MicrobeWorld Video

MWV Episode 71 - TWiM Live at ASM GM in Denver

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:43:00 +0000

Vincent, Elio and Michael recorded this episode of This Week in Microbiology before an audience at the 2013 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Denver, Colorado, where they spoke with Andrew Camilli, Ferric Fang, Suzanne Fleiszig, and Michelle Swanson about their research on a phage system for evading innate immunity, retractions of research papers, bacterial infections of the eye, and cytoplasmic defenses against intracellular bacteria.

MWV Episode 70 - Microbes After Hours - West Nile Virus

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:16:00 +0000

2012 saw a surge of West Nile Virus infections, particularly in the central United States. What exactly is West Nile Virus and why do outbreaks occur?

Join us at ASM headquarters to learn more about the biology of this fascinating virus - how it moves between hosts, how the disease is diagnosed and treated, and how outbreaks can potentially be prevented.

West Nile virus was first detected in North America until 1999 when an outbreak occurred in New York City. In the next five years, West Nile virus swept across the continent, reaching the Pacific shore in 2004. Like other Flaviviruses, West Nile is an "arthropod-borne virus" or "arbovirus". Its transmission and the completion of its life cycle critically depends on the feeding activities of mosquitos, who transmit the virus as they feed on the blood of infected animals Despite the incidence of infection among humans, however, Homo sapiens are actually dead-end hosts for the West Nile virus. Indeed, birds are the primary amplifying hosts and their migratory patterns are thought to have promoted the rapid spread of the virus to new habitats.

Guest speakers include:

Dr. Lyle Petersen

Lyle R. Petersen, M.D., M.P.H., has served as the director of the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases since 2004. Dr. Petersen began his training at the University of California, San Diego where he received an undergraduate degree in biology. He then studied medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. After medical school, Dr. Petersen completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Stanford University, CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) applied epidemiology training program, CDC's Preventive Medicine Residency Program, and a masters of public health program at Emory University. He served in several positions at CDC before joining the Division of Vector-borne Diseases, first as Deputy Director for Science and then Director. He is the author of more than 175 scientific publications and has received a number of scientific awards. His current research focuses on the epidemiology of arboviral and bacterial vector-borne zoonoses.

Dr. Roberta DeBiasi

Roberta Lynn DeBiasi, MD, FIDSA, is Associate Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine, Acting Chief and Attending Physician in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Children's National Medical Center, and investigator at Children's Research Institute in the Center for Translational Science in Washington, D.C. A fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and a member of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), she is also a past recipient of IDSA's Young Investigator Award.

Dr. DeBiasi's research expertise includes basic science as well as clinical/translational research in several areas. She is currently the Principal Investigator for several clinical research projects and trials, focusing on improved treatments for viral encephalitis, influenza, neonatal herpes simplex virus, congenital cytomegalovirus, and adenovirus in normal and immunocompromised children. An active investigator in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) Collaborative Antiviral Study Group, through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), she also performs research on community acquired pneumonia and hospital acquired infections with multiple drug resistant organisms. Her basic research focused on mechanisms of viral pathogenesis and the development of new treatments for viral myocarditis. She is the author of original research, review articles, and book chapters focusing on severe viral infections, including viral myocarditis, encephalitis, meningitis, West Nile Virus, and adenovirus in patients with compromised immune systems.

Dr. DeBiasi also treats immunocompetent and immunocompromised children hospitalized with severe infections at Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

MWV Episode 69 - Richard Cogdell - Bacterial Photosynthesis

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Richard Cogdell is the Director of the Institute for Molecular Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Glasglow, Scotland.

Richard was led to a career in studying bacterial photosynthesis by a desire to learn and understand basic photosynthesis, he "wanted to know how natured worked."

In 1995, Richard's research group, in collaboration with others, used protein crystallography to determine the three dimensional structure of a light-harvesting complex from the purple bacterium, Rhodospsedomas acidophilia.

This breakthrough led to two key elements in the understanding of bacterial photosynthesis. One, once you have established the structure you can understand its function. Two, this view of a light-harvesting complex attracted an interdisciplinary group of scientists from the fields such as chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology.

Richard's current challenge is to take the process of photosynthesis (using solar energy to make a fuel) and apply it to the world's energy needs in a sustainable manner.

To do this, Richard says "you must break photosynthesis down to it's four most basics steps", absorb solar energy, concentrate it, break it apart and make a fuel. These are the steps that must be duplicated if they are going to be successful at creating sustainable, renewable energy.

The first two steps, says Cogdell, are like a solar battery (easy to recreate). The hard part is finding ways to use renewable energy to drive the chemistry. That's the process Richard spends most of his time working on and he uses the concept of an artificial leaf to help explain this complex process to the public.

According to Cogdell, if the current rate of investment continues, it will be approximately five to six years before we see a small pilot system that demonstrates the feasibility of the process.

Richard emphasizes that if mankind wants to survive, we must find a way to convert solar energy into fuel because when fossil fuels run out so do we.

MWV Episode 68: Threading the NEIDL - TWiV Goes Inside a BSL-4

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:09:00 +0000

Constructed in 2009 in the highly populated South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) facility contains labs that operate at biosafety levels 2, 3 and 4. Due to its location the NEIDL has faced a raft of legal and regulatory hurdles that have prevented BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs from becoming functional.

“Threading the NEIDL,” is a 1-hour documentary narrated by Vincent Racaniello, PhD, Higgins Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Columbia University, which explores how the NEDIL is secured from unauthorized entry, what's like to wear a BSL-4 level safety suit, how the facility is constructed to make it safe, and how workers carry out experiments with highly dangerous viruses such as Ebola virus and Lassa virus without jeopardizing their health or that of the surrounding community.

This is a never before seen look at how one of America's state of the art biodefense research facilities operates and the security measures put in place to keep it safe, even in the heart of a major urban center.

This documentary was filmed in conjunction with the popular science podcast This Week in Virology, which is also hosted by Vincent Racaniello.

MWV Episode 67 - The Secret Language of Bacteria

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:46:43 +0000

No bacterium lives alone – it is constantly encountering members of its own species as well as other kinds of bacteria and diverse organisms like viruses, fungi, plants and animals. To navigate a complex world, microbes use chemical signals to sense and communicate with one another.

Filmed live on January 28th, 2013, at ASM's headquarters, catch a glimpse into the fascinating language of bacteria with discussions by Bonnie Bassler, Princeton University, and Steven Lindow, University of California, Berkley.

Dr. Bonnie Bassler, Princeton University

Bonnie Bassler Ph.D. is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and the Squibb Professor of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. The research in her laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanisms that bacteria use for intercellular communication. This process is called quorum sensing. Bassler’s research is paving the way to the development of novel therapies for combating bacteria by disrupting quorum-sensing-mediated communication. Dr. Bassler was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 2002. She was elected to the American Academy of Microbiology in 2002 and made a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2004. Dr. Bassler was the President of the American Society for Microbiology in 2010-2011; she is currently the Chair of the American Academy of Microbiology Board of Governors. She is also a member of the National Science Board and was nominated to that position by President Barak Obama. The Board oversees the NSF and prioritizes the nation’s research and educational priorities in science, math and engineering.

Dr. Steven Lindow, University of California, Berkeley

Steven Lindow Ph.D. is a Professor at the University of California, Berkley where his research focuses on various aspects of the interaction of bacteria with the surface and interior of plants. Dr. Lindow’ s lab uses a variety of molecular and microscopy-based methods to study the ecology of bacterial epiphytes that live on the surface of plants as well as certain bacteria that are vascular pathogens of plants. They also study bacteria that live in and on plants that are fostered by consumption of the alkaloids produced by endophytic fungi. The longer-term goal of their research is to improve plants’ productivity by achieving control of plant diseases through altering the microbial communities in and on plants. Dr. Lindow is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and was elected to fellowship in both the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1999.

MWV Episode 66 - Curtis Suttle: Marine Virology

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:52:00 +0000

In MicrobeWorld Video episode 66 Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Curtis Suttle, Professor of Earth & Ocean Sciences, Microbiology & Immunology, and Botany, and Associate Dean of Science University of British Columbia.

Dr. Suttle is one of the World's leading marine virologists, and is among a small group of researchers that is credited with launching the field of marine virology. Dr. Maloy talks with Dr. Suttle about the incredible diversity of the ocean's microscopic inhabitants that have long been overlooked.

The oceans are mostly microbial, 98% by weight, which means most of what is going on in the oceans is unseen and until recently largely unknown. Dr. Suttle explains the large role that ocean viruses play in keeping our planet alive. In fact, Dr. Suttle points out that viruses do more to create life than take it away. If you were to take the viruses out of the ocean much of the planet's life-cycle would stop, there would be no more photosynthesis. Viral replication drives the major bio-geochemical cycles on Earth.

