In this episode of Microbe Talk, Policy and Engagement Officer Katie chats to Dr Tina Joshi and Dr Catrin Moore, the Microbiology Society members leading on the Society’s brand new antimicrobial resistance (AMR) project, Knocking Out AMR. In this episode, Katie, Tina and Catrin talk about what the new project is, how it came to be, and how people can get involved.

To find out more about Knocking Out AMR, and to register your interest, head to www.microbiologysociety.org/knockingoutamr        

A full transcript of this episode is available on the Microbiology Society website.

Music: ‘Relaxed Vlog (Night Street)’ by Ashot Danielyan from Pixabay

Knocking Out AMR: Dr Tina Joshi and Dr Catrin Moore on the Society’s new project

It’s the final episode of 2023 so Clare, Katie and Adam got together to discuss their favourite Microbe Talk moments of 2023 and what they’re most looking forward to in 2024. 

If you want to listen back to any of the podcast episodes mentioned in the podcast you can find these listed below and listen to them on SoundCloud: 

- The bacteriophage: is the enemy of our enemy a friend?
- Dr John Munnoch discusses dyslexia
- CRISPR - Cas9 Takes on AMR Plasmids
- Conversations on Collaboration: Elaine Cloutman-Green on working across microbiology's disciplines
- Annual Conference 2023: Demystifying Science Policy
- Getting to grips with industry careers 
- Conversations on Collaboration: Hilary Lappin-Scott on cultivating international partnerships
- Conversations on Collaboration: Sir Paul Nurse on collaborative working and Horizon Europe

Videos 
- Bactobio collaboration https://microb.io/3tmoVpj 
- Get involved – Annual Conference video https://microb.io/41lGCkk 

If you’re interested in getting involved in our Knocking out AMR project you can find out more information on our website. https://microb.io/3tIpadW 

You can find a full transcript of the podcast on our website. 

Music by Yurii Kohut from Pixabay

Microbe Talk: the best of 2023

In this episode of Microbe Talk Clare is joined by Rick Mumford, Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor & Deputy Director of Science Evidence & Research at the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA). They chat about research and surveillance of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR), delivering on the 5-year National Action Plan and look to the future of foodborne AMR. 

If you’d like to read Rick’s paper, ‘Foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research and surveillance in the UK: priorities identified through the Food Standards Agency’s AMR programme review (2023)’ published in Journal of Medical Microbiology, the Society’s interdisciplinary journal for medical, veterinary and dental microbiology, you can do so here https://microb.io/3OaMMiP 

If you’d like to keep up to date with the FSA’s science news, publications and research partnership opportunities you can sign up to their newsletter here https://microb.io/427v99A 

If you’d like to get involved in tackling AMR you can find out more information on our Knocking out AMR project and register your interest on our website https://microb.io/3tIpadW 

Music by Yrii Semchyshyn from Pixabay

Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance: research and surveillance

In aid of The International Day of Women and Girls in Science Clare spoke to Professor Iruka Okeke and Professor Judith Armitage to discuss women in science. In this episode they discuss the importance of mentors, promotions in academia and the inequalities of maternity leave and Clare gains valuable insights from Judy and Iruka's impressive careers.

To keep up with Judy and Iruka, you can find them on X. @Armitage_Judy and @iruka_okeke. 

Follow this link to read Judy's Microbial Primer https://microb.io/3unNBOP

Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay

Navigating Academia: a conversation with Professor Iruka Okeke and Professor Judith Armitage

Clare is back with another episode of Microbe Talk and this time she’s investigating the topic of Microbial Forensics with Dr Tim Inglis from the University of Western Australia. 

Tim is the Editor-in-Chief of the Society’s Journal of Medical Microbiology where he published his review on the topic: ‘A systematic approach to microbial forensics’. 

