Rephonic
Artwork for This Week in Microbiology

This Week in Microbiology

Vincent Racaniello
Microbiology
Microbiome
Antibiotic Resistance
E. Coli
Gut Microbiota
Staphylococcus Aureus
Antimicrobial Resistance
Bacteria
Gut Microbiome
Salmonella
Obesity
Tuberculosis
Phage Therapy
American Society For Microbiology
Climate Change
Racial Disparities In Health
Nutrient Competition
Asthma
Lung Microbiome
Healthcare-Associated Infections

This Week in Microbiology is a podcast about unseen life on Earth hosted by Vincent Racaniello and friends. Following in the path of his successful shows 'This Week in Virology' (TWiV) and 'This Week in Parasitism' (TWiP), Racaniello and guests produce an informal yet informative conversation about microbes which is accessible to everyone, no matter what their science background.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes356Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesScienceNatural Sciences

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for This Week in Microbiology

Latest Episodes

TWiM explains how an enhanced domestication method allows for growth of uncultured bacteria, and identification of the oncogene SLC35F2 as is a high-specificity transporter for the micronutrients queuine and queuosine.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Mi... more

TWiM explains a candidate signature of health in the gut microbial community, and how an intestinal bacterium exacerbates cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Petra Levin.

Become a p... more

TWiM explains how to use microbes to enhance maize yield and reduce corn rootworm damage, and how the human microbiota modulates IgE-mediated reactions to foods through allergen metabolism.

Hosts: Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin, and Michele Swanson. more

TWiM reveals the archaeal roots of eukaryotic life, and a building a gut malabsorption biosensor with bacteria.

Become a patron of TWiM.

Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

Links for this epi... more

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.

Immune
ImmuneVincent Racaniello
This Week in Virology
This Week in VirologyVincent Racaniello
Infectious Disease Puscast
Infectious Disease PuscastVincent Racaniello
This Week in Virology
This Week in VirologyVincent Racaniello
This Week in Parasitism
This Week in ParasitismVincent Racaniello

Recent Guests

Michele Swanson
Professor of Microbiology, University of Michigan
University of Michigan
Episode: 355: Bacteria Complete Your tRNA
Michael Schmidt
Professor from Charleston, South Carolina
Episode: 355: Bacteria Complete Your tRNA
Mark Martin
Professor, University-affiliated scientist
University of Puget Sound
Episode: 355: Bacteria Complete Your tRNA
Petra Levin
Faculty at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Episode: 354: How a Gut Microbe Worsens Heart Disease
Carolina Tropini
Professor, University of British Columbia, paper author
University of British Columbia
Episode: 352: Microbial Gut Biosensors
Giselle McCallum
Author on Bacteroides synthetic biology toolkit paper
University of British Columbia
Episode: 352: Microbial Gut Biosensors
Juan Burkhart
Author on Bacteroides synthetic biology toolkit paper
University of British Columbia
Episode: 352: Microbial Gut Biosensors
Jerry He
Author on Bacteroides synthetic biology toolkit paper
University of British Columbia
Episode: 352: Microbial Gut Biosensors
Alice Hong
Author on Bacteroides synthetic biology toolkit paper
University of British Columbia
Episode: 352: Microbial Gut Biosensors

Hosts

Vincent Racaniello
Host with long-running involvement in multiple microbiology shows; expert in virology/microbiology education
Michael Schmidt
Co-host with strong background in microbiology education and practical lab experience
Mark Martin
Co-host; professor and microbiology educator, provides context and synthesis
Petra Levin
Co-host; microbial ecologist with systems biology perspective
Carolina Tropini
Guest profile: Professor at UBC; expert on Asgard archaea and broader microbiome topics

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 923 ratings
  • Amazing!

    It’s amazing I’ve learned a lot!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Go bazillionares.
    United States8 months ago
  • Avoid

    I’ve listened to hours of these guys and ladies. Always the same subject. Same criticism. Billie’s. Big pharmaceutical Paxlovid whores. Avoid if you want accurate insight and information.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    James Tebow
    United Statesa year ago
  • Amazing. 10/10.

    I’m a high schooler who hasn’t really had the chance to make any microbiology classes, but this makes me want to go into the field. Comprehensive enough that you don’t have to be a microbiologist or have some fancy degree to understand what they’re talking about, but they don’t dumb it down which is nice. Great podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    EvelynDevelyn
    United States4 years ago
  • I learn so much with every episode. Thank you.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Andy
    5 years ago
  • Journal club reimagined

    I always think that if this had been what journal club was like, it would have been a lot more fun. Just talking through good papers and good science (without picking apart every figure) and having some laughs. Good times!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ebkp
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the journal-club style and ability to explain complex papers clearly.
A few critiques note political content and occasional redundancy.
Positive feedback highlights accessibility, depth, and engaging teaching moments.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

355: Bacteria Complete Your tRNA
Q: Michael, how does Eden actually isolate single microbes from pond water in a clonal fashion?
They dilute and use a semi-permeable membrane to create a serial-dilution-like gradient so individual microbes find the right nutrient concentration to grow, effectively yielding clonal microcolonies in separate wells.
352: Microbial Gut Biosensors
Q: What is the strongest evidence supporting the shared ancestry of the three domains?
The host and guest discuss that ribosomes and the genetic code are conserved across the three domains, indicating a shared ancestry, while other features like nucleus presence differ, making ribosomal machinery a key unifying feature.
337: Lifestyles of the Plasmids
Q: Are you saying plasmids are parasites?
That's a wonderful question. I love the idea of it.
337: Lifestyles of the Plasmids
Q: What do you think of when I say the word plasmid?
Genetic engineering.
331: Radar Love in Bacteria
Q: What is the chemical radar concept in the study of Pseudomonas syringae and amoeba?
Pseudomonas syringae uses a chemical radar to detect amoebas and produces lethal compounds that are enhanced after being processed by the amoeba.

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 This Week in Microbiology

What is This Week in Microbiology about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on accessible, paper-forward microbiology discussions featuring a rotating group of expert guests. Conversations routinely cover uncultured microbes, microbial ecology, host–microbe interactions, and translational implications for health, agriculture, and biotechnology, often tying basic science to real-world applications. A standout trait is the journal- club style: rigorous, literature-based dialogue tempered with humor, practical anecdotes, and clear teaching moments that make advanced science approachable without talking down to listeners. Notable strengths include a strong roster of university-affiliated scientists, a consistent emphasis on big-picture impact, and a collaborative, collegial atmosphere that helps liste... more

Where can I find podcast stats for This Week in Microbiology?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for This Week in Microbiology. 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 This Week in Microbiology and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does This Week in Microbiology get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for This Week in Microbiology, 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 This Week in Microbiology?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for This Week in Microbiology, 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 This Week in Microbiology have?

To see how many followers or subscribers This Week in Microbiology 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 This Week in Microbiology?

These podcasts share a similar audience with This Week in Microbiology:

1. Immune
2. This Week in Virology
3. Infectious Disease Puscast
4. This Week in Virology
5. This Week in Parasitism

How many episodes of This Week in Microbiology are there?

This Week in Microbiology launched 15 years ago and published 356 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 This Week in Microbiology?

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 This Week in Microbiology?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for This Week in Microbiology 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 This Week in Microbiology?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of This Week in Microbiology. 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 This Week in Microbiology?

Recent guests on This Week in Microbiology include:

1. Michele Swanson
2. Michael Schmidt
3. Mark Martin
4. Petra Levin
5. Carolina Tropini
6. Giselle McCallum
7. Juan Burkhart
8. Jerry He

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