Matters Microbial #121: Phollowing Phage in the Gut Microbiome

Matters Microbial #121: Phollowing Phage in the Gut Microbiome January 7, 2026 Today Dr. Liz de Ora Ortiz, postdoctoral scholar in the Secor Laboratory at Montana State University, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss a fascinating new technology that allows investigators to follow bacteriophage infections in live animals. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Liz de Ora Ortiz Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode The fascinating and frustrating (for researchers like me) story of Vampirococcus. A Vampirococcus summary for new #Micronauts. An overview of Agrobacterium, a bacterium about which all micronauts should know (think about genetic engineering in agriculture!). The story of Pelagibacter, very probably the most abundant organism on Earth. The story of Akkermansia, and its impact on metabolic health and the gut microbiome. An important essay by the late Dr. Elio Schaechter regarding paradigm shifts in microbiology. Much recommended! A truly wonderful video about bacteriophages and their importance. A simple video explaining the life cycle of lytic and lysogenic bacteriophages. A video from the American Society of Microbiology linking CRISPR and bacteriophages. A review of genes "hitchhiking" in bacteriophages. An introduction to Phollow technology. An overview and discussion of the Phollow technology discussed in this podcast (paywalled). A Phollow related publication also discussed during the podcast. The Wiles laboratory, where Dr. de Ora Ortiz and colleagues developed the Phollow technology. Dr. Travis Wiles' episode of #MattersMicrobial. The Secor laboratory, where Dr. de Ora Ortiz currently works. Dr. de Ora Ortiz's LinkedIn profile. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com