If you’d like to read Dr Inglis’ paper, you can do so in the Journal of Medical Microbiology here https://microb.io/49LS2m0 

You can also download a full transcript of the podcast on the Microbiology Society website here https://microb.io/3x6vrCd

Music by Denys Kyshcuk from Pixabay

Investigating invisible culprits with Dr Tim Inglis

Dr Claas Kirchhelle from University College Dublin will be giving the Hot Topic Lecture: "Faecal Flows – a very short history of microbiology, sewers, and Britain's rivers (ca.1850-2023)" at this years Annual Conference. Clare spoke to Claas to find out how he's feeling ahead of his lecture and to pick his brain about his intriguing research area.
 
If you're at Annual Conference this year, you can catch Claas' Hot topic Lecture at 8:45 on Thursday 11 April. Alternatively, Claas' lecture will be available online after Annual Conference.

Behind the lecture with Dr Claas Kirchhelle

Last month was Women’s History Month, taking place annually throughout the month of March. It aims to highlight and reflect on the many, but often over-looked, achievements made by women throughout history – which have paved the way for the women of today. In this episode, to mark the month, we caught up with Society Champion and microbiologist, Dr Linda Oyama. Linda discusses her insights as a woman in science, by diving into some of her experiences, as well as her passion for outreach with young girls.

To keep up with Linda, you can find her on X. @LindaOyama

Women’s History Month: a conversation with Dr Linda Oyama

Yesterday, we released our vision statement for Knocking Out Antimicrobial Resistance, the Society's new cross-disciplinary project. It outlined the key issues faced by the AMR community: the lack of understanding of the urgency of the crisis, a fragmented AMR landscape and a broken innovation pipeline.

So for this special Knocking Out AMR episode of Microbe Talk Clare spoke to Professor Paul Hoskisson to pick his brain on his latest venture: a one million pound project to use food by-products make antimicrobial production more cost effective and sustainable.

The Microbiology Society's Knocking Out AMR Vision statement can be found on our website here https://microb.io/4bHDoMO 

Paul's Socials:
Bluesky @paulhoskisson.bsky.social 
Twitter @PaulHoskisson
Instagram @paulhoskisson

Music by Yurii Semchyshyn from Pixabay

Knocking Out AMR: fixing the broken innovation pipeline

For this episode of Microbe Talk Clare was joined by the wonderful Gwyn Dahlquist-Axe and Francesca Standeven, archaeological scientists who study AMR and ancient human oral microbiomes. They're on the podcast to discuss their review into diet, disease and antibiotic resistance from ancient human oral microbiomes published in Microbial Genomics. 

You can read their review 'Inferring diet, disease and antibiotic resistance from ancient human oral microbiomes' by following this link: https://microb.io/3yrdaQo

If you'd like to keep up with Francesca and Gwyn's research their Twitter (X) handles are @GDahlquistAxe and @fstandeven193

You can read a full transcript of the podcast on our website here https://microb.io/3xfueJ0

Roots of resistance: exploring AMR in ancient mouths

In 2018, influenza made headlines, with the 2017/18 flu season heralded on of the 'worst ever' for the National Health Service with the highest number of influenza-related hospital admissions since 2010. This flu season has been markedly different. But why is there so much variation? 

This month, we spoke with Dr John McCauley, Director of the World Health Organization's Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, at the Francis Crick Institute, and Dr Othmar Engelhardt, Principal Scientist in the Division of Virology at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. In this episode, we discuss how different subtypes and strains of influenza can have different effects in the population, and how microbiologists are working on preparing vaccines for the upcoming flu season.

For more information about influenza, why not read our blog Déjà flu: can science help the NHS cope with the annual burden of respiratory infections? from the Hot Topic lecture at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2018: https://microbiologysociety.org/blog/d-j-flu-can-science-help-the-nhs-cope-with-the-annual-burden-of-respiratory-infections.html

Microbe Talk: flu review

The Microbiology Society is a membership organisation for scientists who work in all areas of microbiology.

Microbe Talk: flu review

Microbiology Society

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