Matters Microbial

Matters Microbial #140: Out of Many, One — Coral and Jellyfish Holobionts
October 7, 2026 Today Dr. Monica Medina, Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA, joins the quality quorum to discuss how organisms are made up of myriad other organisms—the holonbiont concept.  Dr. Medina and her research group focus on studying this in jellyfish and coral.
 
Host: Mark O. Martin
Guest: Monica Medina
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Links for this episode
A link to my host city in New Zealand, Christchurch.
A link to the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch New Zealand.
The website for the laboratory of Dr. Tom Miller of UC Riverside.
A recent video exploring the holobiont concept.
A recent article describing how the holobiont concept is involved in coral biology.
A recent review article describing the holobiont concept.
The life cycle of the cnidarian Cassiopia xamachana used by Dr. Medina's research group as a model system.
A book chapter from Dr. Medina describing the use of Cassiopia xamachana as a cnidarian model system for symbiosis and holobiont studies.
A video description of how to raise Cassiopia xamachana from a member of Dr. Medina's research group.
An article from Dr. Medina's research group discussing the microbial community of the holobiont of coral.
An article from Dr. Medina's research group discussing the coral-algal symbiosis.
An article about Dr. Medina and colleagues' work on ancient coral DNA to study the holobiont concept over time.
A video of Dr. Medina discussing her research.
A link showing Dr. Medina's interest in the intersection between art and science.
A link showing Dr. Medina's interest in the intersection between coral art and science.
A very informative Wikipedia page about Dr. Medina.
A link to Dr. Medina's research group website.
A link to Dr. Medina's faculty website.
Intro music is by Reber Clark
Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

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
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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 mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

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.
 
Host: Mark O. Martin
Guest: Monika Oli
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Links for this episode
Here is a link to some basic history of microbiology.
A nice biography of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
A truly wonderful video about Leeuwenhoek that is SO worth your time.
A description of the "Leeuwenhoek Microscope." 
A website that explains how you can build a replica of this famous instrument.
An overview of the Delft school of microbiology.
A biography of Martinus Beijerinck (an amazing microbiologist).
The website of Micropia, the microbiology focused museum in Amsterdam.
A fun article about the "tardigrade chair" at Micropia I discussed.
An article about "microbial tours."
The CEPA company that helps to create academic tours.
An overview of experiential learning.
The story of Ignaz Semmelweis.  
A description of the abbey where Gregor Mendel did his work with pea plants.
A biography of Karl Stetter.
An amazing video featuring Karl Stetter.
The famous book, "The Little Prince," by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry which can be linked to microbiology.
How some UNESCO Heritage sites are related to microbiology.
The fermented food kimchi and its microbiological origin.
The microbiology of sourdough bread.
A video by Dr. Oli describing the ideas behind her microbial tours.
A microbiology themed tour program by BYU.
An ASM biography of Dr. Oli.
The faculty website of Dr. Oli.
Intro music is by Reber Clark
Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

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.
 
Host: Mark O. Martin
Guest: Estelle Couradeau
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Links for this episode
The Erskine Foundation fellowship website.
An overview of Paenibacillus.  
An article discussing the fascinating colonial morphology often found with Paenbacillus. 
A blog post that demonstrates that the odd appearance of Paenibacillus can be used by other microbes for dispersal! 
Dr. Jo Handelsman's essential book, "A World Without Soil."
A fine video describing the soil microbiome.
The complexity of soil with regard to where and how microbes can live.
Science journalist Carl Zimmer's indispensable essay likening the microbial ecology of lakes to the human body:  "The Human Lake."
An overview of dormancy in microbes.
The "BonCat" (bio-orthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging) technique for detecting living microbes in a sample without cultivation.
An overview of flow cytometry in microbiology.
An essay suggesting that marine bacteria are involved in the production of clouds.
An article about climate change and microbes.
An article about cyanobacteria and "sunscreen."
A review article about the "biocrust" concept.
A video overview of beautiful and fascinating microbial fossils:  stromatolites.
A video by Dr. Couradeau describing her research.
Articles by Dr. Couradeau and colleagues asking which microbes are active in soil:  here, here, and here.
Articles by Dr. Couradeau and colleagues asking if microbes can change the temperature of a desert:  here and here.
Articles by Dr. Couradeau and colleagues that explore the hidden microbiomes of Andean páramo wetlands:  here and here.
Dr. Couradeau's faculty website.
Dr. Couradeau's research website.
Intro music is by Reber Clark
Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

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
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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 mattersmicrobial@gmail.com