Libsyn Directory

242: Microbiology & Infection Prevention: Partners in Crime

Release Date: 09/03/2026

Let's Talk Micro

Artificial intelligence is changing how healthcare professionals access and use clinical information. But what does that look like at the point of care? In this episode of Let’s Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Dr. Declan Kelly, physician, software engineer, and founder of Eolas Medical, to discuss the role of AI in clinical decision support. Dr. Kelly shares how challenges accessing institutional guidelines and clinical knowledge led to the development of Eolas Medical and how AI can help healthcare professionals find the information they need when making clinical decisions. The conversation...

242: Microbiology & Infection Prevention: Partners in Crime

Let's Talk Micro

Let’s Talk Micro is back for a new season! In this season premiere, Luis is joined by Dr. Megan Amerson-Brown to discuss the important connection between clinical microbiology and infection prevention. Dr. Amerson-Brown shares her career journey from the microbiology bench to infection prevention and ultimately laboratory leadership. She discusses how microbiologists contribute to infection prevention through surveillance, diagnostic stewardship, outbreak investigations, and collaboration with infection prevention teams. The conversation also explores how laboratorians can become more...

241: What Can Whole Genome Sequencing Realistically Tell Us About Resistance?

Let's Talk Micro

Recorded live at ASM Microbe 2026 in Washington, DC, this special episode marks the first live recording of Let's Talk Micro. Joining me are co-host Dr. Andrea Prinzi and guest Dr. Nathan Ledeboer for a discussion on the evolving role of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in clinical microbiology and antimicrobial resistance. Can whole genome sequencing predict antimicrobial susceptibility? What are its current limitations? How close are we to incorporating WGS into routine clinical microbiology laboratories? Throughout the conversation, we explore the opportunities and challenges of implementing...

240: CLSI M100 2026: Actualizaciones

Let's Talk Micro

En este episodio en español de Let's Talk Micro, Luis conversa nuevamente con el Dr. Germán Esparza sobre los cambios más relevantes incluidos en la edición 2026 del documento CLSI M100. Durante la conversación, revisan nuevas opciones terapéuticas como aztreonam-avibactam, actualizaciones en los puntos de corte para Acinetobacter y Neisseria gonorrhoeae, cambios en aminoglucósidos, consideraciones de control de calidad y los desafíos asociados con las pruebas de susceptibilidad para el complejo Burkholderia cepacia. Además, discuten cómo los laboratorios pueden evaluar e implementar...

239: Inside ASM Microbe 2026

Let's Talk Micro

ASM Microbe is the largest microbiology meeting in the United States, bringing together thousands of scientists, laboratorians, clinicians, and industry partners to discuss the latest advances in microbiology. In this episode, Luis shares highlights from ASM Microbe 2026, including sessions on diagnostic challenges, antimicrobial resistance, rapid susceptibility testing, emerging therapeutics, laboratory automation, phage therapy, and whole-genome sequencing. Topics include a Brucella case that reinforces the importance of Gram stain interpretation, updates on resistance mechanisms in...

238: From the Bench to CPEP: An MLS Journey

Let's Talk Micro

What does it take to go from working at the bench to becoming a future clinical microbiology laboratory director? In this episode, Luis is joined by Dr. Mackenzie Collins, a CPEP fellow at UCLA, to discuss her journey from Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) to PhD scientist and CPEP fellow. Mackenzie shares how she discovered laboratory medicine, her experience working as an MLS in molecular microbiology, and the mentors and opportunities that helped shape her career path. The conversation explores the CPEP fellowship, the role of laboratory directors, and how MLS professionals can strengthen...

237: Micro Minutes: A Case of Mistaken Identity

Let's Talk Micro

Have you ever received an identification result that just didn't make sense? In this episode, Luis shares three cases of mistaken identity from the microbiology laboratory: a Gram-positive rod identified as Kocuria, another reported as Sphingomonas, and a yeast that somehow became Brucella. While automated identification systems are powerful tools, they can only work with the information we provide. These examples highlight an important lesson for every microbiologist: always correlate the identification with the Gram stain, colony morphology, and other bench observations. When the result...

236: Let's Talk Andes Virus

Let's Talk Micro

In Part 2 of this hantavirus series, Luis continues the conversation with Dr. Ryan Relich and Dr. Stephanie Seifert by focusing on the recent Andes virus cruise ship outbreak and what makes this hantavirus different from others. The discussion explores the outbreak investigation, the evidence for person-to-person transmission, and why the Andes virus has received so much attention from the public health community. Ryan and Stephanie also discuss diagnostic testing, including PCR and serology, the role of public health laboratories, current treatment options, prevention strategies, and how...

235: Let’s Talk Hantavirus

Let's Talk Micro

Hantaviruses have recently been in the headlines, but what exactly are they and how do they spread? In Part 1 of this hantavirus series, Luis is joined by Dr. Ryan Relich and Dr. Stephanie Seifert for a deep dive into the world of hantaviruses. The conversation explores the basics of hantaviruses, including their ecology, rodent reservoirs, transmission, and the diseases they cause in humans. The guests also discuss Old World vs New World hantaviruses, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), environmental risk factors, climate influences, and why these infections may be underdiagnosed. From deer...

234: High School, the Laboratory, and Workforce Development

Let's Talk Micro

Workforce shortages continue to impact clinical laboratories across the country, especially in rural healthcare settings. In this episode of Let’s Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Kenzi Haigler to discuss an innovative high school laboratory program designed to introduce students to laboratory medicine early and help strengthen the future workforce pipeline. Kenzi shares her journey into the laboratory profession, her experiences working in rural healthcare, and the unique challenges small hospitals face when it comes to staffing, training, and retaining laboratory professionals. She also...

More Episodes

Dr. Amerson-Brown shares her career journey from the microbiology bench to infection prevention and ultimately laboratory leadership. She discusses how microbiologists contribute to infection prevention through surveillance, diagnostic stewardship, outbreak investigations, and collaboration with infection prevention teams.

The conversation also explores how laboratorians can become more involved in infection prevention while remaining in the laboratory, resources and certifications for those interested in the field, the importance of mentorship, and potential career pathways for microbiologists considering a transition into infection prevention.

Tune in to the season premiere and learn more about the role microbiologists play in infection prevention and the opportunities available both at and beyond the bench.

Additional Resources

a-IPC™ (Associate – Infection Prevention and Control) Examination — Information about the entry-level infection prevention and control certification discussed during the episode.
CIC® (Certification in Infection Control and Epidemiology) Examination — Information about the CIC certification examination.
APIC – Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology — Education, career development, and other resources for infection prevention professionals.

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