Let's Talk Micro

The Gram stain is one of the most trusted tools in clinical microbiology—but it doesn't always tell the full story. In this Micro Minutes episode, we break down why Gram stains can sometimes be misleading and how factors like culture age, antibiotic exposure, decolorization, morphology, and arrangement can change what you see under the microscope. We also touch on classic troublemakers like Acinet...

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, we step beyond the microbiology bench to talk laboratory medicine, advocacy, and storytelling with fellow medical laboratory scientists and podcasters Stephanie Whitehead and Aaron Odegard. We explore how their work on the SuperStat Podcast is helping amplify the voice of the laboratory through conversations on leadership, access, and visibility. The discussion...

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Dr. Joel Mortensen to discuss a study examining intestinal parasites in pediatric patients in Guinea, West Africa. They dive into the real-world challenges of diagnosing parasitic infections in resource-limited settings, including reliance on stool microscopy, the use of rapid antigen tests, and how seasonal changes influence infection rates....

Genomic epidemiology is reshaping how we detect, investigate, and control infectious disease outbreaks—but what does that actually look like from the bench to public health? In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by genomic epidemiologist Krisandra Allen for a practical, case-based conversation on how pathogen sequencing data is generated, analyzed, and paired with epidemiologic infor...

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by faculty and collaborators from the University of Florida to discuss their new Clinical Laboratory Microbiologist (CLM) program — the first NAACLS-approved, microbiology-only certification pathway in the United States. They share how the program was created to address the growing shortage of clinical microbiologists and provide a direct pathway...

Tick-borne diseases continue to expand across North America, but diagnosing them in the clinical laboratory remains complex—especially when timing between symptom onset and testing isn't considered. In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Kyle Rodino, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Assistant Director of Microbiology, fo...

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, we break down metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and how it's changing the way we diagnose complex infectious diseases. I'm joined by Steve Miller, MD, PhD—Chief Medical Officer at Delve Bio—to discuss how unbiased metagenomics moved from research labs into real-world clinical practice. We cover what metagenomics is, how it differs from targeted PCR...

PEA agar is often treated as "the gram-positive plate," but that shortcut can lead to real bench-level mistakes. In this MicroMinutes episode, we break down what phenylethyl alcohol agar actually does, why growth on PEA does not automatically mean an organism is gram-positive, and how selective media can change colony appearance and behavior. You'll hear about: What PEA inhibits — and what it does...

In this special episode, I'm joined by three leaders who helped shape the conversation at the 2025 Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Summit in Detroit: Dr. Lauren Hunt, Dr. Linoj Samuel, and Dr. Robert Tibbetts. Together, we explore how this intimate, multidisciplinary summit brought together clinical microbiology, infectious diseases, stewardship, public health, policy, and veterinary medicine to ta...

What does antimicrobial resistance look like when your patients range from dogs and cats to cattle, wildlife, and everything in between? And how do we make sense of AST, breakpoints, contamination, and genotypic tools across such a diverse microbiological world? In this episode, Luis is joined by Dr. Kelli Maddock, DrPH (North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory) and Dr. Steph...

In this final episode of our special four-part series in partnership with bioMérieux, we bring all the pieces together. Throughout the series, we explored the diagnostic pathway from multiple angles: Episode 1: The evolution of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) Episode 2: Molecular diagnostics for bloodstream infections Episode 3: FAST AST and the impact of getting susceptibility data hou...

In this Micro Minutes episode, Luis breaks down classic microbiology traits that usually hold true, but not always.  From indole-negative E. coli to non-swarming Proteus and oxidase-negative Pseudomonas , this quick episode highlights real-world exceptions that can catch techs and students off guard. Learn how to spot: Indole-negative E. coli (98% rule + inactive biotypes) Lactose-fermenting look-...

Welcome to the very first Micro Minutes, a new quick-hit series from Let's Talk Micro designed for students, techs, and anyone who wants fast, practical microbiology insights in under 10 minutes. In this episode, we tackle a common misconception that microbiologists can make at the bench when interpreting a single plate: MacConkey agar. Many assume: "If it doesn't grow on MacConkey, it's not a gra...

