Hello, World!

And here we are, all moved over to the new blog! Unfortunately, it will be quite some time before I can get all of the posts from MicroCritters (my old blog) onto the new blog, so stay tuned for some archive posts in the future. In the meantime, my followers can continue to post on MicroCritters, but nothing new will show up there.

For any newcomers, welcome! You've reached the blog of Dr. Richard Graham, the Germ Guy. I'm an epidemiologist, a scientist that studies diseases and epidemics. I work with the CDC on research into new strains of bacteria that could pose a health concern. When epidemics happen, my lab and I work to find a way of quickly controlling the outbreak and determining how to treat those already infected. When we're not doing that, we're checking our colonies of every bacteria and virus under the sun (and we have some rather interesting samples in our labs, definitely don't try what we do at home). I specialize in bacterial outbreaks, particularly those such as Staph and E. coli which get hundreds sick every year from lack of proper understanding and respect for the little critters.

The human body alone has trillions of different species of bacteria living on and in it, let alone the entire earth. Some of those bacteria, like the cultures used in sour cream and yogurt, are helpful bacteria. I believe education is the first step towards helping others stay safe during outbreaks and spreading understanding of our microscopic neighbors. Part of the way I do this is by offering to give university lectures and speeches at microbiology and epidemiology symposiums. Another way I do it (and a far more accessible way, I think) is by posting information about bacteria, viruses, parasites, current outbreaks, and stories from the lab here. The more we understand the smallest of life forms around us, the better we can prevent disease and stay safe. Plus, I think it's fun to share stories about what it's like to work for the CDC. It is my hope that any aspiring or current epidemiologists will find the stories humorous, inspiring, or perhaps even fuel for their own desire to work in my field...