Invisible Extinction: The Loss of Our Microbes with Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello and Martin Blaser
Release Date: 04/13/2023
The Gut Healing Power of Microbes and Cruciferous Vegetables
Meet The Microbiologist
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 mSystems paper: . mSystems paper: Current Developments in...
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Preventing Foodborne Pathogens With Plant-Derived Compounds with Karl Matthews
Meet The Microbiologist
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 eat each day. Fresh fruits and vegetables that are not thermally processed are...
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Early Microbial Life with Michael Lynch and Vaughn Cooper
Meet The Microbiologist
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 early unicellular life, to the vast diversity of organisms we see today. This...
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How FMTs, Coprophagia and the Milk Microbiome Inform Wildlife Conservation With Sally Bornbusch
Meet The Microbiologist
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). Links for This Episode . Take the
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Agnostic Diagnostics and the Future of ASM Health With Dev Mittar
Meet The Microbiologist
., Scientific Director of the 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 Division of Research, Innovation and Ventures is a small entrepreneurial arm of BARDA that takes on early-stage projects...
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Implementing a National Action Plan to Combat AMR in Pakistan With Afreenish Amir
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Episode Summary , 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. Ashley's Biggest Takeaways AMR is a global and One Health issue. Pakistan has a huge disease burden of AMR....
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Discovering Fossilized Microbes in Antarctic Ice Cores With Manuel Martinez Garcia
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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 – mSphere paper. – Nature communications article. – Press Release from Alfred Wegener Institute. Take the Watch this episode: Ashley’s Biggest Takeaways There is a unique...
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Revenge of the Microbes With Brenda Wilson and Brian Ho
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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 University of London discuss the inspiration and motivation for their recent book, Revenge of the...
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Binning Singletons With Joseph James
Meet The Microbiologist
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 . Contact Joe James: Joe@binningsingleton.com Follow Binning Singletons: —mSphere article. Binning Singletons: —Guest post on Addgene Blog. —asm.org article that James says has really helped him explain Binning...
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Biorisk Assessment and Management With Saeed Khan
Meet The Microbiologist
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 thorough understanding of modern challenges, and scientists must be willing and able to respond to new...
info_outlineDr. Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, Henry Rutgers Professor of Microbiome and Health and director of the Rutgers-based New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, and Dr. Martin Blaser, Professor of Medicine and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers (NJ) discuss the importance of preserving microbial diversity in the human microbiome.
The pair, whose research was recently featured in a documentary The Invisible Extinction, are on a race to prevent the loss of ancestral microbes and save the bacteria that contribute to human health and well-being.
Links for the Episode:
- The Invisible Extinction (documentary)
- Missing Microbes (book)
- Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues (article)
- (YouTube) Missing Microbes with Dr. Martin Blaser