Dr. Suttle also discusses transposons, "the world's first immune system," phage and using genomic sequencing to do ecology outside of the lab environment.

This episode was recorded at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia on February 17, 2012.

MWV Episode 65: Natalie Prystajecky - Norovirus

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:37:58 +0000

In episode 65 of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Natalie Prystajecky Ph.D., Environmental Public Health Microbiologist, BCCDC Public Health Microbiology and Reference Laboratory, about her work with norovirus. This episode was filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on February 16th, 2012.

Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in the world. In the U.S. norovirus accounts for up to sixty percent of all gastrointestinal related illness representing approximately twenty-three million cases annually.

Because norovius is easily transmitted from person to person, outbreaks such as the kind that occur on cruise ships, airplanes and universities are common news. New technologies such as real-time PCR have led to more effective techniques for diagnosing the virus and thus the appearance of more cases of norovirus.

However, according to Prystajecky, cases of norovirus have been decreasing since their peak in 2003. The number of acute illnesses related to norovirus rise when new strains emerge such as the GII.4 strain in late 2009.

Beyond person to person transmission, norovirus has the ability to spread via food and waterborne sources. In every case using proper food handling techniques, being aware of your food and water source and proper hand washing (soap and water) are all effective measures for avoiding the virus.

There are no current vaccines against norovirus.

MWV Episode 64 - Anne Tanner: Microbes of the Mouth

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:55:00 +0000

In episode 64 of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Anne Tanner Ph.D., BDS, MDCH (Hon.), Associate Professor at Harvard School of Dental Medicine about her research into dental caries and the oral microbiome. This episode was filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on February 18th, 2012.

Anne's work with Streptococcus mutans, the leading know cause of Early Childhood Caries (ECC), has led to the discovery of a new bacterium, Scardovia Wiggsiae. This discovery was the result of using modern molecular techniques combined with traditional anaerobic culture methods perfected in the practice of periodontology. Anne is now working with this new bacterium to see if it's a caries pathogen.

Anne discusses the role probiotics have played in the treatment and prevention of dental caries. She is optimistic that these good bacteria can be effective in the battle against harmful oral bacterium.

Finally, Anne talks about being one of only a few people who has more than one microbe (Prevotella Tannerae and Tannerella forsythia) named after her.

MWV Episode 63: Forest Rohwer - Viruses of the Ocean, Corals and the Human Lung.

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:01:00 +0000

In episode 63 of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Forest Rohwer Ph.D., Professor of Biology, San Diego State University, about his research on the microbes of the ocean, coral reefs and the human lung. This episode was filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on February 18th, 2012.

Viruses make up a large portion of the world's oceans, with over ten million per milliliter of seawater. Rohwer's interest in better understanding these viruses led him to becoming an expert in marine virology and a founder of the field of viral metagenomics.

Forest discovered that these viruses are very good at controlling the number and type of bacteria in the ocean and through the process of gene transfer possess the potential to change marine bacteria into human pathogens.

Among Forest's other interests are coral reefs. He has studied the link between humans inhabiting the land around coral reefs and the decaying health of the corresponding coral.

Forest also studies cystic fibrosis, a disease of the human lung, which mimics what he sees going on with the health of coral reefs. Rohwer explains how his work across many different scientific disciplines has helped his research interests broaden while leading to new discoveries unlikely to have been made without the knowledge and tools of other scientific fields.

MWV Episode 62 - Safe Beaches

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 19:28:00 +0000

Staying safe at the beach involves more than just sunscreen and lifeguards. Beaches and oceans are prone to unhealthy levels of bacteria which can cause sickness in people. Pathogens make their way into the water and onto the sand from many sources, including but not limited to, animal and human waste, agricultural and sewer runoff. Knowing when and how to avoid harmful bacteria is an effective way to prevent getting sick when visiting the beach.

On this episode of MicrobeWorld Video, Richard Remigio from the Surf Rider Foundation and Beth LeaMond from the Environmental Protection Agency talk about the various ways pathogens such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia make their way into the ocean, onto the beach and into our bodies. Richard and Beth provide effective ways to protect ourselves when visiting the beach and let us know what their agencies are doing to help keep our beaches clean and safe.

MWV Episode 61 - Richard Lenski: Evolution in a Flask

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:37:00 +0000

In episode 61 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on February 17th, 2012, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Richard Lenski Ph.D., Hannah Professor of Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, about his research into the evolution of bacteria and the new frontier of digital evolution.

Lenski's Long Term Evolution Experiment with E. coli has seen over 50,000 new generations since its inception in 1998. This has led to insights such as how viruses can evolve from types that don't infect humans to ones that do.

Lenski's work with E. coli has also led him into the digital world. Using computers, Lenski can achieve precise, rapid results by manipulating digital organisms. Software that evolves much like bacteria in the real world.

Lenski is optimistic about the future of evolution research. Applying the generalities that have resulted from his studies to any number of other microbial species. He also sees large potential in applying what he's learned to the study of antibiotic resistance and bioengery.

MWV Episode 60 - ASM at the USA Science and Engineering Festival

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The American Society for Microbiology at the USA Science and Engineering Festival 2012 in Washington, D.C. Learn what kids have to say about the science and microbiology and the various educational resources ASM offers to students, teachers and parents alike.

Filmed on April 27-28, 2012 at the USA Science and Engineering Festival inWashington, D.C.

Special thanks:

ASM Volunteers

David J. Westernberg, Ph.D., Missouri University of Science and Technology

Neil Baker, Ph.D., Ohio State University

Ron Atlas, Ph., D., University of Louisville, Kentucky

Stanley Maloy, Ph.D., San Diego State University

Vincent Lee, Ph.D., University of Maryland

Stephanie Yarwood, Ph.D., University of Maryland

Ann Smith, Ph.D., University of Maryland

Wade Winkler, Ph.D., University of Maryland

Daniel Stein, Ph.D., University of Maryland

Ken Frauwirth, Ph.D., University of Maryland

Jeff Blazar, University of Maryland

ASM Staff

Garth Hogan

Alaina Scalercio

Barbara Hyde

Basar Akkuzu

Jim Sliwa

Barb Slinker

John Bell

Students and Attendees

Cheryl and Evan Demas

Jacquelyn Campbell

Kennedy Deam

Nima Ranaghi

Rebecca Wilman

Sarah Marsh

Stephanie Brower

Debbie Atlas

Cameras

Ray Ortega, American Society for Microbiology

Chris Condayan, American Society for Microbiology

Edited and Produced by:

Chris Condayan, American Society for Microbiology

All views, comments and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily represent those of the American Society for Microbiology.

MWV Episode 59 - Anne K. Jones - Cyanobacteria's Potential as a Fuel Product

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:01:00 +0000

In episode 59 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, BC Canada on February 17, 2012, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Anne Jones, D. Phil., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis, Arizona State University, about why her research into harvesting excess light energy has promising potential as an energy alternative.

Anne explains why photosynthesis is an inefficient process and how she's attempting to improve its efficiency by using cyanobacteria to absorb and transfer light energy into a usable fuel product.

MWV Episode 58 - TWiV Live in Dublin

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Watch Vincent Racaniello and guests Connor Bamford, Ron Fouchier, Wendy Barclay and Richard Elliott, in a live-streaming episode filmed on Mar. 26, 2012, of This Week in Virology from the Society for General Microbiology 2012 Spring Conference in Dublin, Ireland. In this show, Racaniello discuses the H5N1 research publication controversy and emerging bunyaviruses.

MWV Episode 57 - Ron Atlas: Publication of H5N1 Research

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:28:00 +0000

In episode 57 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Vancouver, BC Canada on February 18, 2012, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Ron Atlas Ph.D., Chair of ASM's Biodefense Committee and Professor of Biology, University of Louisville.

Stan and Ron discuss the recent recommendation by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) to withhold some of the key data regarding transmissibility from recent research on the H5N1 virus.

Ron explains how the NSABB was created and the role they play together with the American Society for Microbiology in attempting to establish a set of guidelines used to safeguard the scientific knowledge base from being misused.

Ron discusses the need for this research to emerge from it's current moratorium and continue in order to remain a step ahead of the virus in an attempt to be alerted to possible future pandemics.

MWV Episode 56 - The H5N1 Research Discussion

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:47:00 +0000

Watch the video from the ASMBiodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., of the discussion on the controversial NSABB’s publication recommendations for the NIH-funded research on the transmissibility of H5N1.

Moderated by the Chair of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB), Paul Keim, Ph.D., presentations include:

NSABB Recommendations
Michael T. Osterholm, Ph.D., MPH
University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN
Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP)

Government Response to the Recommendations
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Science’s Response to the Situation
Bruce Alberts, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief of Science

Perspective from an Investigator
Ron A.M. Fouchier, Ph.D.
Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands

This video was taped on Wednesday, February 29, 2012

MWV Episode 55 - Francis H. Arnold: Laboratory Evolution

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:38:11 +0000

In episode 55 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., on February 18, 2011, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Francis H. Arnold, Ph.D., Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry, at the California Institute of Technology.

