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PODCAST

This Week in Microbiology

Vincent Racaniello

This Week in Microbiology is a podcast about unseen life on Earth hosted by Vincent Racaniello and friends. Following in the path of his successful shows "This Week in Virology" (TWiV) and "This Week in Parasitism" (TWiP), Racaniello and guests produce an informal yet informative conversation about microbes which is accessible to everyone, no matter what their science background.

science life sciences

All Episodes

47:03

364: DNA Damage as Defense Against Bee Pathogens

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/09/26

TWiM wonders why archaea are not pathogenic, and reveals how a colibactin produced by a honeybee gut symbiont defends against pathogens. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Why are archaea not pathogenic? (mBio) Archaeal viruses (Archaea) Colibactin made in honeybee gut (Nat Micro) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv

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58:04

363: Why Vegetables Are Good for Your Heart

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/09/12

TWiM the finding that Bunsen burners do not decrease deposition of microbe-containing particles, and how gut microbiota generate dinitrosyl iron complexes with cardiometabolic benefits. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Bunsen burners don't do what you thought they did (Micro Spectrum) How does air circulate in passenger planes? | AFP How germs travel on planes | Raymond Wang Gut bacteria and cardiometabolic health (Cell) Music used on TWiM is composed and

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51:38

362: When Gut Bacteria Share Chromosomes

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/08/29

TWiM explains how movement of DNA among gut bacteria drive large-scale genome mosaicism, and validation of a method for detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in outbreak-linked fresh produce. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Natural DNA transformation in the gut (ISME J) The transformation factor (J Exp Med) Validating cyclospora assay (J Food Prot) Cyclosporiasis (CDC) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with

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53:14

361: Bacteria and Colon Cancer Recurrence

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/08/14

TWiM explains the discovery of avirulent bacterial signature associated with the development of recurrence following colorectal cancer surgery, and phage-derived proteins and conjugates that induce pilus detachment. Take the TWiM Survey

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56:29

Nitrogen Fixation Goes Eukaryotic

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/07/31

TWiM explains major implications of the link between plastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance, and the discovery of a new organelle, the nitrogen-fixing nitroplast. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Plastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance (Appl Envir Micro) The great Pacific garbage patch (YouTube) Rumen microbiome (Nat

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48:03

359: Kin Killing and Metal Hunger

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/07/18

TWiM explains how cannibalism shapes biofilm structure and composition in Bacillus subtilis, and the importance of manganese uptake in uropathogenic E. coli during urinary tract infection. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Cannibalism shapes biofilm structure (mBio) Manganese and uropathogenic E. coli (mBio) Regulation of Bacterial MntH Genes (NLM Bookshelf) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your

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58:06

358: Gut Microbes and ALS

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/07/04

TWiM explains the connection between inflammation caused by microbial glycogen in the gut and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and how disruption of cysteine metabolism leads to synthetic lethality and in vivo fitness impairment in Acinetobacter baumannii. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Myeloid cell gene prevents inflammatory response to microbial glycogen (Cell Rep) Cysteine metabolism and fitness impairment in Acinetobacter baumannii (mBio) Music used on

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55:42

357: Remembering Elio at Tufts

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/06/15

TWiM visits Tufts University School of Medcine and are joined by John Coffin, Michael Malamy, and Verna Manni for a tribute to Elio Schaechter who was chair of Molecular Biology and Microbiology for 23 years. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Guests: John Coffin, Michael Malamy, and Verna Manni Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RSS, or by email. Become a Patron of TWiM! Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your microbiology

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49:08

TWiM 356: Nanopore to the bone

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/05/28

TWiM explains how Streptococcus mitis bacteriocins drive contact-dependent lysis of S. pneumoniae facilitating transformation, and microbial dominance in diabetic foot osteomyelitis determined with nanopore sequencing. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RSS, or by email. Links for this episode Streptococcus mitis bacteriocins drive contact-dependent lysis of S. pneumoniae (mBio) Microbial dominance in diabetic foot

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56:00

355: Bacteria Complete Your tRNA

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/05/09

TWiM explains how an enhanced domestication method allows for growth of uncultured bacteria, and identification of the oncogene SLC35F2 as is a high-specificity transporter for the micronutrients queuine and queuosine. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson. Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Domestication method for uncultured bacteria (ISME Comm)

