Meet the Microbiologist2 Feb 2009

MTS16 - Paul Keim, Ph.D. - The Science Behind the 2001 Anthrax Letter Attacks

Dr. Paul Keim is a professor of biological sciences at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, where his research program focuses on microbial forensics and the genomic analysis of pathogenic bacteria. As an expert in Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium responsible for anthrax, Dr. Keim participated in the FBI’s investigation into the anthrax letter attacks back in 2001.

Microbial forensics is a field that developed in response to the twin threats of biological warfare and biological terrorism. (What’s the difference between biological warfare and biological terrorism? Both have the potential to reach beyond the site of the attack and both are a menace to innocent, unarmed citizens. To me, there’s a fine line here. But I digress.)

Dr. Keim’s interest in microbial forensics arose out of his postdoctoral work at the University of Utah. After this training in phage recombination and genomics, Dr. Keim applied what he had learned about bacterial genetics in a collaboration with scientists working on resolving and identifying the various strains of B. anthracis. Fast forward to this past summer, when the F.B.I. revealed that Dr. Keim used his expertise on B. anthracis to help in the investigation that concluded a researcher at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) perpetrated the anthrax attacks. Dr. Keim, along with several other scientists who helped in the F.B.I.’s

In this podcast, I talked with Dr. Keim about his work with the F.B.I., whether the payoffs of bioterrorism research are worth the costs, and about how the plague (yes, the Black Death) made its way to North American shores and continues to sicken about a dozen people every year.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(178)

The Value of Curiosity-Driven Research: Mechanism Discovery With Glen McGugan

Glen McGugan, Ph.D., Director of ASM's Mechanism Discovery Unit, discusses how curiosity‑driven research—from parasite virulence to CRISPR and complex microbial systems—drives tomorrow's breakthroughs...

11 Mai 51min

Diagnostics in Action: Telling Microbial Stories

Andrea Prinzi, Ph.D., MPH, SM(ASCP), and Rodney Rohde, Ph.D.,SM(ASCP)CM, SVCM, trace how passion‑driven, nonlinear paths in clinical microbiology led them from hospital benches and public health labs ...

17 Apr 44min

Decoding the Pneumococcal Capsule With Moon Nahm

Moon Nahm, M.D., professor emeritus at UAB Department of Medicine and Director of the World Health Organization's Pneumococcal Serology Reference Laboratory at UAB, discusses his career in pneumococca...

28 Mar 42min

From Earth to Orbit: Applied and Environmental Microbiology With Veronica Garcia

From leading R&D at a biotech startup company to conducting environmental monitoring for NASA, Veronica Garcia, Ph.D., Scientific Director of the ASM Applied and Environmental Microbiology unit shares...

13 Feb 35min

Unraveling Introns and Expectations With Marlene Belfort, Ph.D.

Marlene Belfort, Ph.D., a distinguished professor at the University at Albany and author of Mommy, Can Boys Also Be Doctors?, discusses her journey in science, balancing personal and professional life...

24 Jan 45min

The Gut Healing Power of Microbes and Cruciferous Vegetables

Episode Summary Sue Ishaq, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Microbiomes at the University of Maine, discusses how gut microbes transform seemingly inert plant compounds—like glucosinolates found in brocc...

24 Okt 202542min

Preventing Foodborne Pathogens With Plant-Derived Compounds with Karl Matthews

Karl Matthews, Ph.D., Professor of Microbial Food Safety at Rutgers University, discusses ways to eliminate pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria from fresh fruits and vegetables. He...

25 Sep 202559min

Early Microbial Life with Michael Lynch and Vaughn Cooper

Michael Lynch, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Mechanisms of Evolution at Arizona State University and Vaughn Cooper, Ph.D., professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Pit...

22 Aug 202540min