Maloy talks with Arnold about laboratory evolution to generate novel and useful enzymes and organisms for applications in medicine and in alternative energy. Her multidisciplinary approach reveals insight into the way natural evolution might have occurred.

MWV Episode 54 - TWiM #16: ICAAC Live

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:45:00 +0000

Episode 54 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the 51st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy on September 17, 2011, features a live recorded video episode of This Week in Microbiology (TWiM), a podcast about life on Earth.

Host Vincent and co-host Michael, along with guests Arturo, Stuart, and David converse about antimicrobial resistance and why most fungi do not cause disease.

MWV Episode 53 - TWiV Live In The Windy City

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Episode 53 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the 51st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy on September 17, 2011, features a live recorded video episode of This Week in Virology (TWiV), a podcast about viruses.

Special guests include:

Trine Tsouderos, Health/Medical Writer, Chicago Tribune
Mark Pallansch, Ph.D., Chief of the Enterovirus Section in the National Center for Infectious Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control

Started in September 2008 by Vincent Racaniello and Dick Despommier, two science Professors at Columbia University Medical Center, the goal of the show is to have an accessible discussion about viruses that anyone can understand and enjoy. At ICAAC in Chicago, Racaniello, co-host Rich Condit and guests will be highlighting and commenting on some of the most exciting virology at the conference.

MWV Episode 52 - Diane Harper: HPV Vaccine Efficacy

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:09:00 +0000

In episode 52 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., on February 18, 2011, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Diane Harper, M.D., M.P.H., Professor in the departments of Community and Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Informatics and Personalized Health at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Harper played a critical role in the clinical studies associated with the HPV vaccines and has voiced concerns over their long term ability to prevent cancer. She and Maloy discuss these concerns, gender differences in protection, and the challenges of creating a pan HPV vaccine.

MWV Episode 51 - David Relman: The Stability of the Human Microbiome

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:36:00 +0000

In episode 51 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., on February 18, 2011, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with David Relman, M.D., Thomas M. and Joan C. Merigan Professor, Department of Medicine - Division of Infectious Diseases, and Department of Microbiology & Immunology in the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Maloy and Relman discuss microbial flora in the mouth and gut and why they are important for human health. They explore the impact of antibiotics and probiotics on the community of microbes in the gut and their health implications both negative and positive. Lastly they look at the future of probiotics in personalized medicine and the potential for individualized treatment based on the uniqueness of a person's gut flora.

Don't miss an episode of MicrobeWorld Video. Subscribe for free using iTunes or help support our work by purchasing the MicrobeWorld podcast application for iPhone and Android devices in the iTunes or Android app stores.

MWV Episode 50: This Week in MIcrobiology Live in NOLA

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:34:00 +0000

In episode 50 of MicrobeWorld Video, Vincent, Michael, and Stanley recorded episode #8 of the podcast This Week in Microbiology live at the 2011 ASM General Meeting in New Orleans, with guests Andreas Baümler, Nicole Dubilier, and Paul Rainey. They spoke about how pathogens benefit from disease, symbioses between chemosynthetic bacteria and marine invertebrates, and repetitive sequences in bacteria.

MWV Episode 49 - TWiV Live at the 2011 ASM General Meeting in New Orleans

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:51:03 +0000

Vincent and guests Rachel Katzenellenbogen, Roger Hendrix, and Harmit Malik recorded TWiV #135 live at the 2011 ASM General Meeting in New Orleans, where they discussed transformation and oncogenesis by human papillomaviruses, the amazing collection of bacteriophages on the planet, and the evolution of genetic conflict between virus and host.

MWV Episode 48 - Emerging Diseases: The Importance of Early Warning and Surveillance Systems

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:05:42 +0000

In episode 48 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., on February 18, 2011, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Stephen S. Morse, Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and Founding Director and Senior Research Scientist, Center for Public Health Preparedness, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University.

Infectious diseases remain major causes of illnesses and fatalities worldwide. Although many are known, new infections are increasingly entering the human population often spreading from geographically isolated areas due in part to ecological changes, a globally driven market for goods and services, and air travel. These emerging threats to human health include, but are not limited to, HIV/AIDS, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Nipah, and pandemic influenza.

In this interview Dr. Morse emphasizes that it is essential to have early warning and surveillance systems in place if we wish to prevent existing infectious diseases from increasing their range and to avoid the next pandemic. As many emerging infections, or their close relatives, already exist in other species, the "One Health" approach is invaluable in helping to identify and track these pathogens in nature, and to target surveillance efforts.

Also discussed in this interview is the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) "Emerging Pandemic Threats" (EPT) program (.pdf of program overview), which includes PREDICT, a project to build global capacity for surveillance and prediction of novel infections that have pandemic potential. EPT/PREDICT uses the "One Health" approach to target and integrate surveillance in wildlife, livestock, and humans, and develop a framework for risk assessment. These approaches are enabled by improved understanding of factors driving infectious disease emergence, and new technological capabilities for modeling and informatics, diagnostics and pathogen identification, and communications (e.g., disease reporting using cellphones).

MWV Episode 47 - Interview with Larry Madoff, Editor of ProMED-mail

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:46:00 +0000

In episode 47 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., on February 20, 2011, Dr. Stan Maloy talks with the Editor of ProMED-mail, Lawrence Madoff, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School Boston.

ProMED-mail is the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases, an online network of more than 55,000 members who monitor the four corners of the world for emerging infectious diseases of humans, animals and plants. ProMED was launched in 1994 with 40 people on a listserv and is perhaps one of the earliest examples of social networking. Today the site has established itself as the place to go for breaking news on outbreaks, health alerts and recalls.

MWV Episode 46 - One Health and the Lessons Learned from the 1999 West Nile Virus Outbreak

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:37:41 +0000

In episode 46 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Tracey McNamara, professor of pathology at Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, about her role as the head pathologist at the Bronx Zoo during the 1999 West Nile virus outbreak in New York City. As several local residents were hospitalized with encephalitis of unknown origin, many crows and exotic zoo birds were dying off. It was determined that the patients had St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) which is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that got the virus from infected birds. However, birds with SLE do not get sick and a possible connection between the dying crows and human cases was dismissed by many experts.

McNamara suspected there was more to this story because of the large number of birds that were also contracting encephalitis and struggled to make her voice and preliminary research heard that suggested a new disease may be emerging in North America. It wasn't until she connected with researchers at the US Army Medical Research Institute in Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Ft. Detrick, Maryland, who quickly confirmed that the virus that was killing the crows and her birds at the Bronx Zoo was West Nile virus, a disease endemic to Africa and parts of Europe that also infects people.

McNamara's experience has made her a champion of One Health – "a call to action for collaboration and cooperation among health science professions, academic institutions, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industries towards improved assessment, treatment, and prevention of and mutually prevalent, but non-transmitted, human and animal diseases and medical conditions."

MWV Episode 45 - Metabolomics and the Microbiome

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:37:51 +0000

In episode 45 of MicrobeWorld Video, filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Jeremy Nicholson, Head of the Department of Surgery & Cancer at Imperial College London, about his work with metabolomics and the human gut.

Maloy and Nicholson discuss the science of metabolomics, the systematic study of the unique chemical fingerprints that specific cellular processes leave behind, and how gut microbial metabolites are part of the diagnostic pattern of results when looking at a host of diseases. Nicholson, who is known for his work in pharmaco-metabonomics, also discusses the potential for personalized medicine.

MWV Episode 44 - Investigating the Origins of Disease with Beatrice Hahn

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 20:31:00 +0000

In episode 44 of MicrobeWorld Video filmed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting in Washington, D.C., Dr. Stan Maloy talks with Beatrice Hahn, Professor of Medicine and Microbiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, about her work on the origins of HIV and Malaria, and how these diseases may have spread to humans.

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MWV Episode 43 - USA Science and Engineering Festival - Part 2 (audio only)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 21:15:00 +0000

On October 23 2010, MicrobeWorld attended the first annual USA Science and Engineering Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. In part 2 of this two-part video, Stanley Maloy, Dean of the College of Science at San Diego State University, continues his tour of the microbiology related exhibits at the festival.

Featured in this episode are members of the departments of biology and microbiology at the University of Georgia and Idaho State University. Maloy also introduces us to some of the work being done at The J. Craig Venter Institute in San Diego, Ca.

Watch as Maloy introduces us to the power of microbes through demonstrations of waste tunred into energy, termites living off a diet of wood, and the radiation resistant power of microbes. Maloy also takes us on a tour of the The DiscoverGenomics! Mobile Laboratory which travels around the Washington D.C. area visiting schools that otherwise wouldn't get the chance to see science in action.

