Matters Microbial #140: Out of Many, One — Coral and Jellyfish Holobionts

Matters Microbial #141: How Tardigrades Survive What We Do To Them October 20, 2026 Today Dr. Molly Jane Kirk, postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at UC Santa Barbara, joins the quality quorum to discuss her research fascination with the biology and resilience of a microscopic multicellular eukaryote, the famous tardigrade.

Matters Microbial #139: How Listeria Gets By With a Little Help From Its Friends September 23, 2026 Today Dr. Jasna Kovac, Huck Chair in Microbiomes in Food Safety and Associate Professor of Food Science at Penn State University (and active member of Penn State's One Health Microbiome Center) joins the quality quorum to discuss how understanding the microbiome in food processing facilities can help reduce the incidence of food borne illnesses, including Listeria. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Jasna Kovac Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode Here is an overview of Listeria as a microbe. Here is an overview of Listeria pathogenesis. A video showing "actin rockets" moving Listeria around inside of a eukaryotic cell. Overview from the CDC regarding Listeria. Prior #MattersMicrobial podcast about Listeria by Dr. Lisa Gorski. An overview of microbial food safety issues. Description of the cantaloupe associated Listeria outbreak. Description of the caramel apple Listeria outbreak. An overview of whole genome sequencing as a diagnostic tool. A video description of MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) relationship between microbes and antimicrobials. An overview of biofilms. A prior #MattersMicrobial podcast about biofilms with Dr. Matthew Fields. The One Health Concept linking many aspects of everyday life to microbiology. A description of Sanger 16S rRNA sequencing. An overview of MPN (most probably number) analysis in microbiology. A video describing the very useful LIVE/DEAD dye approach in microbiology. Microbiology and sanitizers. An overview of EPS (extracellular polysaccharides). Description of SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms). An overview of the lineages of Listeria. A description of Dr. Kovac's approach to precision food safety. A nice description of Dr. Kovac's evaluation of tree fruit processing plants described in this podcast. A wonderful video presentation by Dr. Kovac. Dr. Kovac's academic website. The research laboratory website for Dr. Kovac and colleagues. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Matters Microbial #138: Sightseeing the Microbial World September 8, 2026 Today Dr. Monika Oli, Instructional Professor of the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida joins the quality quorum to discuss how she teaches microbiology students to view the topic through a global lens as a study abroad program. Her approach demonstrates how travel enriches scientific understanding, broadens cultural perspectives, and prepares students to become globally engaged microbiologists equipped to address the challenges of an interconnected world.

Matters Microbial #137: The Living Skin of Our Planet August 25, 2026 Today Dr. Estelle Couradeau, Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at the Pennsylvania State University, joins the quality quorum today to discuss the role that the soil microbiome can play in terms of agriculture, moderating temperature, and protecting specific environments.

Matters Microbial #136: When Bacteria Open the Wrong Door August 11, 2026 Today Dr. Michael D.L. Johnson, Associate Professor of Immunobiology at the University of Arizona, joins the quality quorum today to discuss copper, microbiology, and a possible new strategy to fight bacteria that cause disease. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Michael D. L. Johnson Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode A link to Hartiful, the Etsy artist who custom creates glow in the dark (and many other kinds) pins. A link to the essential science artist Beatrice the Biologist. A link to World Microbiome Day. A link to Micropia, the microbiology museum in Amsterdam. A recent article on the growing threat of antibiotic resistance among disease causing bacteria. A video demonstrating the Kirby Bauer procedure, which shows antimicrobial effects and zones of inhibition. A link to an earlier #MattersMicrobial episode with Dr. Michael Schmidt describing copper and microbes. A review article describing the impact that copper can have on microbes. A review article on Streptococcus pneumoniae, the organism with which Dr. Johnson works. An video celebrating the role that S. pneumoniae had in determining that DNA was the genetic material prior to World War 2. An overview of siderophores that help microbes obtain needed iron. An article about redox activity and copper and microbes. The relationship between metal toxicity and antimicrobial activity. The role that copper plays in agriculture. The differences between Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. An article on efflux pumps and metal toxicity in microbes. An article describing how iron binding proteins also bind copper. An article describing how zinc interacts with microbes. A wonderful description of Dr. Johnson's "Trojan Horse" approach to battle disease causing microbes. A relevant review article by Dr. Johnson and his colleagues discussing copper and microbes. An overview of the "Hypothesis Fund," which supports unusual ideas in science. A video of Dr. Johnson describing his research. Dr. Johnson's faculty website. Dr. Johnson's research laboratory website. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]