Claim OwnershipWeb Microbiology at ACM
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© Melissa Kelly
Description
This podcast is a companion for Web Microbiology at Allegany College of Maryland and is designed to help you review the major topics from each chapter while you’re on the go. Episodes break down key concepts and tricky material in a clear, approachable way to support your textbook, labs, and exam prep.
20 Episodes
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Chapter 5, Episode 20In this episode we finish the chapter on eukaryotes by discussing algae, protozoa and helminths. We review the life cycle of Plasmodium, the protozoa that causes malaria, and cover the different classifications of helminths.
Chapter 5, Episode 19In this episode we explore the characteristics of microorganisms belonging to the kingdom of fungi. What makes them unique, what their morphologies are, the similarities between fungal cells and human cells, and the differences between fungal cells and bacteria. We also briefly touch on mycoses, the fungal pathogens, and end the episode with the benefits of fungi to humans and to our environment.
Chapter 5, Episode 18This episode introduces the Endosymbiotic Theory and explains how complex eukaryotic cells evolved from prokaryotic ancestors. We briefly review the major groups of microbial eukaryotes and highlight the structural features, including mitochondria, chloroplasts, and membrane-bound organelles, that distinguish them from bacteria and influence how we treat eukaryotic pathogens.
Chapter 4, Episode 17This episode examines the internal structures of bacteria, including chromosomes, plasmids, ribosomes, and the powerful survival strategy of endospore formation. We also compare bacteria to archaea and introduce Bergey’s Manual as a tool for microbial identification in clinical and lab settings.
Chapter 4, Episode 16We dive into the external structures that help bacteria move, attach, exchange genes, and survive. From flagella and chemotaxis to pili, capsules, and the Gram-positive vs. Gram-negative cell envelope, this episode connects structure to staining, antibiotic susceptibility, and disease severity.
Chapter 4, Episode 15This episode explores the structure and “lifestyle” of bacterial cells, from shape and arrangement to biofilm formation and motility. Learn how features like capsules, flagella, and quorum sensing influence infection, antibiotic resistance, and clinical outcomes.
Chapter 3, Episode 14This episode explains how clinical laboratories identify microbes using a stepwise, evidence-based approach, combining culture, staining, biochemical tests, and molecular methods. You’ll see how rapid, accurate identification guides treatment decisions and why no single test is sufficient on its own.
Chapter 3, Episode 13This episode covers how microscopes and stains allow microbiologists to visualize and interpret microorganisms, emphasizing magnification, resolution, and contrast. You’ll learn when light vs. electron microscopy is used and how staining techniques, especially the Gram stain, provide critical diagnostic information.
Chapter 3, Episode 12This episode focuses on isolation as a foundational microbiology skill, explaining why pure (axenic) cultures are essential for accurate identification. You’ll learn how streak plates, spread plates, and pour plates physically separate microbes and why contamination and mixed cultures complicate interpretation.
Chapter 3, Episode 11This episode explores culture media as diagnostic tools, explaining how media are classified by physical state, chemical composition, and function (general-purpose, enriched, selective, and differential). You’ll learn how microbiologists choose media to encourage growth, suppress competitors, and reveal metabolic traits critical for identification.
Chapter 3, Episode 10This episode introduces the "Five I's;" Inoculation, Incubation, Isolation, Inspection, and Identification, and explains how they provide a logical framework for working with microorganisms in both teaching and clinical labs. You’ll learn how these steps guide everything from culturing microbes to making reliable identifications."The Five I's" created by Marjorie Cowan, 2024
Chapter 2, Episode 9This episode covers proteins, nucleic acids, and ATP as the core molecules of cellular function. You’ll explore protein structure and function, DNA and RNA as information molecules, and ATP as the cell’s energy currency.
Chapter 2, Episode 8This episode introduces carbohydrates and lipids, emphasizing their roles in energy storage, structure, and membranes. Topics include monosaccharides, polysaccharides, fatty acids, phospholipids, and how molecular structure explains function.
Chapter 2, Episode 7This episode focuses on carbon as the backbone of biological molecules and explains how functional groups determine chemical behavior. You’ll learn how hydroxyl, carboxyl, amino, phosphate, and methyl groups shape molecular structure and function
Chapter 2, Episode 6This episode explains why water is the chemical foundation of life and how its properties influence cellular function. Topics include polarity, solutions, concentration, acids and bases, the pH scale, buffers, and how pH affects enzymes and microbial growth.
Chapter 2, Episode 5This episode reviews the basic chemistry needed for microbiology, including atomic structure, elements essential for life, and the major types of chemical bonds. You’ll learn how polarity, electronegativity, and weak interactions like hydrogen bonds explain biological structure and function.
Chapter 1, Episode 4This episode explains how microorganisms are classified and named using modern taxonomy. Major topics include the three domains of life, differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, binomial nomenclature, and why genetic data is essential for microbial classification and identification.
Chapter 1, Episode 3This episode explores the historical experiments that led scientists to reject spontaneous generation and accept germ theory. You’ll review key scientists, classic experiments, Koch’s postulates, and what a scientific theory really means in microbiology
Chapter 1, Episode 2This episode clarifies the relationship between microbes and disease, emphasizing that most microorganisms are harmless or beneficial. Topics include pathogens vs. microbes, communicable vs. noncommunicable diseases, emerging and reemerging diseases, and the role of host immunity and exposure.
Chapter 1, Episode 1An introduction to microbiology as the study of microscopic life, including cellular and acellular organisms, and why microbes matter beyond disease. Key topics include the seven major groups of microorganisms, pathogens vs. non-pathogens, and the concept of microbial ubiquity.
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