MWV Episode 43 - USA Science and Engineering Festival - Part 2

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:30:00 +0000

MWV Episode 42 - USA Science and Engineering Festival - Part I

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 06:46:00 +0000

Featured in this episode are the American Society for Microbiology booth "Where the Microbes Are (Everywhere!)" and the members of the Microbial Sciences Initiative at Harvard University.

Watch as Maloy introduces us to the power of microbes through demonstrations of biospheres created in a bottle, the bioluminescent bobtail squid, and the many different roles microbes play in the creation of food products.

MWV Episode 42 - USA Science and Engineering Festival - Part 1 (audio only)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 23:06:00 +0000

On October 23 2010, MicrobeWorld attended the first annual USA Science and Engineering Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. In part 1 of this two-part video, Stanley Maloy, Dean of the College of Science at San Diego State University, takes us on a tour of the microbiology related exhibits at the festival.

Featured in this episode are the American Society for Microbiology booth "Where the Microbes Are (Everywhere!)" and the members of the Microbial Sciences Initiative at Harvard University.

Watch as Maloy introduces us to the power of microbes through demonstrations of biospheres created in a bottle, the bioluminescent bobtail squid, and the many different roles microbes play in the creation of food products.

MWV Episode 41 - Inside the Mind's Eye: Communicating Science in a New Media Era (mp3)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:35:00 +0000

Blogs, podcasts, and other new media outlets have changed the way people get their news. Immediate access to information presents new opportunities as well as challenges for science communication. Watch Carl Zimmer, science writer for the New York Times and host of MicrobeWorld's Meet the Scientist podcast, at the Marian Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., discuss how scientists and journalists are using new media outlets while avoiding their pitfalls.

Carl Zimmer is an award-winning author and science journalist. He is the author of seven books, the most recent of which is The Tangled Bank: An Introduction to Evolution. In addition to writing books, Zimmer contributes articles to the New York Times, as well as to magazines including National Geographic, Time, Scientific American, Science, and Popular Science. He also writes an award-winning blog, The Loom. From 1994 to 1998 Zimmer was a senior editor at Discover, where he remains a contributing editor and writes a monthly column about the brain.

MWV Episode 41 - Inside the Mind's Eye: Communicating Science in a New Media Era

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:54:00 +0000

MWV Episode 40 - ICAAC Boston 2010

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 06:00:00 +0000

MicrobeWorld Video and This Week in Virology team up to bring you a tour of the 50th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in Boston. In this episode the host of TWiV, Vincent Racaniello, speaks with exhibitors and visitors, including Professors Derek Smith, Michael Schmidt, Frederick Hayden, and Myra McClure.

Host links Vincent Racaniello

Links for this episode:

50th ICAAC
ICAAC daily press conference videos (including Prof. Myra McClure)
Antigenic cartography
Antimicrobial properties of copper

MWV Episode 39 - Carl Zimmer: Newspapers, Blogs, and Other Vectors: Infecting Minds with Science in the Age of New Media (30 min.)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:16:00 +0000

On May 25th, 2010 science writer Carl Zimmer gave a keynote address at the American Society for Microbiology's General Meeting in San Diego, California. The presentation entitled “Newspapers, Blogs, and Other Vectors: Infecting Minds with Science in the Age of New Media” was given at the President’s Forum, “Telling the Story of Science.” Zimmer is a lecturer at Yale University, where he teaches writing about science and the environment. In addition to writing books, Zimmer contributes articles to the New York Times, as well as magazines including National Geographic, Time, Scientific American,Science, and Popular Science. He also writes an award-winning blog, The Loom. From 1994 to 1998 Zimmer was a senior editor at Discover, where he remains a contributing editor and writes a monthly column about the brain. Zimmer also hosts "Meet the Scientist," a podcast from the American Society for Microbiology.

MWV Episode 38 - Influenza surveillance: Should we be monitoring swine herds?

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Pandemic H1N1 virus may be or may soon become endemic in large modern swine confinement facilities. Despite this, there is a paucity of influenza surveillance that is currently being conducted among swine populations.

Watch Dr. Jeff Fox, Features Editor for Microbe Magazine interview Dr. Gregory Gray, University of Florida, Gainesville, about the importance of conducting influenza surveillance among pigs and workers in these facilities in hopes that we might quickly detect the emergence of novel influenza viruses.

This video was recorded live on May 25, 2010, at the American Society for Microbiology's 110th General Meeting in San Diego, Ca.

MWV Episode 37 - Global warming may spur new fungal diseases

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Watch Dr. Jeff Fox, Features Editor for Microbe Magazine talk with Arturo Casadevall, MD, Ph.D., the editor-in-chief of mBio, the new online, open-access journal from the American Society for Microbiology, about an opinion/hypothesis article he co-authored suggesting that rising global temperatures will result in new fungal infections for mammals living in temperate climates.

This video was recorded live on May 24, 2010, at the American Society for Microbiology's 110th General Meeting in San Diego, Ca.

MWV Epiosde 36 - Why Write? Communicating Your Results to Further Scientific Knowledge

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:39:00 +0000

On March 18, 2010, Roberto Kolter, Harvard Medical School and ASM President, gave a presentation to a group of graduate and postdoctoral students on why scientists need to be able to communicate effectively. This talk opened up the 2010 ASM Scientific Writing and Publishing Institute that was held at ASM Headquarters in Washington, DC on March 18 - 21, 2010.

The Institute provides four days of hands-on intensive training in scientific writing and publishing under the mentorship of ASM Journal editors and reviewers. Groups of four to six participants are paired with one experienced mentor from their field to provide individual critique and resources.

Every year the American Society for Microbiology offers several graduate and postdoctoral level programs that provide professional skills development in grantsmanship, scientific presentations, scientific publishing, teaching and mentoring, scientific ethics, career planning, and networking. For more information visit ASM's Graduate and Postdoctoral Opportunities website at asmgap.org.

MWV Episode 35 - The Dish with Eddie Holmes

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

From the flu to HIV, RNA viruses challenge our immune systems like no other infectious agent on the planet. RNA viruses provide unique insights into the patterns and processes of evolutionary change in real time. The study of viral evolution is especially topical given the growing awareness that emerging and re-emerging diseases (most of which are caused by RNA viruses) represent a major threat to public health. How do RNA viruses adapt and change, and how do our bodies respond? Why are diseases like HIV so difficult to predict and contain?

In episode 35 of MicrobeWorld Video, Eddie Holmes, professor in Biology at Pennsylvania State University leads a discussion before a live audience at Busboys & Poets in Washington, D.C. on the genetics and evolution of RNA viruses and how we can combat them.

The Dish was created by the Marian Koshland Science Museum and is made possible by a Science Education Partnership (SEPA) grant from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health. This program was held in collaboration with the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

MWV Episode 34 - mHealth: Infectious Disease in a Mobile Age

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:46:00 +0000

Mobile health or mHealth is part of a movement towards citizen-centered health services delivered through cellular technologies. Mobile phones in particular are becoming a first line of defense against emerging infectious diseases by keeping healthcare practitioners and the public informed about outbreaks. For individuals mHealth technologies can provide real-time monitoring of vital signs and even deliver treatment services in the form of risk assessments, medication regimens and doctor appointment reminders. In addition, this new technology also has the potential to supply researchers and public health officials with up-to-date community and clinical health data.

In episode 34 of MicrobeWorld Video, we talk with William Warshauer about the work he's doing with Voxiva, a company that specializes in interactive mobile health information services. By leveraging the web, email, text messaging, interactive voice response systems and smart phone apps, he hopes to stay one step ahead of infectious disease outbreaks wherever they may occur.

We also speak with Amy Sonricker from Healthmap.org about their unique web interface and iPhone application that allows for real-time viewing and reporting of disease-related events around the globe.

This episode of MicrobeWorld Video was filmed in October 2009 at the Marian Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., at one of their frequent events for the public.

For more information about the Koshland Museum, upcoming events and online resources visit them online at www.koshland-science.org.

mHealth Resources

United Nations Foundation - mHealth for Development: The Opportunity of Mobile Technology for Healthcare in the Developing World (.pdf)
mobihealthnews.com
www.mobih.org
mHealth on Wikipedia

MWV Episode 33 - Food Safety 101

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:08:00 +0000

Whether you are making lunch for work, school or a summer picnic, knowing what food to pack and how to prepare it can be the difference between enjoying your day or going home sick. From recent peanut butter and pistachio nut recalls to E. coli outbreaks associated with hamburger patties, people are increasingly concerned about the safety of the food they eat. Many illnesses can be prevented with proper food preparation and a clean kitchen.

On this episode of MicrobeWorld Video, Chef Jim Ringler from the National Academy of Sciences explains some of the best practices for food safety both in and out of the home.

