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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · 11d

Been a while, but I’m glad my feed is still filled with a strong community of scientists!

Wanted to share this amazing honor from ASCP as one of their 2025 40 Under Forty honorees. And also to show off this mini scientist my cousin got me. My tchotchke shelf at work is growing ☺️ #ClinMicro

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Jul 2

New pub alert! 🚨 my fellowship project from @uclapathology.bsky.social is finally out, and I’ll be discussing it at next Monday’s CCMID meeting if you’re interested! #ClinMicro #IDSky

Development and validation of next-generation sequencing-based clinical test for triazole resistance prediction in Aspergillus fumigatus | Journal of Clinical Microbiology

The rising rates of antifungal resistance have been expressed by many as “the silent pandemic,” profoundly reshaping the landscape of fungal disease management. Innovations in clinical mycology, howev...

journals.asm.org

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

IDSA @idsainfo.bsky.social · Jun 26

"We will not stay silent."

IDSA President Tina Tan, MD, FIDSA, FPIDS, FAAP, joins @ameracadpeds.bsky.social, @acpimphysicians.bsky.social,
@acog.org, and @aafp.org in urging evidence-based vaccine recommendations. bit.ly/443ptQw

We will not stay silent on vaccines, say leaders of five major U.S. medical associations

“We cannot and will not gamble with our patients’ health or the health of our communities,” write the presidents of the AAFP, AAP, ACP, ACOG, and IDSA.

bit.ly

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Jun 23

I always look forward to ASM Microbe, but 2025 was particularly special because it was hosted in my neck of the woods. I hope my colleagues got to see everything that is beautiful about Los Angeles! #ClinMicro #ASMicrobe2025

Officially recognized as a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Microbiology at the ABMM mixer

A long history of UCLA excellence in Clinical Microbiology

The best CPEP co-fellows anyone could ask for

Participated in a career seminar for budding microbiologists

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Jun 9

#ClinMicro #IDSky

The Associated Press @apnews.com · Jun 9

BREAKING: RFK Jr. removes every member of scientific committee that advises the CDC on vaccine use, pledging to replace them with his own picks.

RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory committee

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has removed every member of a scientific committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to use vaccines.

bit.ly

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

Paul Adamson MD MPH @padamsonmd.bsky.social · Jun 6

There was a cluster of #XDR #Shigella sonnei carrying blaCTX-M-15 in LA ('23-24), reported by @jrcaldera.bsky.social

While infections are usually self-limited, one of these cases was severe, in a person living with #HIV and low CD4

www.ajicjournal.org/article/S019...
@ajicjournal.bsky.social

Cluster of extensively drug-resistant Shigella sonnei carrying blaCTX-M-15 in Los Angeles, California, 2023 to 2024

We describe 3 cases of extensively drug-resistant Shigella sonnei infections among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, CA. Using whole-genome sequencing, we determined that they are highly genet...

www.ajicjournal.org

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

Paul Adamson MD MPH @padamsonmd.bsky.social · Jun 6

🚨 Extensively drug-resistant #Shigella is increasing in #LosAngeles. PLWH and GBMSM are disproportionately affected.

We have seen several of these, very difficult to treat.

Antibiogram shows 📈 resistance, susceptibility testing is 🔑.

#IDsky #Medsky #EMSky #AMR #XDR
🔗: t.e2ma.net/webview/3apx...

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · Apr 30

RFK Jr. ordered the NIH’s Integrated Research Facility in Frederick to stop all research on serious infectious diseases yesterday at 5:00 PM.

They study pathogens like Ebola there. You may be familiar with it from The Hot Zone.

www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...

RFK Jr.'s HHS Orders Lab Studying Deadly Infectious Diseases to Stop Research

NIAID's Integrated Research Facility is one of the few federal facilities charged with studying Ebola. Tuesday afternoon, all of its work was put on indefinite pause by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s departm...

www.wired.com

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Apr 15

For levity 😬

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Apr 3

@uclapathology.bsky.social

JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Apr 3

🚨New pub alert! Hot-off the press! #ClinMicro

“[Rhinovirus] was the most common viral pathogen in young
children, even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and was an independent
driver of moderate-to-severe disease, particularly in children with comorbidities.”

www.mdpi.com/2036-7449/17...