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59:15

354: How a Gut Microbe Worsens Heart Disease

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/04/24

TWiM explains a candidate signature of health in the gut microbial community, and how an intestinal bacterium exacerbates cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Petra Levin. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode A candidate signature of health in the gut microbiome (Cell Host Microbe) 204,938 reference genomes from the human gut microbiome

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46:53

353: Microbial Metabolism of Food Allergens

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/04/11

TWiM explains how to use microbes to enhance maize yield and reduce corn rootworm damage, and how the human microbiota modulates IgE-mediated reactions to foods through allergen metabolism. Hosts: Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin, and Michele Swanson. Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Harnessing Microbes for Crop Production (Phytobiome J) Microbes take on corn rootworm (Science)

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59:47

352: Microbial Gut Biosensors

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/03/28

TWiM reveals the archaeal roots of eukaryotic life, and a building a gut malabsorption biosensor with bacteria. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode The archaeal roots of eukaryotic life (PNAS) Building a malabsorption biosensor (Cell) Engineering gut biosensors with microbes (Natuer) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to

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59:21

351: Resistance Reboot

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/03/06

TWiM discusses the use of bacteriophage-loaded microneedle patches for targeted and minimally disruptive foodborne pathogen decontamination, and a conjugal gene drive-like system that efficiently suppresses antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Bacteriophage-loaded microneedle patches for food (Sci Adv) Gene drive to suppress antibiotic resistance (npj antimicrob and resistance) CRISPR gene drives (Syntego) Bier laboratory Music used on

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53:16

350: TWiM Goes to College

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/02/14

Nancy and Maggie join TWiM to share how and why they created a freely available ebook of TWiM-based science literacy resources and classroom exercises that support teaching across key microbiology and molecular biology topics. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Podcast annotation and resources in microbiology (Iowa State U) Curriculum guidelines for undergraduate microbiology (ASM) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with

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58:42

349: Punctured to Death by Spikes

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/02/01

TWiM explains how mechano-bactericidal surfaces made from diverse materials and patterned with spikes kill bacteria on contact, and virus-host evolution is reshaped by microgravity aboard the International Space Station. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Mechano-Bactericidal Surfaces (Adv Sci) Piercing pathogens (ASM) Natural bactericidal surfaces (Small) Virus-host evolution in microgravity (PLoS Biol) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by

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53:37

348: The Bark Side of the Microbiome

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/01/21

TWiM explains the finding that owning a dog during adolescence alters the microbiota and improves mental health, and the molecular basis for multidrug efflux by an anaerobic-associated resistance-nodulation-cell division transporter. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Petra Levin. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Dog ownership and the microbiome during adolescence

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55:00

347: At Wound's Edge

This Week in Microbiology ·

2026/01/05

TWiM explains how S. aureus pathogenicity is a dynamic, niche-specific choreography that constantly recalibrates in response to the host microenvironment, and short chain fatty acids produced by commensal microbiota reduces its competitive fitness. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Niche-specific fitness of S. aureus at the wound edge (Nat Comm) Commensal derived short chain fatty acids attenuate S. aureus (mBio) Ditch the term pathogen (Nature)

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53:55

346: Metabolism and Porin Permeability

This Week in Microbiology ·

2025/12/13

TWiM explains how competition for nutrients anticipates and potentially mitigate drug side effects on the gut microbiota, and metabolic control of porin permeability influences antibiotic resistance. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Nutrient competition predicts drug effects on microbiota (Cell) Metabolic control of porin permeability influences antibiotic resistance in E coli (Nat Micro) Santiago Cano-Muniz Music used on TWiM is composed and performed

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53:31

TWiM 345: Faster than rocks!

This Week in Microbiology ·

2025/11/22

TWiM explains a biological mechanism that links sulfur and iron cycling in anoxic environments, and "swashing," a form of surface movement in which bacteria migrate without active propulsion. Hosts: Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Guest: Mark O. Martin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, RSS, or by email. Links for this episode Sulfur and iron cycling in anoxic environments (Nature) Bacterial surface migration by swashing (J Bacteriol) Become a Patron of TWiM! Music used

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