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This Week in Microbiology

Podcast · www.asm.org/twim · EN
Hosted by Vincent Racaniello

This Week in Microbiology is hosted by Vincent Racaniello and guests, covering microbes, bacteria, fungi and host-microbe research in an informal, accessible conversation. The show has 366 episodes, released about every two weeks, with a median length of around 55 minutes. Estimated downloads per episode are 3,000 to 8,000, implying a sponsorship rate of roughly $60 to $200 per host-read mid-roll.

Why brands sponsor This Week in Microbiology

Science-literate listeners in a long-running, highly rated microbiology show

  • 366 episodes since 2011 with a 4.8 average Apple rating from 534 ratings
  • Episodes run about 55 minutes, giving room for a full host-read segment
  • Listeners engage with research on gut bacteria, metabolism and disease
Best forhealth and nutrition brandsscientific tools and lab supplierseducational products
Watch forNo sponsors seen to date, so no proven ad performance; audience estimates are indirect.

Brand fit report

Content

Topics, IAB taxonomy
Science85%
Health & Fitness15%
Formats
interview, co-hosted discussion, research paper walkthrough
Tone
informative, conversational
Language
English
Production
Clean, edited audio
Typical length
45 to 60 minutes

Audience

Commercial intent10/100
Comments asking for links, prices or where to buy
Sentiment90/100
Estimated from titles, descriptions and engagement
Est. downloads per episode3k–8k
Estimated, confidence 50%: 534 Apple ratings (band of 50 to 200 ratings, 2,000 to 8,000 downloads), adjusted upward for a long-running show with 366 episodes and a top Podcast Index popularity bucket, against a biweekly cadence and no sponsors seen.
Audience asks aboutHow do gut bacteria affect disease?How do bacteria resist antibiotics?How do microbes interact with plants and insects?
Age
15%18-24
30%25-34
25%35-44
30%45+
Gender
45%women
55%men
Countries
🇺🇸 United States50%
LanguagesEnglish 100%

Commercial

0%of the last 20 episodes had a sponsor
None seenno sponsor mentions in the last 20 episodes
Brands seen
American Society for Microbiology
Categories promoted
None yet
Affiliate links
No

No sponsor mentions found in the feed; the show is published under the American Society for Microbiology as owner.

Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability

Profanitylow
Adultlow
Drugslow
Violencelow
Politicslow

Family friendly
Episode titles cover bacteria, viruses, cancer and heart disease in a scientific register with no explicit flags.

We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.

Where to listen

Benchmark score: 75 / 100

Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.

Consistency Latest episode within the usual cadence50 / 50
Activity Episodes in the last 90 days, weekly is full marks14 / 30
Reach Estimated downloads per episode, 20k is full marks6 / 20

Recent episodes

Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 9 days ago, a new one about every 14 days.

This Week in Microbiology is a podcast about unseen life on Earth hosted by Vincent Racaniello and friends. Following in the path of his successful shows 'This Week in Virology' (TWiV) and 'This Week in Parasitism' (TWiP), Racaniello and guests produce an informal yet informative conversation about microbes which is accessible to everyone, no matter what their science background.
This Week in Microbiology's own show description from the podcast feed

Do you make This Week in Microbiology? Claim or remove this page.

About This Week in Microbiology

This Week in Microbiology is a science podcast hosted by Vincent Racaniello and guests, according to the show feed. Each episode is an informal, accessible conversation about unseen life, covering bacteria, fungi and their effects on health, agriculture and the environment. The show has published 366 episodes since February 2011, currently on a biweekly schedule, with a median length of about 55 minutes.

The show is published by the American Society for Microbiology and carries a 4.8 average rating from 534 ratings on Apple Podcasts. Listeners are likely to be science-interested adults, and the audience is estimated at 3,000 to 8,000 downloads per episode, based on rating counts and the show's age. No sponsors appear in the feed, so the show is currently run as an editorial product.

A host-read mid-roll is estimated at $60 to $200 per episode, based on the estimated download range. This suits health, nutrition and scientific brands looking for a knowledgeable, engaged audience.

Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. This Week in Microbiology can edit or remove this page at any time.

Questions about This Week in Microbiology

How much does This Week in Microbiology charge for a podcast sponsorship?

Based on an estimated 3,000 to 8,000 downloads per episode, a host-read mid-roll is estimated at roughly $60 to $200. Exact pricing depends on the show's current terms and should be confirmed with the show.

What is This Week in Microbiology about?

The show is a science podcast hosted by Vincent Racaniello and guests, covering microbes such as bacteria and fungi, their role in health and disease, and recent research findings.

How do I contact This Week in Microbiology about sponsoring an episode?

The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can be booked through Starbooked.

Similar creators

Podcast and other creators in microbiology, ranked by score.

CreatorNichesEst. downloadsMedian viewsRateScore
evolutionary biologygenomics2k–$40–9063