Welcome to another episode of MVIF Conversations – the Podcast!

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Michael Neugent, a urobiome scientist whose research explores the hidden microbial world of the urinary tract. Challenging the long-standing belief that urine is sterile, his work investigates the microbial communities living in the bladder and their potential role in urinary health and disease, particularly urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Together with our hosts Svetlana Ugarcina Perovic and Christina Pavloudi, Dr. Neugent discusses how enhanced culturing and sequencing techniques have transformed our understanding of the urobiome, why some individuals experience recurrent UTIs, and how these microbial communities could influence future treatment strategies. The conversation also explores how combining metagenomics and metabolomics can reveal the complex interactions between microbes and their host. Beyond the science, Dr. Neugent shares his experience transitioning from postdoctoral researcher to leading his own lab, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities that come with this new role.

A fascinating discussion on the urobiome, urinary tract infections, and how meta-omics approaches can uncover the hidden conversations between microbes and their host.

Want to know more about MVIF? Visit: https://www.microbiome-vif.org/

Welcome to another episode of MVIF Conversations – the Podcast!

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Elisabeth Bik, a microbiologist and internationally recognized science integrity researcher. After spending 15 years researching the human microbiome at Stanford School of Medicine, Dr. Bik turned her attention to scientific integrity, systematically examining thousands of biomedical papers for image manipulation, duplication, and other irregularities.

Together with our hosts Svetlana Ugarcina Perovic and Christina Pavloudi, Dr. Bik discusses her journey from microbiome research to independent science integrity work, the discovery that first sparked her interest in research misconduct, and what it is really like to investigate scientific papers on a daily basis. The conversation also explores her experience at uBiome, the challenges facing scientific publishing, the impact of AI on research integrity, and the role of journals and peer review in safeguarding the scientific record. But this episode is not only about what can go wrong in science. Dr. Bik also shares a hopeful perspective on research integrity, offering practical advice for early-career researchers and reminding us that, despite its challenges, most science is good.

A thought-provoking conversation about microbiology, scientific integrity, research culture, publishing, and the importance of trust in science.

Want to know more about MVIF? Visit: ⁠https://www.microbiome-vif.org/

Welcome to another episode of MVIF Conversations – the Podcast!

In this episode, we are joined by Elin Videvall, an evolutionary biologist and microbiome researcher at Uppsala University whose work explores the hidden microbial world of wild animals. From ostriches and reindeer to birds, giraffes, and other wildlife, her research investigates how microbial communities influence animal health, survival, evolution, and conservation.

Together with our host Pamela Ferretti, dr. Videvall discusses how early-life microbial exposure can shape growth and survival, why captivity can dramatically alter animal microbiomes, and how microbes may represent a missing piece in wildlife conservation efforts. The conversation also explores surprising differences between the microbiomes of mammals and birds, the challenges of studying microbes in free-ranging animals, and the vast microbial diversity that remains undiscovered in nature.

A fascinating discussion on wildlife, ecology, conservation, and the invisible microbial communities that help shape life in the wild.

Want to know more about MVIF? Visit: https://www.microbiome-vif.org/