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PODCAST

Meet the Microbiologist

Ashley Hagen, M.S.

Who is microbiology? Meet the Microbiologist (MTM) introduces you to the people who discover, innovate and advance the field of microbiology. Go behind-the-scenes of the microbial sciences with experts in virology, bacteriology, mycology, parasitology and more! Share in their passion for microbes and hear about research successes and even a few setbacks in their field. MTM covers everything from genomics, antibiotic resistance, synthetic biology, emerging infectious diseases, microbial ecology,

science life sciences

All Episodes

35:54

From Earth to Orbit: Applied and Environmental...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2026/02/13

From leading R&D at a biotech startup company to conducting environmental monitoring for NASA, Veronica Garcia, Ph.D., Scientific Director of the ASM Applied and Environmental Microbiology unit shares how experiences throughout her career have informed her appreciation for microbes and their real-world applications. She also discusses how the ASM AEM unit will support scientists around the globe by fostering collaboration and advocating for scientific advancements in areas like climate change, water

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45:33

Unraveling Introns and Expectations With Marlene...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2026/01/24

Marlene Belfort, Ph.D., a distinguished professor at the University at Albany and author of Mommy, Can Boys Also Be Doctors?, discusses her journey in science, balancing personal and professional life, the importance of fundamental research and the discovery of introns in bacteriophage. Links for This Episode Mommy, Can Boys Also Be Doctors?: A Message to Young Scientists and Other Humans.

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42:59

The Gut Healing Power of Microbes and Cruciferous...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/10/24

Episode Summary Sue Ishaq, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Microbiomes at the University of Maine, discusses how gut microbes transform seemingly inert plant compounds—like glucosinolates found in broccoli—into powerful anti-inflammatory agents such as sulforaphane. Her research dives into the fascinating interplay between diet, cooking methods and the diversity of the gut microbiota, revealing how these factors influence the body’s ability to produce health-promoting molecules. Links for This Episode

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59:03

Preventing Foodborne Pathogens With Plant-Derived...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/09/25

Karl Matthews, Ph.D., Professor of Microbial Food Safety at Rutgers University, discusses ways to eliminate pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria from fresh fruits and vegetables. He highlights the importance of preventative measures from farm to table, including the use of water antimicrobials, like chlorine, and photosensitizers, like curcumin. Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/6Wkef9RyUVE Ashley's Biggest Takeaways We consume billions of microorganisms in the food that we

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40:03

Early Microbial Life with Michael Lynch and Vaughn...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/08/22

Michael Lynch, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Mechanisms of Evolution at Arizona State University and Vaughn Cooper, Ph.D., professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, examine the origins and trajectory of early microbial life (EML) and discuss the collaborative report between the American Academy of Microbiology and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which explores the journey of life on Earth, from non-living chemical compounds to

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48:09

How FMTs, Coprophagia and the Milk Microbiome Inform...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/07/15

Sally Bornbusch, Ph.D., is an NSF postdoctoral fellow in biology conducting microbial ecology research in animal care and conservation at the Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. She discusses how FMTs are being used to mitigate health concerns in wild animals in captivity, shares key findings about the milk microbiome from the Smithsonian milk repository, the largest collection of exotic animal milks in the world, and explains the science behind eating poo (Coprophagia).

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41:33

Agnostic Diagnostics and the Future of ASM Health...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/05/30

Dev Mittar, Ph.D., Scientific Director of the ASM Health Scientific Unit discusses the use of metagenomic next generation sequencing to develop agnostic diagnostic technology, giving scientists and clinicians alike, a tool to diagnose any infectious disease with one single test. He also discusses how the ASM Health Unit is empowering scientists and leveraging microbial science innovations to address critical global health challenges and improve lives worldwide. Ashley's Biggest Takeaways The

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37:30

Implementing a National Action Plan to Combat AMR in...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/05/09

Episode Summary Afreenish Amir, Ph.D., Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Project Director at the National Institute of Health in Pakistan, highlights significant increases in extensively drug-resistant typhoid and cholera cases in Pakistan and discusses local factors driving AMR in Asia. She describes the development and implementation of a National Action Plan to combat AMR in a developing country, emphasizing the importance of rational antimicrobial use, surveillance and infection control practice

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49:19

Discovering Fossilized Microbes in Antarctic Ice...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/03/14

Manuel Martinez Garcia, Ph.D., a professor of microbiology in the Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology Department at the University of Alicante in Spain, paints a picture of what microbial life looked like thousands of years ago by analyzing microbial genomic signatures within ice cores collected from the Antarctic ice shelves in the 1990s. Links for the Episode New avenues for potentially seeking microbial responses to climate change beneath Antarctic ice shelves – mSphere paper. Viruses under

