Matters Microbial

Today Dr. Sean Gibbons, Associate Professor at the Institute for Systems Biology, will chat with us about how the study of host-associated microbial communities can give us insights into evolution, ecology, and even human health. Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest: Dr. Sean Gibbons Subscribe:  Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode A wonderful overview of...

Today Dr. Jack Gilbert, Professor of Pediatrics and of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, chats with us about his MANY interests in microbiology, from human health to marine environments. Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  Jack Gilbert Subscribe: Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode Marley and Murtle's Etsy  shop , which created my glow in the d...

Today Dr. Arash Komeili, professor of plant and microbial biology at UC Berkeley, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss compartmentalization in bacteria, and the amazing world of living magnets—the magnetotactic bacteria! Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  Arash Komeili Subscribe: Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode "Hooked by Bex"'s  Etsy page . An  i...

Today Dr. Ruth Isenberg, postdoctoral scholar (and former #DocMartian!) in the Willett Lab at the University of Minnesota, will tell us about her first generation path in science, the squid- Vibrio symbiosis work she did for her PhD, and her current career path. Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest: Ruth Isenberg Subscribe: Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this ep...

Today Dr. Ken Stedman, Professor of Biology at Portland State University, tells us about the strange and wonderful viruses of heat loving extremophilic archaea—truly viruses from Hell! Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  Ken Stedman Subscribe: Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode A popular  article  about Markus Martin's work as a fossil expert extraor...

Today Dr. David Baltrus, Associate Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona, talks with us about how his laboratory studies bacteria that battle one another; the first rule of this fight club is that EVERYONE talks about Microbial Fight Club. Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  David Baltrus Subscribe: Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episo...

Today Sebastian Cocioba, a citizen scientist with myriad interests, talks with us about his path in science, some of the tools he has made for others, and how he views science and scientists.  Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest: Sebastian  Cocioba Subscribe: Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode The article on Carl Woese that I wrote can be found  here ....

Microbes are everywhere and do remarkable things—-like breathing metal! Lauren Seyler joins us today to discuss the microbial mysteries of New Jersey's Pine Barrens. Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  Lauren Seyler Subscribe: Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode A beautiful essay on tardigrades can be found  here . Weird and wonderful (mythical?) cryp...

We exist in a sea of microbes, it is true. We only need to look. And Dr. Elinne Becket of California State University  San Marcos, joins Mark to describe some of the work she and her undergraduate colleagues are doing. And a popular hashtag on social media: #BlueSoup.  Welcome to our quality quorum, Elinne! Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  Elinne Becket Subscribe:  Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a ...

It is true that microbes are everywhere, and have impacts and applications that are often unexpected. Today, a true microbial force of nature visits Matters Microbial: Dr. Irene Newton of the Biology Department of the University of Indiana. Irene will tell us about some of her laboratory group's recent research on how microbes interact with honeybees! Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  Irene Newton Sub...

It's interesting to think about the microbes in and on us—some of which are vital to our well being—and how we came to possess them. Mark introduces Dr. Anne Estes of Towson University, who will discuss this very topic as it applies to dung beetles. Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest: Anne Estes Subscribe:  Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode Microbial...

Everyone thinks microbes are very small, and most of them are. But how to see them? The microscope opened a whole new world to the observer, starting with the Dutch microbiologist Antonie van Leeuvenhoek. But photographs and peering through lenses have limitations. Mark introduces his friend and colleague, Ariane Briegel of the Institute of Biology at Leiden University to Matters Microbial. She di...

Who are you? Human or a group of microbes? Mark discusses this with this with Dr. Seth Bordenstein of Penn State. Seth teaches Mark about a new word, holobiont, and the most successful pandemic in history (of invertebrates) that may help in the fight against malaria, Wolbachia! Finally, Seth discusses his team outreach efforts to teach critical thinking and STEM in students with Discover the Micro...

Mark discusses some "shock and awe" concepts about the microbial world that he introduces to his microbiology students, and asks three important questions about microbiology and microbiologists with guest Dr. Mya Breitbart of the University of South Florida. Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  Mya Breitbart Subscribe: Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episo...

In the first episode of Matters Microbial, Mark introduces himself and his history, talks a bit about his goals for this podcast, then asks three important questions about microbiology and microbiologists with his first guest, Vincent Racaniello. Host:  Mark O. Martin Guest:  Vincent Racaniello Become a  patron  of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server Virology blog Mi...