In the third installment of our special series in partnership with bioMérieux,  Luis welcomes back Dr. Sonali Kalathiya, infectious diseases pharmacist and medical advisor at bioMérieux, to explore how innovation is accelerating antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Together they dive into FAST AST—a phenotypic susceptibility test that delivers actionable results directly from positive blood...

Just back from IDWeek 2025 in Atlanta, Luis shares the sessions and posters that defined this year's meeting — from next-generation sequencing and diagnostic stewardship to AI in the microbiology lab and new antimicrobials on the horizon. Tune in for insights on: NGS test utilization and stewardship New β-lactamase inhibitors like nacubactam  AI's growing role in clinical microbiology Tedizolid an...

En este episodio en español de Let 's Talk Micro, el Dr. Germán Esparza Sánchez , microbiólogo clínico, miembro del CLSI y consultor de la OPS/OMS, comparte las actualizaciones más recientes del documento M100 y cómo impactan la práctica microbiológica. Desde la eliminación de puntos de corte para Burkholderia cepacia hasta los nuevos antibióticos como aztreonam-avibactam, durlobactam-sulbactam y...

Puerto Rico is entering a new era in microbiome research. In this episode,  Luis speaks with Dr. Filipa Godoy-Vitorino about the newly established Microbiome Center of Puerto Rico — a hub designed to strengthen research, collaboration, and training across the Caribbean. Dr. Godoy-Vitorino shares how the center is helping scientists access expertise in bioinformatics and data analysis, offering bil...

In this second half of our discussion with Dr. Erin McCreary and Dr. Hannah Creager, we dive deeper into how microbiology and antimicrobial stewardship teams collaborate to improve patient outcomes. They unpack how to prioritize breakpoint updates, the pros and cons of cascade reporting, and what nudges can do to guide better prescribing. Then we explore a powerful example of collaboration—the tra...

Good communication isn't optional—it's essential for patient care. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr. Erin McCreary and Dr. Hannah Creager join Luis to talk about how microbiology labs and antimicrobial stewardship teams can collaborate more effectively. They share real-world examples from their system-wide work—aligning AST panels and breakpoints across multiple platforms, navigating reportin...

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has released new guidelines for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections. In this episode, we break down the key updates: Changes to the definition of complicated UTIs The role of newer antibiotic agents How and when to use antibiograms A four-step framework for guiding therapy When carbapenems are necessary—and when other options may...

Bloodstream infections can progress rapidly to sepsis—bringing high costs, high mortality, and lasting effects. In the second episode of this series in collaboration with bioMérieux, Luis speaks with Dr. Jeff Cies, Senior Medical Advisor at bioMérieux, about how molecular diagnostics are reshaping bloodstream infection diagnosis. They discuss: Limitations of traditional blood cultures How rapid mo...

Brucella is a familiar name in the lab—but recent updates to the sentinel guidelines are reshaping how we approach this pathogen. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Laura Filkins and Dr. Paige Larkin to discuss the latest changes: updates in nomenclature, the removal of certain Brucella species from the select agent list, and the renewed emphasis on safety in the lab. We dive into taxonomy controv...

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to grow as a global health threat, making infections harder to treat and leaving fewer options for patients. The need for new antibiotics is an urgent matter — but traditional discovery methods are slow and limited. In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Dr. James Collins, professor at MIT and researcher at the Broad Institute, who is leadin...

Last week, we discussed early growth isolates for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and the importance of obtaining results sooner. This week, we revisit an earlier study that looked at early growth but using disk diffusion. In this episode, I was joined by Dr. Carey-Ann Burnham, Dr. Daniel Webber, and Meghan Wallace to discuss their work. Tune in to hear how this approach could help deli...

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Dr. Jennifer Dien Bard and Dr. Lucas Osborn discuss their recent study on early growth antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Traditional AST often requires 18–24 hours of incubation of isolates, delaying targeted treatment. Their research shows that using 6-hour early growth isolates with both automated and manual methods delivers accurate results up to 1...