Let's Talk Micro

Brucella is a familiar name in the lab—but recent updates to the sentinel guidelines are reshaping how we approach this pathogen. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Laura Filkins and Dr. Paige Larkin to discuss the latest changes: updates in nomenclature, the removal of certain Brucella species from the select agent list, and the renewed emphasis on safety in the lab. We dive into taxonomy controversies, clinical featu...

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to grow as a global health threat, making infections harder to treat and leaving fewer options for patients. The need for new antibiotics is an urgent matter — but traditional discovery methods are slow and limited.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Dr. James Collins, professor at MIT and researcher at the Broad Institute, who is leading efforts...

Last week, we discussed early growth isolates for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and the importance of obtaining results sooner. This week, we revisit an earlier study that looked at early growth but using disk diffusion.

In this episode, I was joined by Dr. Carey-Ann Burnham, Dr. Daniel Webber, and Meghan Wallace to discuss their work. Tune in to hear how this approach could help deliver AST r...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Micro, Dr. Jennifer Dien Bard and Dr. Lucas Osborn discuss their recent study on early growth antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Traditional AST often requires 18–24 hours of incubation of isolates, delaying targeted treatment. Their research shows that using 6-hour early growth isolates with both automated and manual methods delivers accurate results up to 18 hours faster—without...

This week, Luis is joined by Dr. Ashlan Kunz-Coyne to discuss some of the newest antibiotics for urinary tract infections (UTIs). They explore why extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are a growing concern, the impact of E. coli sequence type 131, and where new agents like cefepime–enmetazobactam, sulopenem, and tebipenem fit into treatment. The conversation also highlights clinical data, stewardship consideration...

Season 5 premieres today! 

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is essential for guiding effective treatment—but how has it evolved, and what challenges are we still facing?

In the first episode of this series in collaboration with bioMérieux, Dr. Andrea Prinzi joins Let’s Talk Micro to explore the evolution of AST—from early methods to modern platforms like VITEK 2. We discuss the known issue of out...

This episode of Let’s Talk Micro features Dr. Andrea Prinzi, a clinical microbiologist and frequent contributor to the American Society for Microbiology. Andrea joins the podcast to discuss a critical topic in clinical microbiology: antimicrobial susceptibility testing and breakpoints.

Are labs using outdated breakpoints—and what does that mean for patient care? How are breakpoints determined and updated? ...

The Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook (CMPH) has long been a trusted resource for laboratories.  With the release of its 5th edition, this essential reference continues to guide clinical microbiologists through evolving standards, methods, and best practices.

In this episode, Luis is joined by the editors‑in‑chief, Dr. Amy Leber and Dr. Carey‑Ann Burnham, to explore what’s new in the latest edition...

This week, Luis is joined by Dr. Christopher Doern from VCU Health to explore the complex world of diabetic wound cultures. How does diabetes impair wound healing—and what makes these infections so difficult to diagnose and treat? Dr. Doern dives into the microbiology behind diabetic foot wounds, highlighting the impact of bacterial diversity, specimen quality, and the limitations of traditional culture methods. He als...

Recorded live at ASM Microbe 2025, this episode captures the energy of the American Society for Microbiology’s annual event. Luis shares his top takeaways from the conference floor—including standout poster presentations, emerging technologies, and trending topics in microbiology. One clear theme dominated this year: rapid diagnostics for identification and susceptibility testing. Tune in for a front-row seat to the la...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Micro, we dive into the fast-paced world of rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Recorded live from ASM Microbe 2025, Luis is joined by Dr. Carey-Ann Burnham, CEO of Pattern Bioscience and Editor-in-Chief of the ASM Case Reports journal. Together, they explore how innovative technologies—like single-cell microbiology—are transforming clinical microbiology and accelerating diag...

How familiar are you with partnerships and collaborations between the laboratory and the diagnostics industry? In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Andrea Prinzi and Dr. Kristen Smith to explore how partnerships between clinical labs, public health institutions, and the diagnostics industry drive innovation in in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs).  What is the IVD pipeline? From discovery to product launch and beyond, these ...

TBT- This week Let's Talk Micro is talking about virology, specifically about the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This episode features an interview with Dr. Hsu, a stem cell specialist from the Weill Medical College at Cornell University in New York. She discusses an article about a patient that has been possibly cured from HIV after a stem cell transplant with cord blood cells. What is the CCR5 gene? What is its ...

This week Luis is joined by Dr. Callan Bleick and Dr. Mohammed Al Musawa to talk about an antibiotic that was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): aztreonam-avibactam.  Our guests wrote a review about this drug and they joined the podcast to talk about it. What is aztreonam? What is avibactam? Why combine them? What type of activity has it demonstrated against beta-lactamase producing organisms?...

There are many challenges when it comes to outbreak detection. It involves surveillance, time, and effort among other factors. Some of these challenges are linking multiple patients to an outbreak, or investigating a potential outbreak that turns out to be separate occurrences of an infection. In this episode Luis is joined by Dr. Alex Sundermann to talk about an outbreak detection system developed by his team at the U...

This week Luis continues going over Haemophilus. This time he goes over biochemicals, testing systems, and susceptibility testing. What is the ALA test? What commercial systems are able to identify Haemophilus? What about for Haemophilus influenzae? What is HTM agar? Are there any vaccines for H. influenzae? Tune in to find out more.

More information on  H. influenzae vaccines: 

https://www....

In this episode Luis continues going over organisms. This time he goes over the genus Haemophilus. We start with an overview of the different species of Haemophilus. Why can’t Haemophilus grow on blood agar? What are the X and V factors? Satellite phenomenon? What is the gram stain? What about media? Tune in for the first part of a series about Haemophilus.

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