Ebola: Is Your Laboratory Prepared To Handle a Potential Case?
Editors in Conversation
An outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus remains in a period of intense transmission, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since it’s first detection in May, 6757 cases have been confirmed across 6 provinces of the DRC, along with 20 cases in Uganda and one in France (as of September 8). A crude case fatality ratio of 48% underscores the severity of the disease and the ongoing challenges towards case detection, clinical care and, ultimately, interruption of transmission. Unchecked transmission of Bundibugyo in the DRC heightens the risk of exportation across...
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Group B Strep After Antibiotics: Survival, Persistence, and Evolution
Editors in Conversation
In this episode of Editors in Conversation mBio edition, Marvin Whiteley speaks with Macy Pell and Shannon Manning about how group B Streptococcus (GBS) responds to antibiotics given during childbirth to prevent newborn infections. GBS can cause serious neonatal disease, and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis has greatly reduced early-onset infections. But some GBS strains persist after treatment. The conversation explores a recent mBio study comparing GBS isolates collected from the same individuals before and after antibiotic treatment and childbirth. Rather than simply...
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Diagnostic Access and Equity
Editors in Conversation
Equitable access to healthcare, and more specifically diagnostic testing, remains elusive globally, negatively impacting the health and wellbeing of all people. A not-so-distant illustration was access to testing during the COVID-19 pandemic, when testing sites globally, including here in the United States, underserved the very populations who bore a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 cases and deaths. There is a tremendous opportunity for research on diagnostic access, as well as the epidemiology and diseases that impact underrepresented groups, in clinical microbiology. In 2026, JCM...
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Gram-Negative Resistance: A Decade of Evolution with Laurent Poirel, Ph.D.
Editors in Conversation
Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections remain one of the most urgent public health challenges worldwide, with some infections approaching the limits of available treatment options. In this special edition of Editors in Conversation, we celebrate the remarkable 10-year tenure of Dr. Laurent Poirel, whose pioneering work has profoundly shaped our understanding of antimicrobial resistance. Through his unique perspective, we will explore the evolving landscape of resistance in Gram-negative organisms, reflect on the major advances and challenges of the past decade, and discuss what the...
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Technology and Discovery in Modern Microbiology
Editors in Conversation
New imaging and measurement approaches are revealing previously hidden aspects of microbial life, challenging long-held assumptions and creating opportunities to answer questions that were once out of reach. Marvin Whiteley, Heran Darwin and Jeffrey Moffitt talk about how technological innovation is transforming microbiology. Guests: - NYU Grossman School of Medicine - Boston Children's Research This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by mBio® and hosted by mBio Editor in Chief, Marvin Whiteley, Ph.D. Visit to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Receive up...
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Cyclospora In The Lab
Editors in Conversation
It starts out with a couple of stomach twinges, maybe a little nausea, maybe some sharp pains, and then… before you know it, you are running to the closest toilet with which you become very, very familiar. Cyclospora causes frequent watery diarrhea with sometime “explosive” bowel movements, but is typically a relatively rare cause of infectious diarrhea. However, the U.S. is in the midst of one of the largest documented cyclosporiasis outbreaks. How does one acquire this parasite? What are the risks? And – most importantly for our audience – how does the lab approach diagnosis?...
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Next Gen Careers in Clinical Microbiology
Editors in Conversation
So, you think you want a career in clinical microbiology? This field demands more than technical skill—it’s driven by curiosity, growth, and the confidence to lead. From mastering diagnostics to pushing innovation and mentoring the next generation, success comes to those who keep evolving. In this episode, we explore the many paths into the field—and spotlight the Laboratory Director role through a candid conversation between early- and mid-career leaders, sharing the real highs, lows, and advice for those ready to step up. Watch this episode: Guests: Amanda Roth, Ph.D. Janiece Glover,...
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AI and Antibiotic Discovery
Editors in Conversation
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the world in many ways. One of the most exciting applications of artificial intelligence is in the area of drug discovery. Particularly the discovery of antimicrobial molecules that are in the environment or even hidden within our own body. Today, we discuss some of the uses of artificial intelligence in the discovery of antimicrobials with an outstanding expert in the field. Topics discussed: How artificial intelligence can help the discovery of new antimicrobial moieties Antibiotic discovery and challenges to bring molecules to the clinic The...
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Why Your Lab QC Might Be Missing Critical Errors
Editors in Conversation
Accurate AST results are the backbone of diagnostic stewardship, yet routine quality control (QC) might be missing subtle shifts that skew your hospital’s annual antibiogram. By examining a real-world "silent failure" in daptomycin testing, we explore how lab-driven data is essential to the AMR crisis response and why the human eye—and traditional QC bugs—aren't always enough to catch technical drifts. This session breaks down the importance of LIS rules, alert fatigue, and the future of automated susceptibility testing. Guests: Laurel J. Glaser, M.D., Ph.D. Rebekah Dumm, Ph.D. D(ABMM) ...
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Phage JS1: The Virus Breaking the Rules
Editors in Conversation
In this episode, a fascinating new bacteriophage, JS1. While most contractile phages (which inject DNA like a spring-loaded syringe) are rigid and straight, JS1 sports a curved, flexible tail that may help it navigate the complex "canyons and valleys" of the bacterial cell wall. Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/eDGta8xc4_0 Guests: Sabrina Suhani, Ph.D., Graduate Student, Monash University, Australia Trevor Lithgow, Ph.D., Professor, Monash University’s Biomedical Discovery Institute. Links: with a tail that is both curved and contractile This episode of Editors in Conversation...
info_outlineEquitable access to healthcare, and more specifically diagnostic testing, remains elusive globally, negatively impacting the health and wellbeing of all people. A not-so-distant illustration was access to testing during the COVID-19 pandemic, when testing sites globally, including here in the United States, underserved the very populations who bore a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 cases and deaths. There is a tremendous opportunity for research on diagnostic access, as well as the epidemiology and diseases that impact underrepresented groups, in clinical microbiology.
In 2026, JCM launched a new section, entitled “Diagnostic Access and Equity”. In today’s episode of Editors in Conversation, I’m joined by the Editor overseeing this section, Dr. Ellie Theel, and one of our editorial board members, Dr. Shawn Lockhart of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to discuss diagnostic access, equity and what the clinical microbiology community is doing to move the needle on these issues.
Guests:
- Elitza Theel, Ph.D., D(ABMM)
- Shawn Lockhart, Ph.D., D(ABMM)
Links:
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