Dr. Keith Lampel, a microbiologist from the Food and Drug Administration, also joins the discussion and offers up some statistics regarding foodborne illness and provides the viewer with some tips for maintaining a clean kitchen.

In additional you'll hear from Natalia Mikha from the Partnership for Food Safety Education as she explains the organization's website FightBac.org and their basic guidelines for keeping the food you eat safe.

You can find out more information about food safety by visiting www.asm.org, www.fightbac.org, and www.cdc.gov.

This episode of MicrobeWorld Video was filmed at the Marian Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., during one of their popular public science events. For more information about the Koshland Museum, upcoming events and online resources visit them online at www.koshland-science.org.

MWV Episode 32 - Healthy Pet, Healthy You

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Animal, human and environmental health are inexorably intertwined. Diseases are making the jump from animals to humans and vice-versa at an increasing pace. The emergence of animal borne diseases such as Avian flu, Ebola, and most recently H1N1 (swine flu), demonstrate the need for an integrated strategy across several scientific, medical and environmental fields for improved public health.

In this episode of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr. Mark Lutschaunig, director of the Governmental Relations Division of the American Veterinary Medical Association discusses the need for a holistic approach to human and animal health. He emphasizes that our ability to better predict when and where disease outbreaks are likely to occur depends on a strong relationship between veterinarians, doctors, and health agencies.

In addition, Dr. Ron Atlas, chair of the One Health Commission, gives an overview of the organization's mission to foster closer professional interactions, collaborations, and educational opportunities across the health sciences professions, together with their related disciplines, to improve the health of people, animals, and our environment.

To learn more about the links between animal health and human health, visit the One Health Commission website at www.onehealthcommission.org. You can also find out more information by visiting www.asm.org, www.avma.org, www.ama-assn.org and www.cdc.gov.

This episode of MicrobeWorld Video was filmed at the Marian Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., during one of their popular public science events. For more information about the Koshland Museum, upcoming events and online resources visit them online at www.koshland-science.org.

MWV Episode 31 - Tiny Conspiracies

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:04:00 +0000

Bacteria communicate with chemical languages that allow them to synchronize their behavior and thereby act as multi-cellular organisms. This process, called quorum sensing, enables bacteria to do things they canât do as a single cell, like successfully infect and cause disease in humans.

Bonnie Bassler, Ph.D., the Squibb Professor of Molecular Biology at Princeton University and President-elect for the American Society for Microbiology, has been researching strategies that can interfere with quorum sensing and will hopefully yield novel antibiotics to prevent disease.

In this episode of MicrobeWorld Video we present the full presentation Dr. Bassler gave at the Marian Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C. on June 18, 2009. Not only does Dr. Bassler explain the mechanisms of bacterial communication, but she also puts forth her theories on how we can disrupt this communication for human benefit.

MWV Episode 30 - Biofuels in Puerto Rico

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Puerto Rico is widely known as the "La Isla del Encanto," which translated means "The Island of Enchantment." And while its beaches, tropical rain forest, and biolumescent bays are wonders of nature, the island is not without its problems. From energy needs to economics, Puerto Rico shares many issues facing the rest of the world.

In this MicrobeWorld Video episode we talk with Nadathur S. Govind, Ph.D., Professor, Marine Sciences Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, and William Rosado, Marine Sciences Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, about the sustainable biofuel program they are launching in southwestern Puerto Rico.

According to Govind, the island's successful sugarcane industry died in the 1990's. In fact, local rum manufacturers now import their molasses from as far away as Malaysia. As a result, approximately 70 percent of the population in southwestern Puerto Rico is on welfare.

Govind believes he can rebuild the local economy by harnessing bacterial enzymes extracted from the guts of termites and shipworms (mollusks) found in the mangroves off the coast to break down the lignocellulose in sugarcane and hibiscus. The idea is that if he can bring agricultural production back to his community, he can use the crop waste to produce ethanol to supplement Puerto Rico's demand for fuel. And since the byproduct of ethanol is carbon dioxide, he also plans to use algae to capture the gas and produce biodiesel. The waste that he has left over can then be returned to the soil as fertilizer or given to livestock as feed, completing the cycle.

For more information about Govind's program please read the article, "Combining Agriculture with Microbial Genomics to Make Fuels," found in the American Society for Microbiology's Microbe magazine.

MWV Episode 29 - This Week in Virology Live in Philly

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:43:00 +0000

MicrobeWorld Video presents episode 33 of This Week in Virology. Hosts Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Dick Despommier and guest Raul Andino recorded TWiV live at the ASM General Meeting in Philadelphia, where they discussed increased arterial blood pressure caused by cytomegalovirus infection, restriction of influenza replication at low temperature by the avian viral glycoproteins, first isolation of West Nile virus in Pennsylvania, and current status of influenza.

Links for this episode:

Cytomegalovirus infection causes an increase of arterial blood pressure
Avian influenza virus glycoproteins restrict virus replication at low temperature
First West Nile virus isolation of the year in PA
CDC press release of 18 May 2009
Glaxoâs influenza vaccine with adjuvant
NY Times article on Guillain-BarrÃ and a more scientific view

Weekly Science Picks

Dick - National Museum of the History of Science and Medicine, Leiden
Alan - Beginning Mac OS X Programming
Vincent - Vaccinated by Paul Offit
Raul - HubbleSite

Contact/Subscribe

Please send your virology questions and comments to twiv [at] twiv [dot] tv. To listen, click the play button next to the title of this entry. You can subscribe for free to TWIV via iTunes, through the RSS feed with a podcast aggregator or feed reader, or by email.

Thanks to Chris Condayan and ASM for making TWiV live possible. Recorded by Chris Condayan and Ray Ortega.

Download

TWiV #33 (Audio Only) (51 MB .mp3, 74 minutes)

Sponsor

Try GotoMyPC free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.gotomypc.com/podcast

MWV Episode 28 - Cheese and Microbes

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Fine cheeses are like fine wines. Producing and aging them properly is
both an art and a science. From cave-aging to the use of raw milk,
watch Dr. Catherine Donnelley, Co-director of the Vermont Institute
for Artisan Cheeses, describe the microbial world of cheese.

Listeria and Salmonella are just a couple of the pathogens that pose a

risk to cheese consumers. In this episode of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr.
Donnelly explains how these risks are mitigated through strict
processing guidelines, why these safeguards make cheese one of the
safest commodities today, and how beneficial organisms contribute to
the cheese making process. In addition, Erica Sanford from Cowgirl
Creamery with the help of Carolyn Wentz from Everona Dairy walk us

through the steps of artisan cheese production.

For more information about cheese making and cheese safety please
visit the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheeses. If you would like to
try some of the cheeses featured in this episode order them online
from www.cowgirlcreamery.com and www.everonadairy.com. Bon AppÃtit!

MWV Episode 27 - ASMCUE

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:04:00 +0000

The American Society for Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators (ASMCUE) is an interactive four-day conference on scientific updates and effective teaching strategies. Now in its 16th year, the conference attracts over 300 microbiology and biology educators.

Educators come from colleges, universities and international institutions to learn and share the latest information in the biological sciences and education research.

The conference program includes plenary, concurrent, poster, and exhibit sessions. Participants engage in formal and informal small group discussions between colleagues all focused on the same goal: to improve teaching and learning in the biological sciences.

In this episode, we talk with Erica Suchman, Associate Professor, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, and Local Organizing Chair for the 2009 meeting. Erica talks about her attendance at the meeting for the past 12 years and the benefits of participating. Also featured are several participants at the ASMCUE 2008 held at Endicott College in Beverly, MA and ASM's Education Director, Amy Chang, a co-founder of the Conference.

For more information about the conference or to view past proceedings, visit www.asmcue.org.

MWV Episode 26 - Germ Proof Your Kids

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Parents are often presented with conflicting messages about germs and cleanliness. On the one hand, the news headlines warn us about dangerous "superbugs." On the other hand, there is growing concern that over-cleaning and excessive hygiene may weaken children's immune systems. Fortunately, there is real, vetted science available to help us understand how to best protect, without overprotecting, our kids.

In episode 26 of MicrobeWorld Video, we talk with Dr. Harley Rotbart, author of Germ Proof Your Kids: The Complete Guide to Protecting (without Overprotecting) Your Family from Infections. Dr. Rotbart, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at The University of Colorado and The Children's Hospital of Denver, has practiced, researched, and taught germ defense for the past 25 years. His new book serves as a resource for parents and health care providers to help put science back into the discussion of protecting kids from microscopic dangers. In addition to evaluating the traditional approaches to infection prevention (vaccines, antibiotics, etc.), Dr. Rotbart also analyzes the science behind Mom's advice about the effects of hygiene, nutrition, sleep, stress, exercise, and even wearing boots in the rain. It turns out Mom was right most of the time.

This video was filmed live at the Marian Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C. and in various locations around the DC metro area.