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Apr 1

🙌🏽 #ClinMicro

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

NBC News @nbcnews.com · Mar 25

“Now that the pandemic is over, the grants and cooperative agreements are no longer necessary," federal health authorities wrote to funding recipients this week.

CDC is pulling back $11B in Covid funding sent to health departments across the U.S.

“Now that the pandemic is over, the grants and cooperative agreements are no longer necessary," federal health authorities wrote to funding recipients this week.

nbcnews.to

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Mar 25

#ClinMicro #IDSky
In 5 minutes

Role of type-specific and confirmatory Herpes Simplex Virus IgG testing in diagnosing genital herpes

• HSV types, anatomical sites and mechanisms of infection/reactivation • Factors in transmission of genital HSV infections • Methods to identify HSV infections • Type-spe

www.labroots.com

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

Gleafer @gleafer.bsky.social · Mar 16

(Me flirting) Did you know microbes in the human body contribute MORE to the human body’s survival than our bodies themselves? And there are more microbial genes than human in our bodies?

We just big ol’ walkin’ terrariums.

The sauce:
www.nih.gov/news-events/...

NIH Human Microbiome Project defines normal bacterial makeup of the body

Genome sequencing creates first reference data for microbes living with healthy adults.

www.nih.gov

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

APHL @aphl.org · Mar 12

Currently, four cases of clade I mpox have been detected in this country. Our latest blog highlights how the third case was uncovered in New Hampshire and the state public health laboratory's quick response. #mpox #infectiousdisease #publichealthpreparedness #LRN

Read more:

New Hampshire Reported the Country’s Third Clade I Mpox Case: How the State’s Public Health Laboratory System Sprung Into Action - APHL Blog

By Donna Campisano, specialist, Communications, APHL When it comes to detecting an infectious disease and launching an effective public health response, quick action is everything. And New…

buff.ly

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Mar 5

This 👇

#ClinMicro 🤝 #IDSky 🤝 Global Public

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Mar 5

Whoah boots 👌

Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

chasingmicrobes @chasingmicrobes.bsky.social · Mar 3

CDC Staff Prohibited From Co-Authoring Papers With World Health Organization Personnel

It’s just the latest “Orwellian” crackdown on government scientists.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Jan 31

Thanks! I think cf-mNGS is such a powerful tool, but also desperately suffers from effective stewardship.

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Jan 31

🚨New Pub Alert! Our 1000-Karius retrospective is out! #ClinMicro #IDSky @uclapathology.bsky.social

Jonathan Ryder, MD @jonathanrydermd.bsky.social · Jan 31

New retrospective eval of 1000 Karius tests

Clinical impact: positive 16%, negative 2%, none 82%(!)

Cx neg IE and fastidious/zoonotic/vector-borne increased likelihood of positive impact, but not immunocompromised status

#IDSky @ichejournal.bsky.social

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39881594/

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

ᐯIᑕTOᖇ ᑎIᘔET, ᗰᗪ @nizet.bsky.social · Jan 24

Scientists and Physicians

I’m being serious here —at this precarious juncture, along with all other defensive and support strategies, it is important to seize the public narrative—high level investment and leadership in medical discovery and innovation is unabashedly patriotic!

USA! USA! USA!

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

iddoctor.bsky.social @iddoctor.bsky.social · Jan 22

Following the withdrawal from the WHO, pausing communication from government health agencies is very concerning. #idsky www.cnn.com/2025/01/21/h...

Trump administration directs federal health agencies to pause communications | CNN

Amid a deluge of executive actions, the Trump administration has directed federal health agencies to pause external communications, such as regular scientific reports, updates to websites and health a...

www.cnn.com

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Reposted by JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM)

Alex Sundermann, DrPH @sundermannaj.bsky.social · Jan 21

Just did a lecture on COVID-19/surveillance systems in my infectious disease epidemiology course. Withdrawing would be a major blow to global #PublicHealth...

From @sherylnyt.bsky.social in @nytimes.com

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/u...

Trump Withdraws U.S. from World Health Organization

Public health experts say U.S. withdrawal from the W.H.O. would undermine the nation’s standing as a global health leader and make it harder to fight the next pandemic.

www.nytimes.com

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JR Caldera, PhD, D(ABMM) @jrcaldera.bsky.social · Dec 29

Happy birthday 🎂