Rephonic
Artwork for Let's Talk Micro

Let's Talk Micro

Luis Plaza
Microbiology
Clinical Microbiology
Antimicrobial Resistance
Infectious Diseases
Antibiotics
Urinary Tract Infections
Public Health
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing
Medical Laboratory Science
Antibiotic Resistance
Antimicrobial Stewardship
CLSI M100
Pharmacokinetics
MRSA
Pasteurella Multocida
Epidemiology
Clinical Laboratory Science
Veterinary Microbiology
Oxazolidinones
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae

Clinical microbiology explained in simple terms, suitable for students and microbiologists alike. We discuss organisms, reactions, infectious diseases, and more. Hosted by Luis Plaza, a Medical Laboratory Scientist and microbiologist, who also shares his experiences in the field.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes249Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesScience

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Let's Talk Micro

Latest Episodes

Recorded live at ASM Microbe 2026 in Washington, DC, this special episode marks the first live recording of Let's Talk Micro. Joining me are co-host Dr. Andrea Prinzi and guest Dr. Nathan Ledeboer for a discussion on the evolving role of whole genome... more

YouTube

En este episodio en español de Let's Talk Micro, Luis conversa nuevamente con el Dr. Germán Esparza sobre los cambios más relevantes incluidos en la edición 2026 del documento CLSI M100. Durante la conversación, revisan nuevas opciones terapéuticas c... more

YouTube

ASM Microbe is the largest microbiology meeting in the United States, bringing together thousands of scientists, laboratorians, clinicians, and industry partners to discuss the latest advances in microbiology.

In this episode, Luis shares highlight... more

YouTube

What does it take to go from working at the bench to becoming a future clinical microbiology laboratory director?

In this episode, Luis is joined by Dr. Mackenzie Collins, a CPEP fellow at UCLA, to discuss her journey from Medical Laboratory Scient... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Breakpoints
BreakpointsSociety of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists
Infectious Disease Puscast
Infectious Disease PuscastVincent Racaniello
Editors in Conversation
Editors in ConversationAmerican Society for Microbiology
This Week in Microbiology
This Week in MicrobiologyVincent Racaniello
ID:IOTS - Infectious Disease Insight Of Two Specialists
ID:IOTS - Infectious Disease Insight Of Two SpecialistsInfectious Disease: Insights of Two Specialists

Recent Guests

Nathan Ledeboer
Clinical microbiologist with focus on susceptibility testing and sequencing
Medical College of Wisconsin
Episode: 241: What Can Whole Genome Sequencing Realistically Tell Us About Resistance?
Germán Esparza
Professor of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Agents at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; Infectiology professor; CLSI voting member
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; CLSI
Episode: 240: CLSI M100 2026: Actualizaciones
Mackenzie Collins
CPEP Fellow at UCLA
CPEP/UCLA
Episode: 238: From the Bench to CPEP: An MLS Journey
Ryan Relich
Guest, infectious disease/virology expert
Unspecified in transcript
Episode: 236: Let's Talk Andes Virus
Stephanie Seifert
Guest, virologist/immunologist
Unspecified in transcript
Episode: 236: Let's Talk Andes Virus
Kenzi Haigler
Educator, medical lab scientist who started a high school lab program in a rural area
Educator, Medical Lab Scientist
Episode: 234: High School, the Laboratory, and Workforce Development
Bobbi Pritt
Chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology, Mayo Clinic; Laboratory Director for Parasitology Laboratory
Mayo Clinic
Episode: 232: What's New at ASM Microbe 2026?
Bob Tibbetts
Associate Director of Clinical Microbiology, Henry Ford Health System; Chairman of the Program Committee for Microbe 2026
Henry Ford Health System
Episode: 232: What's New at ASM Microbe 2026?
Dr. April Bobenchik
Medical Director of the Microbiology and Virology Laboratories at Penn State Hershey Medical Center
Penn State Hershey Medical Center
Episode: 226: CLSI M100 2026 Updates

Host

Luis Plaza
Host of Let's Talk Micro

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 116 ratings
  • Invaluable

    I love this podcast! I find myself turning to it for ways to explain difficult concepts to my clinical rotation students. Would really love to hear an episode on Brucella species.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeanie315
    United States2 years ago
  • Helpful

    I’m studying for ascp micro and he explains concepts very well! Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CeeBee__
    United States2 years ago
  • Great podcast

    I love this podcast! As a non-microbiologist working in the microbiology field, Luis does a great job of explaining complex concepts in an easy-to-understand way. He also has such great guests on to talk about diverse topics. Keep it up!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mam2wm
    United States3 years ago
  • Great podcast!

