234: High School, the Laboratory, and Workforce Development

234: High School, the Laboratory, and Workforce Development

Workforce shortages continue to impact clinical laboratories across the country, especially in rural healthcare settings. In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Kenzi Haigler to discuss an innovative high school laboratory program designed to introduce students to laboratory medicine early and help strengthen the future workforce pipeline. Kenzi shares her journey into the laboratory profession, her experiences working in rural healthcare, and the unique challenges small hospitals face when it comes to staffing, training, and retaining laboratory professionals. She also explains how her community came together to create a hands-on clinical laboratory assistant program that gives students exposure to phlebotomy, microscopy, waived testing, and laboratory workflows before graduation. This conversation highlights the importance of mentorship, early exposure to laboratory medicine, and creative approaches to workforce development in clinical laboratory science. Follow Kenzi on TikTok: @lablifewithmrsh Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro: * Website: letstalkmicro.com [https://www.letstalkmicro.com/] * Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com [letstalkmicro@outlook.com] * Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8 [https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8] Support the podcast: * Venmo [https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro] * Buy me a Ko-fi [https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro]

233: The Background Singers of Gram-Negative Cocci

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, we close out our gram-negative cocci series by talking about the "background singers" of the group—the organisms that quietly show up on respiratory cultures and oral flora plates every day. We explore the world of non-pathogenic Neisseria species, along with rod-shaped and coccobacillary Neisseria and Moraxella that break the classic gram-negative diplococci rule. From commensals and opportunistic pathogens to their role in respiratory cultures and bench identification, this episode focuses on how to think through these isolates in the clinical microbiology laboratory. As always, we tie it back to the bench—because sometimes the organisms sitting quietly in the background still matter. Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro: * Website: letstalkmicro.com [https://www.letstalkmicro.com/] * Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com [letstalkmicro@outlook.com] * Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8 [https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8] Support the podcast: * Venmo [https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro] * Buy me a Ko-fi [https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro]

232: What's New at ASM Microbe 2026?

This week, Let's Talk Micro is pausing the Gram-negative cocci series to talk about one of the biggest microbiology meetings of the year: ASM Microbe 2026. Luis is joined by Dr. Bobbi Pritt and Dr. Robert Tibbetts to discuss what attendees can expect from this year's meeting in Washington, DC. The conversation covers the new meeting structure, important trends in clinical microbiology, sessions and workshops geared toward medical laboratory scientists, networking opportunities, and tips for getting the most out of the conference experience. They also discuss hot topics such as AI-driven diagnostics, whole genome sequencing, metagenomics, phage therapy, antimicrobial resistance, and the future direction of clinical microbiology. Whether you are attending ASM Microbe for the first time or returning as a seasoned attendee, this episode offers a practical preview of what's ahead and highlights opportunities especially relevant to the clinical microbiology laboratory community. Topics discussed: * Changes to ASM Microbe 2026 * Sessions and workshops for MLS professionals * AI and digital diagnostics * Whole genome sequencing and metagenomics * Antimicrobial resistance and AST * Phage therapy and microbiome-focused sessions * Networking and professional development * Tips for first-time attendees ASM Resources * ASM Microbe 2026 information and registration: https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowASM261 [https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowASM261] * Volunteer opportunities with ASM: https://asm.org/about-asm/volunteer-with-asm/volunteer-with-asm [https://asm.org/about-asm/volunteer-with-asm/volunteer-with-asm] * MLS/MLT workshop information and registration: https://www.pathlms.com/asm/courses/185029 [https://www.pathlms.com/asm/courses/185029] Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro: * Website: letstalkmicro.com [https://www.letstalkmicro.com/] * Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com [letstalkmicro@outlook.com] * Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8 [https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8] Support the podcast: * Venmo [https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro] * Buy me a Ko-fi [https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro]

231: The Hockey Puck Bug: Moraxella catarrhalis

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, we continue our gram-negative cocci series with a closer look at Moraxella catarrhalis—better known at the bench as the hockey puck bug. We break down what makes this organism unique, from its classic sliding colony morphology to how it behaves in different patient populations. Is it a colonizer or a pathogen? The answer depends on the clinical context. We walk through its role in pediatric infections like otitis media and sinusitis, its significance in adults—especially in COPD—and how to interpret its presence in respiratory cultures. As always, we tie it back to the bench, discussing identification clues, culture considerations, and what it means when you see this organism on your plate. Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro: * Website: letstalkmicro.com [https://www.letstalkmicro.com/] * Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com [letstalkmicro@outlook.com] * Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8 [https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8] Support the podcast: * Venmo [https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro] * Buy me a Ko-fi [https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro]

230: Same Gram Stain, Different Story: Neisseria meningitidis vs gonorrhoeae

In this week's episode, we continue our series on gram-negative cocci and take a closer look at two of the most important organisms: Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. On the Gram stain, they may look the same—but clinically, they represent very different scenarios. We walk through colonization, transmission, and key virulence factors, and connect them to the infections they cause—from meningitis and invasive disease to mucosal and disseminated gonococcal infections. We also bring it back to the bench, discussing specimen source, testing approaches like NAAT and culture, and how to think through these organisms in real-world laboratory settings. Looking to stay up to date with the latest clinical microbiology resources? Check out Wiley's ClinMicroNow—bringing trusted ASM Press content into one powerful, searchable platform : 🔗 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781683670438?utm_source=extweb&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=lets_talk_micro_podcast_ptnr&utm_content=mid-roll-ad&utm_term=clinmicronow [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781683670438?utm_source=extweb&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=lets_talk_micro_podcast_ptnr&utm_content=mid-roll-ad&utm_term=clinmicronow] Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro: * Website: letstalkmicro.com [https://www.letstalkmicro.com/] * Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com [letstalkmicro@outlook.com] * Interested in being a guest on Let's Talk Micro? Fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8 [https://forms.gle/V2fT3asjfyusmqyi8] Support the podcast: * Venmo [https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro] * Buy me a Ko-fi [https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro]