Microbes That Shape Our World Dr. Christopher Garner On The Innovation Of Microbiology
Finding Genius Podcast
Richard Jacobs
4.4 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 12 December 2025
⏱️ 20 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What role does the study of microorganisms play in fostering innovation in an ever-changing world? Can these organisms shape ecosystems, influence climate processes, and power emerging biotechnologies with world-changing potential? In this episode, Dr. Christopher Garner, an assistant professor in the biology department at Southern Nazarene University, sits down to share his thoughts on this fascinating topic…
Dr. Garner earned his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Oklahoma in 2024. During his graduate studies, he taught microbiology and received the 2022 Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences Dissertation Research Fellowship. His primary research focus is the ecology and physiology of methane-oxidizing bacteria, as well as the isolation and taxonomic characterization of novel bacteria.
Click play to discover:
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The ways that mosquitoes can spread various microbiomes.
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How microbes can enhance modern infrastructure, from wastewater treatment to bioremediation of polluted environments
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How microbial communities adapt to environmental change, and what that means for future ecosystems
Dr. Garner's broader interests span microbial biotechnology, bioremediation, microbial ecology, and science education — providing a wide-lens perspective on how microbial science can solve some of humanity's most pressing issues. From climate change to sustainability to the future of medicine, Dr. Garner explains why microbes are not just relevant, but essential.
You can learn more about Dr. Garner on his academic website and his SNU webpage!
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9C
🛍️ Recommended Books & Accessories from this Episode
📖 Microbiology: An Introduction – A comprehensive introduction to microbiology, covering essential concepts, organisms, and their impact on human health and the environment.
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📘 Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy – Explore the future of energy and the revolutionary potential of methanol as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
👉 Check it out
📙 The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator – Discover the fascinating and deadly history of mosquitoes, the tiny creatures responsible for millions of human deaths.
👉 Explore it here
👜 Zevo 2 Flying Insect Traps & 2 Refill Cartridges – Keep your home free of flying insects with this effective, non-toxic solution to trap and eliminate pests.
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🎁 Micropipette Kit – Essential for lab work or science experiments, this micropipette kit provides precise measurement for accurate results.
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Note: These are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps support the podcast. Thank you!
Transcript
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| 0:25.1 | Sleep science, cancer, stem cells, ketogenic diets, and more. |
| 0:28.6 | Here come the geniuses. |
| 0:30.3 | This is the Finding Genius podcast with Richard Jacobs. |
| 0:37.5 | Hello, this is Richard Jacobs with the Fine Genius podcast. |
| 0:41.3 | My guest today is Christopher Garner, H.D. |
| 0:44.0 | He's an assistant professor of biology at Southern Nazarene University. |
| 0:47.5 | We're going to talk about the work he's doing in microbiology with methanogens or bacteria |
| 0:53.4 | that interact with methane, So, and there's research |
| 0:56.0 | and everything. So welcome. Thanks for coming. Hey, I really appreciate you having me on. Thank you. |
| 1:00.6 | And tell me a bit about your current research and your background, then we'll go from there. |
| 1:04.4 | Yeah. So my research interests are pretty varied. I study bacteria in a general sense, but very different kinds of |
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