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214: Beyond the Bench: Optimization & Stewardship in Action

Let's Talk Micro

Release Date: 11/21/2025

217: Micro Minutes: Don’t Let PEA Fool You show art 217: Micro Minutes: Don’t Let PEA Fool You

Let's Talk Micro

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 doesn’t Why Pseudomonas aeruginosa can grow quite well on PEA How colony morphology and hemolysis may differ from blood agar Why Lancefield grouping should never be performed directly...

info_outline 216: AMR Summit 2025: One Health, One Fight show art 216: AMR Summit 2025: One Health, One Fight

Let's Talk Micro

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 tackle the growing challenges of antimicrobial resistance. We break down the key themes that emerged throughout the meeting—shared accountability, One Health collaboration, diagnostic innovation,...

info_outline 215: One Health, Many Species: AMR Through a Veterinary Lens show art 215: One Health, Many Species: AMR Through a Veterinary Lens

Let's Talk Micro

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. Stephen Cole (University of Pennsylvania), two leaders shaping the future of veterinary microbiology, antimicrobial stewardship, and CLSI veterinary standards. Together, they explore AMR and AST through a...

info_outline 214: Beyond the Bench: Optimization & Stewardship in Action show art 214: Beyond the Bench: Optimization & Stewardship in Action

Let's Talk Micro

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 hours sooner Today, in Episode 4, we shift to diagnostic stewardship and lab optimization — the strategies that ensure the right tests are used at the right time, and that workflows support...

info_outline 213: Micro Minutes: When Bacteria Break the Rules show art 213: Micro Minutes: When Bacteria Break the Rules

Let's Talk Micro

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-alikes like Citrobacter freundii Proteus species that don’t swarm Pseudomonas species that test oxidase negative A fast, practical reminder that no single biochemical test should...

info_outline 212: Micro Minutes: Sometimes MacConkey Lies show art 212: Micro Minutes: Sometimes MacConkey Lies

Let's Talk Micro

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 gram-negative rod.” “If it does grow on MacConkey, it must be a gram-negative rod.” Both are wrong — and today we break down why.   Stay connected with Let’s Talk Micro: Website:...

info_outline 211: At the Speed of AST: Diagnosing Resistance Faster show art 211: At the Speed of AST: Diagnosing Resistance Faster

Let's Talk Micro

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 cultures in hours instead of days. They discuss how this technology works, how it complements molecular testing, and how it’s transforming patient care, antimicrobial stewardship, and...

info_outline 210: IDWeek 2025 Highlights: From Bench to Bedside show art 210: IDWeek 2025 Highlights: From Bench to Bedside

Let's Talk Micro

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 and the importance of optimizing existing agents 🎧 Whether you were in Atlanta or following from afar, this episode captures the energy and innovation of IDWeek — and what it...

info_outline 209: CLSI y resistencia antimicrobiana (In Spanish) show art 209: CLSI y resistencia antimicrobiana (In Spanish)

Let's Talk Micro

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 cefiderocol, analizamos los retos de aplicar las guías del CLSI en los laboratorios latinoamericanos, las diferencias epidemiológicas regionales y la importancia de la educación continua...

info_outline 208: The Microbiome Center of Puerto Rico show art 208: The Microbiome Center of Puerto Rico

Let's Talk Micro

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 bilingual workshops, and expanding representation of Caribbean populations in global microbiome studies. She also discusses the center’s vision to connect with international partners, support...

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More Episodes

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 hours sooner

Today, in Episode 4, we shift to diagnostic stewardship and lab optimization — the strategies that ensure the right tests are used at the right time, and that workflows support efficient, meaningful, and actionable results.

Luis is joined by Alyssa Walker, Infectious Diseases Pharmacist and Medical Advisor, and Jenny Harder, Lab Optimization Consultant with experience in managing a microbiology laboratory. Together, they explore how smarter workflows and better diagnostic decisions amplify the value of every ID and AST result.

In This Episode:

  • What diagnostic stewardship really means — right test, right patient, right time

  • How lab optimization streamlines workflow, reduces waste, and improves turnaround times

  • Key challenges labs face today (staffing, training, legacy processes) and how to address them

  • How tools like BioFire Fireworks and Syndromic Trends enhance decision-making and support stewardship

By connecting stewardship principles with optimized workflows, labs can turn rapid diagnostics into real clinical impact — faster decisions, smarter therapy, and better patient outcomes.

This episode is sponsored by bioMérieux, a global innovator in infectious disease diagnostics.

Missed the earlier episodes in this bioMérieux series?

Here they are:

  • Episode 198 – Let’s Talk: The Evolution of AST

  • Episode 204 – In the Bloodstream: Diagnosing Infections Faster

  • Episode 211 – At the Speed of AST: Diagnosing Resistance Faster

This episode is sponsored by bioMérieux, a global innovator in infectious disease diagnostics.

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