For more audio and video podcasts about microbiology, health and life science-related subjects, please visit www.microbeworld.org. If you would like to know more about Germ Proof Your Kids please visit www.germproofyourkids.com.

MWV Episode 25 - Bacteria Lab

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:49:00 +0000

What kinds of bacteria are growing in your sink or your refrigerator? How about on your keyboard at work? Does soap really reduce the amount of bacteria on your hands?

Dr. Keith Lampel of the Food and Drug Administration helps citizen scientists discover the world of bacteria in and around us.

Filmed at the Marian Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., this two-part science lab kicked off with a hands-on activity in the museum to observe the invisible bacteria that are present all around us. Attendees were shown how to prepare samples in the museum and took lab supplies with them for further investigation in their homes, offices and schools. For the second part of program, participants shared their scientific endeavors from the previous week as Dr. Lampel answered their questions and discussed recent research at the FDA, new technologies, and new initiatives in food safety.

Dr. Keith Lampel is the Director of the Division of Microbiology within the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). His research interests include the development of rapid detection methods for food-borne pathogens using DNA-based technology, and identifying the genes in these bacteria that are involved in the development of disease.

MWV Episode 24 - An Iconography of Contagion

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:34:00 +0000

In this episode of MicrobeWorld Video we visit the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., for the opening of "An Iconography of Contagion," an art exhibition featuring more than 20 public health posters from the 1920s to the 1990s. Covering infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS, gonorrhea, and syphilis, the posters come from North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

This video features interviews with J.D. Talasek, Director of Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences, and Michael Sappol, Ph.D., Curator-Historian for the National Library of Medicine, along with several of the opening's attendees, on their impressions and thoughts of how public health promotion and education have changed over the decades.

The presentation of the posters along with comments provided by Talasek and Sappol provide insight into the interplay between the public's understanding of disease and society's values. The exhibit reflects the fears and concerns of the time and also the medical knowledge that was available. Considered an art form, many of the posters are beautiful and entertaining, but during their heyday, they sought to educate people on matters of life and death.

The exhibition is free and open to the public weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until December 19, 2008. The National Academy of Sciences is located at 2101 Constitution Ave., NW, in Washington, D.C. Visitors enter at 2100 C St., N.W. The gallery is located upstairs.

For those who can't make it to the Nation's Capitol, but would like more information, please feel free to download the <a href="http://www7.nationalacademies.org/arts/044621.pdf">exhibit's brochure</a>.

MWV Episode 23 - Antibiotics: Is a Strong Offense the Best Defense? (Part 3)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:29:00 +0000

In the final episode of this 3 part video series on how to optimize antibiotic use and how to minimize the emergence of drug resistant pathogens, Dr. Linda Tollefson, Assistant Commissioner for Science at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, goes in depth on the use of antimicrobial drugs in agriculture, their efficacy, and adverse human health consequences. Dr. Stuart Levy, professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts University School of Medicine, discusses policy, regulatory and funding issues around antibiotic resistance. Both Dr. Tollefson and Dr. Levy take a handful of questions from the audience.

The series, "Antibiotics: Is a Strong Offense the Best Defense?" was filmed on September 18, 2008 at the Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C. Parts 1 and 2 can be found at www.microbeworld.org.

MWV Episode 22 - Antibiotics: Is a Strong Offense the Best Defense? (Part 2)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:28:00 +0000

On September 18, 2008 at the Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., Dr. Stuart Levy, professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts University School of Medicine and Dr. Linda Tollefson, Assistant Commissioner for Science at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, discussed how to optimize antibiotic use and how to minimize the emergence of drug resistant pathogens.

In part 2 of this 3 part video series, Dr. Levy discusses how antibiotic resistance develops, the development practices drug companies employ when producing antimicrobials, and how this process may change in the future. Dr. Tollefson outlines how the FDA is encouraging the development of antibiotics in an industry that is mostly focused on manufacturing drugs for chronic illnesses.

Dr. Levy is Professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts University School of Medicine where he is the Director of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance. He directs research on mechanisms of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Stuart Levy is also Staff Physician at the Tufts Medical Center and he also serves as the president of The International Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics.

Dr. Tollefson is Assistant Commissioner for Science at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She previously served as Deputy Director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), where she led CVM&apos;s efforts to implement a risk-based approach to address antimicrobial resistance, fulfilling a 2001 Congressional mandate, and was instrumental in the founding of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for Enteric Bacteria. Tollefson also served as Chief of Epidemiology in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition where she successfully investigated numerous outbreaks of food borne disease and served as liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Part 3 will be published next week.

MWV Episode 21 - Antibiotics: Is a Strong Offense the Best Defense? (Part 1)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:25:00 +0000

Will we become defenseless against bacteria? Will bacteria always find a way to infect and even kill us? The emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria poses an enormous problem around the world. Scientists believe that the overuse of antibiotics is increasing the appearance of these pathogens. In the US, increasing casualties resulting from drug resistant staphylococcus infections received wide media attention.

While antibiotics only work on bacterial infections, many patients and doctors regard antibiotics as a front-line form of treating any type of infection. Antibiotics are often prescribed because the specific pathogen that is causing an illness is often difficult to determine. In some cases they are used as a preventative measure. But is this the best defense? Are there ways to beat bacteria at their own game?

On September 18, 2008 at the Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., Dr. Stuart Levy, professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts University School of Medicine and Dr. Linda Tollefson, Assistant Commissioner for Science at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, discussed how to optimize antibiotic use and how to minimize the emergence of drug resistant pathogens.

In part 1 of this 3 part video series, Dr. Levy discusses the basics of microbial pathogens, bacteria, and antibiotic resistance. And, Dr. Tollefson outlines the various types and classes of antibiotic drugs, approved uses, and current levels of effectiveness.

Dr. Levy is Professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Tufts University School of Medicine where he is the Director of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance. He directs research on mechanisms of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Stuart Levy is also Staff Physician at the Tufts Medical Center and he also serves as the president of The International Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics.

Dr. Tollefson is Assistant Commissioner for Science at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She previously served as Deputy Director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), where she led CVM&apos;s efforts to implement a risk-based approach to address antimicrobial resistance, fulfilling a 2001 Congressional mandate, and was instrumental in the founding of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for Enteric Bacteria. Tollefson also served as Chief of Epidemiology in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition where she successfully investigated numerous outbreaks of food borne disease and served as liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Parts 2 and 3 will be published over the coming weeks.

MWV Episode 20 - The Singing Toxicologist

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:22:00 +0000

He's been referred to as the Elvis of E. coli, the Sinatra of Salmonella, and in this episode of MicrobeWorld Video, the singing toxicologist. Whatever you call him, Carl Winter, Extension Food Toxicologist and Director of the FoodSafe Program at UC Davis, performs parodies of contemporary popular music by modifying lyrics to address food safety issues such as bacterial contamination, irradiation, biotechnology, government regulation, and pesticides.

The goal of his songs is to provide science-based food safety information in a fun, accessible way. Thanks to a grant from the USDA, Dr. Winter is now studying how to integrate his music into traditional food safety education programs.

Dr. Winter's music goes beyond simply educating those who work with food and in this video he shares some of his tips to empower the everyday consumer looking to prevent the spread of foodborne illness.

For more information about food safety please visit the following sites:

http://foodsafe.ucdavis.edu
http://www.foodsafety.gov
http://www.usda.gov

Please feel free to embed and share this video.

MWV Episode 19 - West Nile Virus

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:19:00 +0000

West Nile virus entered the United States in 1999 and is now considered a seasonal epidemic that starts in the summer and continues into the fall. First isolated in Uganda in 1937, the virus can cause severe human meningitis or encephalitis in 1% of those infected. In
2007 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported 124 fatalities. The rapid spread of West Nile virus has put local and state mosquito surveillance programs on the front line of public health and disease preparedness.

In this episode, MicrobeWorld Video interviews Dr. Jorge Arias, an expert in vector-borne diseases of the Americas. Arias currently serves as the Environmental Health Supervisor of the Fairfax County Health Department in Northern Virginia. In this role, he is responsible for directing the Disease-Carrying Insects Program which focuses on West Nile virus and Lyme disease.

For more information about West Nile Virus, please visit:

*U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
*National Pesticide Information Center - http://npic.orst.edu/wnv/
*Fairfax County Health Department - http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/westnile/

This episode was filmed at the Marian Koshland Science Museum, the Fairfax County Health Department, Huntley Meadows Park in Fairfax, Va., and the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

MWV Episode 18 - The One Health Initiative

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:16:00 +0000

Ronald Atlas, former President for the American Society for Microbiology, discusses the new One Health Initiative that recognizes the inter-relationships among human, animal, and environmental health and seeks to enhance communication, cooperation, and collaboration in integrating these areas for the health and well-being of all species.

