Mark O. Martin
@markowenmartin.bsky.social
Microbial evangelist and podcaster. Husband, father, moderate. Associate Professor at the University of Puget Sound, facing retirement in June of 2026. Looking for what is next that sparks microbial joy.
Someone is spying on me.
November 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Someone is spying on me.
When I see this crate in front of a colleague’s lab, I am reminded of “The Crate” from Stephen King’s movie “Creepshow.”
November 10, 2025 at 7:19 PM
When I see this crate in front of a colleague’s lab, I am reminded of “The Crate” from Stephen King’s movie “Creepshow.”
I am barely holding myself back from buying this!
November 10, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I am barely holding myself back from buying this!
I saw this today. As a long term reader of Jung, it hit me hard. My late brother Jack always listened.
November 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I saw this today. As a long term reader of Jung, it hit me hard. My late brother Jack always listened.
I’m very fond of this “ghost” from York Ghost Merchants. It was not easy to obtain, but I managed. You know how I feel about things that glow. @yorkghostmerchants
November 10, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I’m very fond of this “ghost” from York Ghost Merchants. It was not easy to obtain, but I managed. You know how I feel about things that glow. @yorkghostmerchants
My efforts to help my students avoid just BLAST to examine isolates continues. The goal is to give them something *like* RDP Classifier did as seen here. One of my former #Micronauts who is a bioinformatician is trying to create an app in "Shiny" to do this. Fingers crossed.
November 10, 2025 at 12:59 AM
My efforts to help my students avoid just BLAST to examine isolates continues. The goal is to give them something *like* RDP Classifier did as seen here. One of my former #Micronauts who is a bioinformatician is trying to create an app in "Shiny" to do this. Fingers crossed.
The talented Ray Troll created this poster many years. Me, I want a version about "Microbe Worship"!
November 10, 2025 at 12:51 AM
The talented Ray Troll created this poster many years. Me, I want a version about "Microbe Worship"!
My #Bio350 #Micronauts often find the most unusual things to show me. Here is a swab from the straw of a water bottle. The clear areas are most likely gliders, pushing other microbes away. Phage are unlikely since the background is many of many taxa. #WildMicrobesRule #ObservationIsKey
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 AM
My #Bio350 #Micronauts often find the most unusual things to show me. Here is a swab from the straw of a water bottle. The clear areas are most likely gliders, pushing other microbes away. Phage are unlikely since the background is many of many taxa. #WildMicrobesRule #ObservationIsKey
Really good advice.
November 10, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Really good advice.
Many years ago, I had a friend named Bill Metcalf at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was so bloody smart about bacterial genetics. And he would often remind me that the bacteria did not care about our efforts to study them; they had their own agenda, and it was not ours.
November 10, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Many years ago, I had a friend named Bill Metcalf at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was so bloody smart about bacterial genetics. And he would often remind me that the bacteria did not care about our efforts to study them; they had their own agenda, and it was not ours.
Sometimes I get frustrated I don’t get more attention for my efforts to promote #MicrobialCentrism. But I cannot change people’s minds. So I do the best I can, where I am, with the resources I have available. Anything else is icky ego.
November 9, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Sometimes I get frustrated I don’t get more attention for my efforts to promote #MicrobialCentrism. But I cannot change people’s minds. So I do the best I can, where I am, with the resources I have available. Anything else is icky ego.
An important PSA.
November 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
An important PSA.
Something strange and wonderful from the artist @hazelowlery .
November 9, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Something strange and wonderful from the artist @hazelowlery .
Here is a great example of a creative extra credit project from my #Bio350 #Micronauts at @univpugetsound Also very funny and true. @asmicrobiology @MicrobeTV
November 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Here is a great example of a creative extra credit project from my #Bio350 #Micronauts at @univpugetsound Also very funny and true. @asmicrobiology @MicrobeTV
My #Bio350 #Micronauts always find the most interesting isolates. Here is a fascinating isolate from moss. It starts out supermucoid, then the center of the colony slumps, forming “donut colonies.” #MicrobiologyIsStrangeAndWonderful. @univpugetsound @ASMicrobiology @microbe.tv
November 8, 2025 at 8:21 PM
My #Bio350 #Micronauts always find the most interesting isolates. Here is a fascinating isolate from moss. It starts out supermucoid, then the center of the colony slumps, forming “donut colonies.” #MicrobiologyIsStrangeAndWonderful. @univpugetsound @ASMicrobiology @microbe.tv
Azula the Fearsome Ambush Predator
November 8, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Azula the Fearsome Ambush Predator
Modifying the famous Jeff Goldblum quote from “Jurassic Park” for my classroom purposes. After all, I’m a #MicrobialCentrist who understands that the #SmallMasters were #FirstEvolvedLastExtinct. @univpugetsound @ASMicrobiology @microbetv.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Modifying the famous Jeff Goldblum quote from “Jurassic Park” for my classroom purposes. After all, I’m a #MicrobialCentrist who understands that the #SmallMasters were #FirstEvolvedLastExtinct. @univpugetsound @ASMicrobiology @microbetv.bsky.social
Friday means a new #MattersMicrobial podcast. This week, Dr. Hannah Ledvina joins the #QualityQuorum to chat about how bacteria can shield themselves against Bdellovibrio attack! Please spread the #GoodMicrobialWord. @univpugetsound @ASMicrobiology @microbe.tv
youtu.be/n31kkw576GE?...
youtu.be/n31kkw576GE?...
November 7, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Friday means a new #MattersMicrobial podcast. This week, Dr. Hannah Ledvina joins the #QualityQuorum to chat about how bacteria can shield themselves against Bdellovibrio attack! Please spread the #GoodMicrobialWord. @univpugetsound @ASMicrobiology @microbe.tv
youtu.be/n31kkw576GE?...
youtu.be/n31kkw576GE?...
Fridays are a bit challenging. Next, recording a fabulous #MattersMicrobial podcast session with Dr. Julie Maresca about microbes and concrete! Holler to @mostlymicrobeshost .
November 7, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Fridays are a bit challenging. Next, recording a fabulous #MattersMicrobial podcast session with Dr. Julie Maresca about microbes and concrete! Holler to @mostlymicrobeshost .
Fridays are a bit challenging with lots to do: first, getting ready at 7AM my time.
November 7, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Fridays are a bit challenging with lots to do: first, getting ready at 7AM my time.
A wonderful claymation style stop motion video of the Bdellovibrio life cycle made by the talented @jennifer.j.quinn a few years ago. Epic! @univpugetsound.bsky.social @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv
November 7, 2025 at 5:52 PM
A wonderful claymation style stop motion video of the Bdellovibrio life cycle made by the talented @jennifer.j.quinn a few years ago. Epic! @univpugetsound.bsky.social @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv
A #Micronaut in a prior #microbiology #Bio350 course at @univpugetsound.bsky.social made this for me a couple of years ago. I will miss working with students very much. @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv
November 6, 2025 at 11:00 PM
A #Micronaut in a prior #microbiology #Bio350 course at @univpugetsound.bsky.social made this for me a couple of years ago. I will miss working with students very much. @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv
My #Bio350 #Micronauts and the University of Puget Sound make me happy so often. I will miss working with them! @univpugetsound @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv
November 6, 2025 at 3:37 AM
My #Bio350 #Micronauts and the University of Puget Sound make me happy so often. I will miss working with them! @univpugetsound @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv