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People, Parasites, and Plagues: Daily Summaries Delivered
by David Peterson and Kim Klonowski
People, Parasites, and Plagues is a podcast aimed at delivering information about the fascinating pathogens among us from the impressive professionals who study them. Join our hosts Dr. David Peterson and Dr. Kim Klonowski, two infectious disease researchers from the University of Georgia, as we explore the past, present, and future of science. Tune in every other week for a new and enlightening episode as we unpack the details surrounding some of Earth’s most perplexing diseases.
Latest Episodes
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- 1 weeks ago28 min
The Parasite and the Placenta: Malaria During Pregnancy (Part 1)
What happens when malaria threatens more than just the person infected? In Part 1 of this two-part episode of People, Parasites & Plagues, hosts David Peterson and Kim Klonowski welcome Dr. Julie Moore, a professor at the University of Florida, to explore the complex relationship between malaria and pregnancy. Dr. Moore discusses how malaria parasites interact with the placenta, the challenges they pose to maternal and fetal health, and the immune responses that influence pregnancy outcom...
- Sep 25, 202637 min
Regeneration Nation: Inside the Remarkable Biology of Planarians
How does a planarian know what to regrow, and when to stop? In this episode of People, Parasites & Plagues, we sit down with Dr. Rachel Roberts-Galbraith from UGA's Regenerative Bioscience Center to explore the remarkable biology that allows planarians to regenerate missing parts of their bodies. We dive into how these tiny organisms repair wounds, rebuild complex tissues, and coordinate the cellular signals needed to restore the right structures in the right places. Along the way, we dis...
- Sep 11, 202637 min
The Parasite with Thousands of Disguises: How Trypanosomes Evade Immunity
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. David Horn, Chair of Parasite Molecular Biology at the University of Dundee in Scotland. We explore how Trypanosoma brucei, the parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness, manages to stay one step ahead of the immune system. Dr. Horn explains the remarkable process of antigenic variation, where trypanosomes draw from thousands of surface-protein genes and fragments, continually changing their appearance and evading immune attacks. We also dis...
- May 29, 202632 min
Toxoplasma’s Stealth Mode: Hiding in the Brain
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Robyn Kent, Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, to explore how Toxoplasma gondii persists in the body long after infection. Dr. Kent breaks down the parasite’s chronic stage, where Toxoplasma forms cysts in tissues like the brain and muscle. But rather than simply “going dormant,” her research suggests these parasites may remain active, responsive, and far more dynamic than previously thought. We discuss tachyzoites, bra...
- May 8, 202640 min
Paleopathology: A Window Into Ancient Diseases
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Uhl, a veterinary pathologist at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine, to explore how disease leaves its mark across time. Dr. Uhl introduces us to paleopathology, the study of disease in ancient remains, and explains how animal bones, historical records, archaeology, and modern pathology can work together to reveal the health landscapes of the past. From pre-Columbian dog skeletons and canine distemper to horses, wartime d...
- Apr 13, 202639 min
The World’s Most Successful Parasite: Inside Toxoplasma’s Weird Biology
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Diego Huet, an associate professor in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Georgia, to explore Toxoplasma gondii. It's often called the world’s most successful parasite. Infecting up to a third of the global population, Toxoplasma is both incredibly common and largely invisible. Dr. Huet breaks down how it spreads, why most people never know they have it, and how it can persist in the body for life by forming dormant cysts. We also dive into the p...
- Mar 23, 202635 min
Rebuilding Immunity: The Thymus, Your Immune System’s Hidden Architect
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Nancy Manley, Director of the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. Before ASU, she spent over 20 years at the University of Georgia, where she served as Head of the Department of Genetics and a Distinguished Research Professor studying the thymus. We explore one of the body’s most overlooked yet essential organs, the thymus, and how it builds and shapes the immune system over time. Dr. Manley breaks down why this organ is far more dynamic ...
- Mar 6, 202632 min
An Open-Source Pandemic: Genomes, Metadata, and Real-Time Outbreak Science
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Justin Bahl, a UGA Professor of Epidemology and Biostatistics. David and Kim explore how modern epidemiology uses genomic data and statistics to track the spread of infectious diseases. From studying fungi on palm leaves across Asia and Australia to analyzing viral genomes during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, Dr. Bahl shares how global field experience and biostatistical tools come together to reveal how pathogens move through populations. We discuss molecular ...
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About People, Parasites, and Plagues
People, Parasites, and Plagues is a podcast aimed at delivering information about the fascinating pathogens among us from the impressive professionals who study them. Join our hosts Dr. David Peterson and Dr. Kim Klonowski, two infectious disease researchers from the University of Georgia, as we explore the past, present, and future of science. Tune in every other week for a new and enlightening episode as we unpack the details surrounding some of Earth’s most perplexing diseases.
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