Let's Talk Micro

Artificial intelligence is changing how healthcare professionals access and use clinical information. But what does that look like at the point of care?
In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, Luis is joined by Dr. Declan Kelly, physician, software engineer, and founder of Eolas Medical, to discuss the role of AI in clinical decision support. Dr. Kelly shares how challenges accessing institutional guidelines and clinical knowledge led to the development of Eolas Medical and how AI can help healthcare professionals find the information they need when making clinical decisions.
The conversation explores the importance of local guidelines, the connection between the clinical microbiology laboratory and antimicrobial stewardship, and how AI can help bridge the gap between laboratory data, institutional knowledge, and patient care. They also discuss evidence supporting these technologies, concerns surrounding AI hallucinations and clinical safety, and how clinical decision support may evolve in the years ahead.
Tune in to learn how AI is changing the way clinical knowledge is accessed and what that could mean for the future of healthcare.
This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Eolas Medical. 
Eolas Medical is a clinical knowledge platform founded by physician Dr. Declan Kelly, who saw firsthand how hard it can be to find trusted guidance at the point of care. Using AI grounded exclusively in an organization's own approved protocols and guidelines, Eolas gives clinicians fast, accurate answers instead of generic search results. It is used across 90% of acute NHS trusts and 600+ sites globally, including Stanford and Mass General Brigham. For antimicrobial stewardship, a peer-reviewed study published in Nature Portfolio's npj Antimicrobials and Resistance found prescribing accuracy improved from 47% to 100% with Ask Eolas at the point of care.
Resources
Eolas Medical: https://www.eolasmedical.com/
Study — Enhancing quality of antimicrobial prescribing through 'Ask Eolas' (language model): a user-testing and simulation evaluation:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44259-026-00187-7
Summary of study: Eolas Medical — Summary of the study and implications for antimicrobial stewardship
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Let's Talk Micro is back for a new season! In this season premiere, Luis is joined by Dr. Megan Amerson-Brown to discuss the important connection between clinical microbiology and infection prevention.
Dr. Amerson-Brown shares her career journey from the microbiology bench to infection prevention and ultimately laboratory leadership. She discusses how microbiologists contribute to infection prevention through surveillance, diagnostic stewardship, outbreak investigations, and collaboration with infection prevention teams.
The conversation also explores how laboratorians can become more involved in infection prevention while remaining in the laboratory, resources and certifications for those interested in the field, the importance of mentorship, and potential career pathways for microbiologists considering a transition into infection prevention.
Tune in to the season premiere and learn more about the role microbiologists play in infection prevention and the opportunities available both at and beyond the bench.
Additional Resources
a-IPC™ (Associate – Infection Prevention and Control) Examination — Information about the entry-level infection prevention and control certification discussed during the episode.

CIC® (Certification in Infection Control and Epidemiology) Examination — Information about the CIC certification examination.

APIC – Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology — Education, career development, and other resources for infection prevention professionals.

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Recorded live at ASM Microbe 2026 in Washington, DC, this special episode marks the first live recording of Let's Talk Micro. Joining me are co-host Dr. Andrea Prinzi and guest Dr. Nathan Ledeboer for a discussion on the evolving role of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in clinical microbiology and antimicrobial resistance.
Can whole genome sequencing predict antimicrobial susceptibility? What are its current limitations? How close are we to incorporating WGS into routine clinical microbiology laboratories? Throughout the conversation, we explore the opportunities and challenges of implementing sequencing technologies, including bioinformatics, workflow, reimbursement, and the need for continued collaboration between microbiologists, infectious diseases specialists, pharmacists, and antimicrobial stewardship teams.
We also discuss how WGS may transform outbreak investigations, epidemiologic surveillance, and the future role of the clinical microbiologist as advanced diagnostics become increasingly integrated into patient care.
Whether you're a bench microbiologist, laboratory leader, infectious diseases professional, or student, this episode offers an exciting look at where clinical microbiology is headed and what whole genome sequencing can realistically tell us about antimicrobial resistance.
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En este episodio en español de Let's Talk Micro, Luis conversa nuevamente con el Dr. Germán Esparza sobre los cambios más relevantes incluidos en la edición 2026 del documento CLSI M100. Durante la conversación, revisan nuevas opciones terapéuticas como aztreonam-avibactam, actualizaciones en los puntos de corte para Acinetobacter y Neisseria gonorrhoeae, cambios en aminoglucósidos, consideraciones de control de calidad y los desafíos asociados con las pruebas de susceptibilidad para el complejo Burkholderia cepacia.
Además, discuten cómo los laboratorios pueden evaluar e implementar estos cambios de manera segura, la importancia de la colaboración con los programas de optimización de antimicrobianos y ofrecen un adelanto de la próxima edición del documento CLSI M45.
Temas discutidos:
Aztreonam-avibactam y resistencia antimicrobiana

Actualizaciones de puntos de corte y pruebas de susceptibilidad

Control de calidad e implementación de cambios en el laboratorio

Avances y perspectivas para CLSI M45

🔗 Recursos
Acceda gratuitamente al CLSI M100: https://em100.edaptivedocs.net/Login.aspx
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ASM Microbe is the largest microbiology meeting in the United States, bringing together thousands of scientists, laboratorians, clinicians, and industry partners to discuss the latest advances in microbiology.
In this episode, Luis shares highlights from ASM Microbe 2026, including sessions on diagnostic challenges, antimicrobial resistance, rapid susceptibility testing, emerging therapeutics, laboratory automation, phage therapy, and whole-genome sequencing. Topics include a Brucella case that reinforces the importance of Gram stain interpretation, updates on resistance mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and KPC-producing organisms, advances in rapid AST, and innovations showcased in the vendor hall.
Luis also discusses several posters that caught his attention, covering pharyngeal gonorrhea, direct-from-specimen susceptibility testing, phage testing, rapid resistance reporting for Mycobacterium abscessus, and CRISPR-based diagnostics for bloodstream infections.
Whether you attended ASM Microbe 2026 or couldn't make it this year, this episode provides a practical overview of some of the trends, technologies, and conversations shaping the future of clinical microbiology.
Topics Discussed:
• Diagnostic challenges in clinical microbiology
• Rapid identification and susceptibility testing
• Antimicrobial resistance and emerging therapies
• ESKAPE pathogens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Laboratory automation and AI-assisted workflows
• Phage therapy and phage susceptibility testing
• Whole-genome sequencing and CRISPR diagnostics
Stay connected with Let's Talk Micro:
Website: letstalkmicro.com

Questions or feedback? Email me at letstalkmicro@outlook.com

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