    Love the podcast. Great explanations and interviews. Love how he mentions things he has learned while on the bench.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Luys plaza
    United States4 years ago
  • Love for micro

    Excellent podcast! Very informative, you can feel how much the presenter loves microbiology.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    alfred ismael plaza
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Consistent depth across episodes with strong emphasis on microbiology fundamentals.
Great guest variety and approachable explanations for non-experts.
Audience appreciates practical lab tips and real-world workflow insights.
The host explains complex topics clearly and with enthusiasm.
Listeners value how episodes tie lab work to patient care.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

240: CLSI M100 2026: Actualizaciones
Q: ¿cuál es el cambio que probablemente tendrá mayor impacto en los laboratorios y la atención al paciente?
La introducción de Aztreonam-avibactam como opción de tratamiento para infecciones causadas por metalo-beta-lactamazas, especialmente en Enterobacterales y Acinetobacter, se espera que tenga el mayor impacto al mejorar opciones terapéuticas y resultados, más allá de los cambios técnicos en los puntos de corte.
238: From the Bench to CPEP: An MLS Journey
Q: What were the challenges during the COVID-19 period and how did they shape your career?
The period involved intense, round-the-clock lab work with staff reductions and supply shortages, which reinforced the responsibility to support patient care and public health while maintaining quality and resilience.
238: From the Bench to CPEP: An MLS Journey
Q: What advice would you offer CLS professionals considering graduate school or a CPEP pathway?
Be willing to push through potential geographic or financial barriers, seek mentors, gain diverse lab experiences, and actively pursue projects and presentations; these activities strengthen applications and demonstrate a proactive commitment to the field.
238: From the Bench to CPEP: An MLS Journey
Q: What unique strengths does a medical laboratory scientist bring into the CPEP director world?
CLS training provides bench-to-translation insight, an understanding of the physician language, and hands-on experience with diverse specimen types, which helps in leadership roles that require both strong technical grounding and effective cross-team communication.
238: From the Bench to CPEP: An MLS Journey
Q: Can we talk a little bit more about the CPEP Fellowship and what the pathway looks like?
The CPEP Fellowship is a two-year program open to PhD, MD, and DO candidates; the first year is a CLS-external-style rotation across all lab sections, with bench training, while the second year focuses on working with physician teams and clinical integration, after which fellows are eligible to take a board exam.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Let's Talk Micro

What is Let's Talk Micro about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show breaks down clinical microbiology in accessible terms, spotlighting organisms, testing workflows, and real-world lab practice. Across episodes, listeners get practical bench tips, updates on standards and guidelines (such as CLSI breakpoints and wound culture guidance), and deep dives into important mnemonic groups like Gram-negative cocci. Guests range from hospital laboratorians and pathologists to public-health experts, often tying lab findings to patient care, antimicrobial stewardship, and conference developments. A standout is the host's ability to translate complex microbiology concepts into clear, memorable explanations, complemented by guest experts from top institutions and major societies.

The format tends to combine r... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Let's Talk Micro?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Let's Talk Micro. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Let's Talk Micro and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Let's Talk Micro get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Let's Talk Micro, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Let's Talk Micro?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Let's Talk Micro, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Let's Talk Micro have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Let's Talk Micro has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Let's Talk Micro?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Let's Talk Micro:

1. Breakpoints
2. Infectious Disease Puscast
3. Editors in Conversation
4. This Week in Microbiology
5. ID:IOTS - Infectious Disease Insight Of Two Specialists

How many episodes of Let's Talk Micro are there?

Let's Talk Micro launched 5 years ago and published 249 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Let's Talk Micro?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Let's Talk Micro?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Let's Talk Micro from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Let's Talk Micro?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Let's Talk Micro. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Let's Talk Micro?

Recent guests on Let's Talk Micro include:

1. Nathan Ledeboer
2. Germán Esparza
3. Mackenzie Collins
4. Ryan Relich
5. Stephanie Seifert
6. Kenzi Haigler
7. Bobbi Pritt
8. Bob Tibbetts

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days