dr. Ginnan as first author.  You will see that coauthors include Dr. Bordenstein, and two previous visitors to the #MattersMicrobial podcast!  Thank you Erika and Francisco. Dr. Bordenstein’s first podcast with #MattersMicrobial for those who missed it. A review of the One Health concept. The One Health Microbiome Center at Penn State. A very clear overview of the holobiont concept and biology, authored by Dr. Bordenstein and colleagues. Another longer review on this topic. The faculty website for Dr. Ginnan. The faculty website for Dr. Bordenstein. The research website for Dr. Ginnan. The research website for Dr. Bordenstein. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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• Matters Microbial #93: Preventing Antibiotic Resistance

  Matters Microbial #93: Preventing Antibiotic Resistance May 29, 2025 Today’s episode was an in-person podcast at the University of Texas Austin!  Dr. Despoina Mavridou, Assistant Professor of Molecular Biosciences, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss how her research group improves antibiotic effectiveness by impeding protein folding, and why this matters in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Despoina Mavridou Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode Here is a link to a wonderful video of the #LuxArt by UT-Austin students during my visit. Please give it watch and enjoy the creativity and positive #MicrobialPR. An effective TED talk by science journalist Maryn McKenna describing the threat of AMR in an accessible fashion. A CDC report on the growing threat of AMR. A review article about antibiotics. An overview of how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.  A very recent review of the cell wall of bacteria—often the target of antibiotics. A video overview of beta-lactam antibiotics and resistance mechanisms. An overview of how protein folding is related to activity of proteins…including AMR gene products. A wonderful article by Dr. Mavridou and coworkers, describing how altering protein folding in bacteria can make them more vulnerable to antibiotics. A less technical version of the above article; well worth your reading. Dr. Mavridou’s faculty website. Dr. Mavridou’s research group website, which is most interesting. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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• Matters Microbial #92: Microbial Metabolism in Extreme Places

  Matters Microbial #92: Microbial Metabolism in Extreme Places May 22, 2025 Today, Dr. Valerie DeAnda Torres, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida (and National Geographic Explorer), joins the #QualityQuorum to tell us about the research her team does, studying the evolution of metabolic pathways in extreme environments . . . and why these are important to geochemical cycling. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Valerie DeAnda Torres Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode The Etsy vendor making the beautiful microbial pins I have mentioned.  A link to Sebastian Cocobia’s site where the beautiful E. coli strains I referenced can be obtained.  The beauty and mystery of Paenibacillus colonies. A video showing a colony of Myxococcus consuming a colony of E. coli. A fun video of tardigrades singing “Happy birthday” by a former undergraduate student of mine, Dr. Jake Shaffer. The National Geographic Explorer program, which includes Dr. DeAnda Torres.  The deep sea submersible Alvin, in which Dr. DeAnda Torres has dived!  An overview of methanogenesis, one of the pathways that Dr. DeAnda Torres’ research group studies. A review of biogeochemical cycles in the deep ocean. The work of my former undergraduate research student, Dr. Paula Welander, on membrane biosignatures in ancient rocks. A recent review of the Asgard archaea, that may be our ancient ancestors. Some recent work by Dr. DeAnda Torres and collaborators on the Asgard archaea. One of the research cruises in which Dr. DeAnda Torres participated. During one cruise that included an Alvin dive to a hydrothermal vent, Dr. DeAnda Torres and scientists working with her described their work in this livestream partially in Spanish. Dr. DeAnda Torres will be part of some upcoming collaborative research cruises, seen here. Here is an article and video describing some of the collaborative work Dr. DeAnda Torres carries out, studying microbial breakdown of PFAS chemicals in marine sediment. A link to the faculty website of Dr. DeAnda Torres. A link to the research website of the DeAnda Torres group. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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