Development of the One Health Initiative began in 2007 with the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) efforts to strengthen communications and collaboration with colleagues in human medicine. The AVMA established a Task Force on this issue which released specific recommendations in June 2008. The American Medical Association (AMA) in June 2007 passed a resolution supporting the Initiative and strengthening collaboration between human and veterinary medicine in dealing with zoonotic diseases.

Other endorsers include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, American Medical Association, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Health (ASTMH), the American Phytopathological Society (APS), several smaller veterinary organizations, and over 300 individual scientists, including current and past leaders of the ASM.

MWV Episode 17 - Return to Zambia

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:14:00 +0000

The American Society for Microbiology is helping African nations foster a scientific community that is better able to address the current and future problems that threaten not only the local population, but the world at large.

Like many African countries, Zambia and South Africa are deeply affected by HIV and tuberculosis, as well as a number of other infectious diseases.

In March of 2008, ASM President Cliff Houston, Ph.D., traveled to Zambia and South Africa to gauge and assess the Society's efforts to transfer knowledge and state of the art diagnostic technology training support in laboratories, schools and universities, and to assist in meeting the goals for care and treatment of people living with TB and HIV in these resource-limited countries.

MWV Episode 16 - Canary in a Coal Mine

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:12:00 +0000

Coral reefs are dying a death of a thousand cuts and their disappearance threatens not only the incredibly diverse ecosystem that depends on them, but also human health and welfare.

In this episode of MicrobeWorld Video marine scientists Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Ph.D., chair of marine studies at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia,, and Kiho Kim, Ph.D., director of the environmental studies program at American University, explain the important relationship between microbes and corals, and how this delicate symbiosis that sustains life on and around reefs is facing numerous threats from human interactions to global climate change. In addition, Tundi Agardy, Ph.D., founder and executive director of Sound Seas, discusses the need for public policy and community-based conservation efforts that may help stave off the degradation of these vital ocean ecosystems.

According to a 2004 report issued by the World Wildlife Fund, 24% of the world's reefs are under imminent risk of collapse through human pressures; and a further 26% are under a longer term threat of collapse. If nothing is done to protect these resources, many scientists estimate that reefs around the West Indies in the Caribbean will be gone by 2020, while the Great Barrier Reef may only last for another three decades.

Please visit the following sites for more information about coral reefs:

www.climateshifts.org
www.reefrelief.org
www.coralreef.noaa.gov

Please feel free to embed or distribute this video.

MWV Episode 15 - Modern Transportation and Infectious Disease

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:09:00 +0000

From your local bus route to international air travel, infectious diseases can spread across the globe in a matter of hours. In this video podcast episode filmed at the Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., Stephen Eubank from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute of Virginia Tech and Daniel Lucey from Georgetown University discuss the role of transportation in the spread of disease and examine the effectiveness of various measures to curb transmission.

Stephen Eubank, Ph.D., is a project director at the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute of Virginia Tech. His research focuses on modeling and simulating the spread of disease and regional transportation, and the analysis of complex systems.

Daniel Lucey, M.D., M.P.H., is an adjunct professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Georgetown University, where he is co-director of the master of science program in biohazardous threat agents and emerging infectious diseases. In recent years, his teaching focus has been on SARS, avian flu, and the threat of pandemic human influenza.
Resources

Learn more about infectious diseases at
http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhib_infectious/index.jsp

Transportation Research Board of the National Academies
http://www.trb.org/default.asp

Pandemic Flu and Travel
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/travel/index.html

MWV Episode 14 - HIV/AIDS Education

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:00:00 +0000

In this episode of MicrobeWorld Video we ask some leading researchers, education specialists, and public health officials about the state of HIV/AIDS education in America and ideas they have to support the teaching of microbial evolution using the latest HIV/AIDS research - all while instilling innovative prevention strategies.

Filmed at a forum for educators on February, 11, 2008 at the Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C. and at San Diego State University, this episode features the following experts:

Roland Wolkowicz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, San Diego State University, whose research focus is on the use of random peptide libraries and other chemical genetics approaches for the study of viral pathogenesis and the search of antiviral factors in HIV1 and HCV.

Shannon Lee Hader, M.D., MPH, Director of the HIV/AIDS Administration for Washington, D.C., an epidemiologist and public health physician who has worked with HIV-infected children and adults in Brazil, Jamaica, and Zimbabwe.

Anila Asghar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education at Johns Hopkins University, whose research focuses on curriculum development and evolution.

Educational resources mentioned within the video can be found online at:

Koshland Science Museum
http://koshlandscience.org/teachers/webquest.jsp

NIH Curriculum Guide
http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih1/Diseases/default.htm

Howard Hughes MedicalInstitute
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/

Please feel free to embed or distribute this video.

MWV Episode 13 - Microbe Lab

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:58:00 +0000

MicrobeWorld visits the Marian Koshland Science Museum for Microbe Lab, a free day of activities for the general public.

In this episode we interview Erika Shugart, deputy director of the Koshland Museum, about Microbe Lab and the Crack Koshie's Curious Case: A Disease Detective Mission activity. Next, we talk with Nagla Fetouh, Education Program Manager for the Koshland Museum, who led a disease exchange activity that teaches people about ways to control the spread of infectious disease by participating in a simulation that shows just how fast illness can spread. Finally, Eric Flem, Communications Manager for Nikon Instruments, Inc., led us through a demonstration of Nikon's Coolscope. A state of the art microscope used by clinicians and educators that has the ability to broadcast images live on the internet.

MWV Episode 12 - Petri Dish Circus

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:45:12 +0000

See the history of microbiology in nine scenes of gags, burlesque, drollery and song. Produced by Active Cultures, the vernacular theatre of Maryland, Petri Dish Circus is a play loosely based off of the classic non fiction novel Microbe Hunters by Paul Henry de Kruif. Much like the original book first published in 1926 that describes 12 historical milestones in science, Active Cultures reenacts "the daring-do of Louis Pasteur in his Parisian lab, the Scotch fortitude of Ronald Ross as he travels through disease-stricken Africa, and the melancholy saga of Walter Reed as he battles Yellow Jack in Cuba" - all with a healthy dose of humor. In this episode we interview Mary Resing, artistic director for Active Cultures, who talks about Microbe Hunters as inspiration for theatre and her whimsical, and slightly pointed, approach to portraying the women featured in de Kruif's work. Excerpts from the actual performance are also featured.

MWV Episode 11 -The Maloy Lab

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:53:00 +0000

MicrobeWorld visits The Maloy Lab at San Diego State University to talk with Professor Stanley Maloy and three grad students, Dave Matthews, Gerardo Perez and Veronica Casas, about their research.

The Maloy Lab focuses on the genetics and physiology of Salmonella and bacteriophage that infect Salmonella. Maloy and his students use a combination of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and genomic approaches to answer questions about the uptake of DNA from bacteriophage, transfer of genes between bacteria and phage, and the evolution of pathogenesis.

MWV Episode 10 - Save the Oysters (Part 2)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:50:00 +0000

Since the introduction of MSX and Dermo in the 1950Ãââs, two infectious diseases that played a large role in the decline the Chesapeake Bay's oyster population, several oyster hatcheries along the Eastern seaboard are working with scientists across many fields to develop innovative restoration programs. One idea is to introduce a non-native oyster from China called Crassostrea ariakensis.

In this video podcast, MicrobeWorld talks about current research underway with C. ariakensis, the potential risk of new diseases that could affect the Bay's ecology and/or human health, the attitudes of Maryland's watermen, and the role of local, state and federal policy.

Special thanks goes out to the DC Science Writers Association, the Marian Koshland Science Museum and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Laboratory for helping with the logistics and planning of the shoot

MWV Episode 9 - Save the Oysters (Part 1)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:47:00 +0000

Do you like oysters? Then join MicrobeWorld for a tour of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Laboratory just outside of Cambridge, Md., on the Chesapeake Bay. In this video, MicrobeWorld looks at the impact of disease on the Bay's oyster population and how scientists are using cultured algae to restore them.

MicrobeWorld interviews Jamie King, Ph.D., NOAA Fisheries, Chesapeake Bay Office, David Nemazie, Marine Scientist, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and Stephanie Alexander, senior faculty research assistant and hatchery manager for the Horn Point Laboratory.

Special thanks goes out to the DC Science Writers Association and the Marian Koshland Science Museum for helping with the logistics

MWV Episode 8 - MicrobeWorld Interviews Cast and Producers for Television's ReGenesis

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:44:00 +0000

ReGenesis is an award winning science drama produced by Toronto's Shaftesbury Films that centers on the fictitious North American Biotechnology Advisory Commission. NorBAC's special operations team, headed by the brilliant but unpredictable Molecular Biologist Dr. David Sandstrom (Peter Outerbridge) and supported by a cast of forensic specialists and CIA operatives, investigates new strains of disease, genetically modified bacteria, and potential bioterror threats or agents. In essence, the show is about microbial forensics and the lives of the people who work in and around the lab.