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52:06

Revenge of the Microbes With Brenda Wilson and Brian Ho

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/01/16

Episode Summary Mother-Son duo, Brenda Wilson, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and the Associate Director of Undergraduate Education in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and Brian Ho, Ph.D., researcher and lecturer at the Institute of structural and molecular biology, a joint institute between the Department of structural and molecular biology at the University College of London and the Department of Biological Sciences at Birkbeck

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56:22

Binning Singletons With Joseph James

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2025/01/06

Joseph James, biologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, discusses his career trajectory and the creation of Binning Singletons, a unique mentorship program built on peer-to-peer networking at scientific meetings and conferences and was first implemented in 2019 at ASM Microbe. Links for the Episode Binning Singletons and Peer-to-Peer Networking Learn more about Binning Singletons. Contact Joe James: Joe@binningsingleton.com Follow Binning Singletons on Bluesky. Binning Singletons:

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49:59

Biorisk Assessment and Management With Saeed Khan

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2024/11/11

Saeed Khan, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Molecular Pathology at Dow diagnostic research and reference laboratory and President of the Pakistan Biological Safety Association discusses the importance and challenges of biosafety/biosecurity practices on both a local and global scale. He highlights key steps for biorisk assessment and management and stresses the importance of training, timing and technology. Ashley's Biggest Takeaways Adequate biosafety and biosecurity protocols depend on a

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30:59

From Hydrothermal Vents to Cold Seeps: How Bacteria...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2024/09/27

Nicole Dubilier, Ph.D., Director and head of the Symbiosis Department at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, has led numerous reserach cruises and expeditions around the world studying the symbiotic relationships of bacteria and marine invertebrates. She discusses how the use of various methods, including deep-sea in situ tools, molecular, 'omic' and imaging analyses, have illuminated remarkable geographic, species and habitat diversity amongst symbionts and emphasizes the importance

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55:53

When Proteins Become Infectious: Understanding Prion...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2024/08/23

From Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Neil Mabbott, Ph.D., has worked for nearly 2 decades on understanding the mechanisms by which prion proteins become infectious and cause neurological disease in humans and animals. He discusses the remarkable properties of prions and addresses complexities surrounding symptoms, transmission and diagnosis of prion disease.

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49:03

Trillion Dollar Microbes Make the Bioeconomy Go Round...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2024/05/28

Episode Summary Timothy Donohue, Ph.D.—ASM Past President, University of Wisconsin Foundation Fetzer Professor of Bacteriologyand Director of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) calls genomics a game-changer when it comes the potential of microbes to create renewable resources and products that can sustain the environment, economy and supply chain around the world. He also shares some exciting new advances in the field and discusses ways his research team is using microorganisms as

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55:20

Rabies: The Diabolical Virus With Many Symptoms and...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2024/05/07

Rodney Rohde, Ph.D., Regents’ Professor and Chair of the Medical Laboratory Science Program at Texas State University discusses the many variants, mammalian hosts and diverse neurological symptoms of rabies virus. Take the MTM listener survey! Ashley’s Biggest Takeaways: Prior to his academic career, Rohde spent a decade as a public health microbiologist and molecular epidemiologist with the Texas Department of State Health Services Bureau of Laboratories and Zoonosis Control Division, and over 30

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35:20

Increasing Laboratory Capacity for TB Diagnosis With...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2024/03/09

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59:07

Good Science, Bad Science and How to Make it Better...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2024/01/26

The scientific process has the power to deliver a better world and may be the most monumental human achievement. But when it is unethically performed or miscommunicated, it can cause confusion and division. Drs. Fang and Casadevall discuss what is good science, what is bad science and how to make it better. Get the book! Thinking about Science: Good Science, Bad Science, and How to Make It Better

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44:29

Using AI to Understand How the Gut-Brain Axis Points...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2023/12/11

Dr. James Morton discusses how the gut microbiome modulates brain development and function with specific emphasis on how the gut-brain axis points to functional architecture of autism. Watch James' talk from ASM Microbe 2023: Using AI to Glean Insights From Microbiome Data https://youtu.be/hUQls359Spo

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44:07

Atypical Metabolism of Leishmania and Other Parasitic...

Meet the Microbiologist ·

2023/10/31

Dr. Michael ginger, Dean of the School of Applied Sciences in the Department of Biological and geographical Science at the University of Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire, England discusses the atypical metabolism and evolutionary cell biology of parasitic and free-living protists, including Leishmania, Naegleria and even euglinids.

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230 results

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