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A video podcast documentary by the American Society for Microbiology explores the microbial world and how life has evolved over Earth?s 3.8 billion-year history. Composed of over 42,000 scientists an... | |
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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>.  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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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  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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MicrobeWorld goes to the theater to 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. Muech 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.  |
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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.  |
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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  |
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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  |
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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  |
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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.  |
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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.  |
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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. For more video and audio podcasts on microbiology please visit MicrobeWorld online at www.microbeworld.org.  |
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