ReGenesis is also one of the first dramas to feature full media convergence and was recently awarded with the 2007 International Emmy in the Interactive Program category and the 2006 Gemini Award for Best Cross Platform Project. Visitors to the website can tour the NorBAC laboratory, partake in the laboratory's problem solving, and get insight into each episode's health and science issues by getting the Facts behind the Fiction and Science and Society fact sheets, where episodic drama is analyzed by leading scientists compliments of the Ontario Genomics Institute.

The series will launch in the US this September and can be seen on television stations affiliated with ABC, Belo, CBS, Granite, Fox, Hearst, LIN TV, and the Tribune and Young group. ReGenesis is set to become the first complete, original HDTV series offered for weekend syndication. To watch ReGenesis in your area, please check your local listings.

For more information about ReGenesis visit the show online at www.regenesistv.com

MWV Episode 7 - ASM in Zambia

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:40:00 +0000

This video, produced by Global Health TV, showcases ASM's laboratory capacity building initiatives in Zambia. The film focuses on ASM's support to the Zambian Ministry of Health and US government agencies in the strengthening of clinical microbiology services with the objective of integration of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS laboratory infrastructure. Consultants representing ASM have traveled to Zambia to train healthcare workers and researchers on diagnostics for TB, blood culture, and basic bacteriology. For more information about ASM's international activities, please contact international@asmusa.org.

MWV Episode 6 - Microblogology

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:35:00 +0000

Six science bloggers talk about why they blog, the role of blogging in science, feedback they've received and the greatest microbiological discovery in the past decade.

Bloggers featured include:

John Logsdon
Sex, Genes & Evolution

Jonathan Badger
T. Taxus

Yersinia
http://www.myspace.com/lenore138

Moselio Schaechter
Small Things Considered

Tara Smith
Aetiology

Larry Moran
Sandwalk

Also featuring: Wojtek Zawada as the Skater

The Song "Bacteria" is by Jonathan Coulton, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network at http://music.podshow.com

Filmed and produced by Chris Condayan and Garth Hogan for the American Society for Microbiology.

For more video and audio podcasts visit www.MicrobeWorld.org.

MWV Episode 5 - Brian Malow live at the Koshland Science Museum

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:32:00 +0000

MicrobeWorld and the Koshland Science Museum present a video podcast of comedian Brian Malow that includes excerpts from his science comedy act on infectious disease and an interview about the geek mystique of science.\

Malow is also a contributing editor to the Journal of Irreproducible Results, a science humor magazine, and was producer and host of a pioneering internet talk show, But Seriously. His routine on Neil Armstrong was heard aboard the space shuttle. Brian lives in San Francisco. For a taste of his humor, visit his website, www.butseriously.com.

MWV Episode 4 - Save the Microbes Save the World (Part 3)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 29 May 2007 20:30:00 +0000

Part 3 of a video podcast from the American Museum of Natural History's 2007 Mack Lipkin Man and Nature Series entitled Save the Microbes, Save the World: The Fate of Microbial Life on a Changing Planet. The panel was introduced by Michael Novacek, Senior Vice President and Provost of Science for the AMNH and moderated by Julie Burstein, Public Radio International and WNYC Radio's Studio 360.

Panelists include:

Rita Colwell, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland College Park and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Chairman, Canon US Life Sciences, Inc.

Susan Perkins, Assistant Curator, Invertebrate Zoology and Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, AMNH

James Staley, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Washington

Visit MicrobeWorld online at www.microbeworld.org

MWV Episode 3 - Save the Microbes Save the World (Part 2)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Wed, 16 May 2007 20:27:00 +0000

Part 2 of a video podcast from the American Museum of Natural History's 2007 Mack Lipkin Man and Nature Series entitled Save the Microbes, Save the World: The Fate of Microbial Life on a Changing Planet. The panel was introduced by Michael Novacek, Senior Vice President and Provost of Science for the AMNH and moderated by Julie Burstein, Public Radio International and WNYC Radio's Studio 360.

Panelists include:

Rita Colwell, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland College Park and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Chairman, Canon US Life Sciences, Inc.

Susan Perkins, Assistant Curator, Invertebrate Zoology and Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, AMNH

James Staley, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Washington

Visit MicrobeWorld online at www.microbeworld.org

MWV Episode 2 - Save the Microbes Save the World (Part 1)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Thu, 10 May 2007 20:21:00 +0000

Part 1 of a video podcast from the American Museum of Natural History's 2007 Mack Lipkin Man and Nature Series entitled Save the Microbes, Save the World: The Fate of Microbial Life on a Changing Planet. The panel was introduced by Michael Novacek, Senior Vice President and Provost of Science for the AMNH and moderated by Julie Burstein, Public Radio International and WNYC Radio's Studio 360.

Panelists include:
Rita Colwell, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland College Park and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Chairman, Canon US Life Sciences, Inc.

Susan Perkins, Assistant Curator, Invertebrate Zoology and Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, AMNH

James Staley, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Washington

Visit MicrobeWorld online at www.microbeworld.org

MWV Episode 1 - Koshland Museum

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 19:44:00 +0000

A video podcast on the Koshland Science Museum's interactive exhibit on Infectious Disease featuring interviews with Erica Shugart, Ph.D., deputy director and exhibit curator, Dr. Eliott Kieff, Harvard University, and Dr. David Relman, Stanford University.

The Koshland Science Museum is located on 6th and E Sts., NW, D.C. and it is well worth the visit.

Visit MicrobeWorld online at www.microbeworld.org.

Yellowstone Revealed (Part 2)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 23 May 2006 19:42:00 +0000

Walter Cronkite reviews the history of Yellowstone National Park, discusses the microbe that led to the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique used for fingerprinting DNA, and parallels Costa Rica to Yellowstone's hot springs as areas of important, but still largely unexplored, biodiversity. The video podcast of Yellowstone Revealed is presented by the American Society for Microbiology (www.asm.org) and the World Foundation for Environment and Development (www.wfed.org).

Yellowstone Revealed (Part 1)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 09 May 2006 19:39:00 +0000

Walter Cronkite describes the wonders of Yellowstone National Park, including the park's microbial world and how the extreme environment of the park's hot springs may serve as a model for the possibility life on other planets. The video podcast of Yellowstone Revealed is presented by the American Society for Microbiology (www.asm.org) and the World Foundation for Environment and Development (www.wfed.org).

Intimate Strangers (Series Trailer)

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:36:00 +0000

The video podcast trailer for episodes of Intimate Strangers: Unseen Life on Earth.

A New Age

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 19:35:00 +0000

Explore the future of microbes and how they can improve the quality of life on Earth through genetic engineering, bioremediation and electronics.

Resistance Fighters

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:33:00 +0000

As antibiotics lose their ability to control infectious diseases, scientists are busy looking for new, more effective drugs from the soil of a park in Vancouver to the radioactive environment of Chernobyl.

Life in a Contaminated World

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 20:32:00 +0000

In underdeveloped countries, poor conditions increase the risk of disease and scarce medical resources make harder to treat disease properly. Witness how a strain of Hanta virus in Argentina evolves to pass between humans without an intermediate host.

A Friendly Enemy

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:31:00 +0000

A look at the common food pathogen called Salmonella and how it spreads. And the hunt for the cause of English Sweating Sickness that once ravaged the English countryside in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Dangerous Friends and Friendly Enemies

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 20:29:00 +0000

Dr. Stuart Levy and Dr. Fred Koster track a mystery killer from a Navajo community in New Mexico with help from Dr. C.J. Peters with the Centers for Disease Control.

Oceans of Microbes

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 20:27:00 +0000

Dr. Steven Giovannoni finds microbes in the most unusual places in the ocean and attempts to grow a mystery microbe in the lab.

The View from the Forest

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 20:26:00 +0000

Dr. Dan Janzen and Dr. Ignacio Chapela catalog both the larger and microbial life forms inside a single ecosystem in Costa Rica, finding that neither plants, animals, nor microbes would be able to exist without the others.

Who Are We?

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 20:14:00 +0000

Dr. Karen Nelson and Dr. Craig Venter map the genome of Thermatoga, the microbes Dr. Karl Stetter discovered in Episode 1 of this podcast, and find convincing evidence that Thermatoga's origins are very close to the beginning of life on Earth.

Solving the Puzzle

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:13:00 +0000

A new understanding of life on Earth has forced us to redraw the tree of life. Dr. Carl Woese and Norman Pace describe the process and challenges of categorizing microbial life.

The Quest

ccondayan@asmusa.org (American Society for Microbiology) — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 20:08:00 +0000

Join Dr. Karl Stetter on a mission to find the closest living relative of the first life on Earth as he discovers a strain of bacteria he names "Thermatoga."