People, Parasites, and Plagues
David Peterson and Kim Klonowski
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About This Podcast
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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Recent Episodes
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
When Neutralizing Isn’t Enough: The Immunology of Alphavirus Defense
The hosts sit down with Dr. Julie Fox, Chief of the Emerging Virus Immunity Unit at NIAID, National Institutes of Health, to explore the science of alphavirus immunity and what antibodies really do…
The Hidden Empire of Parasitoid Wasps
Parasitoid wasps are some of the most successful organisms on Earth, even if most of us never notice them.In this episode, Dr. Michael Strand from the UGA Department of Entomology takes us inside the…
From Pathogen to Prescription: Reimagining E. coli
What if your gut bacteria could become medicine?In this episode, a UGA microbiologist, Greg Phillips, reveals how engineered probiotic E. coli can produce L-dopa, the frontline treatment for…
The Silent Architect: Chromatin’s Role in Fungal Outbreaks
Dive into the world of chromatin and epigenetics with Dr. Zachary Lewis, an associate professor at the UGA Department of Microbiology. His research explores how chromatin structure and other…
Endocytosis: T. cruzi's Cool Parasite Trick
This episode takes us inside the lab of Dr. Drew Etheridge, an associate professor in the UGA Department of Cellular Biology. He walks us through his scientific path and his current work on…
Parasites & Passports: Graduate Students on Science & Self-Discovery
Two UGA graduate students take us inside their world of science! Kaelynn Parker (Cellular Biology) and Grace Woods Vick (Infectious Diseases) share what it’s really like working in the lab, traveling…
The Science of Public Policy
This episode leans into the “people” side of People, Parasites & Plagues.Our guest is Dr. Erik C. Ness, Professor and Director of the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education at UGA. While his…
Lock and Key: The Devious Mechanisms of Viral Entry
Today we’re joined by Dr. Melinda Brindley, a molecular virologist at the UGA Department of Infectious Diseases. Her research explores how enveloped viruses enter host cells and replicate.…
Observable Variations: Using Genetic Marker Systems for Infectious Diseases
This week, we’re joined by Dr. Travis Glenn, Director of the UGA Institute of Bioinformatics, to discuss his work with genetic marker systems and how he's using these systems to group infectious…
S4E17 PPP Book Club: Infectious Reads 2
We're ending this season with another Book Club! Our hosts are joined today by Production Assistant Syd Weigand to discuss the novels they've read about malaria, tuberculosis, and new guinea…
S4E16 Treating Mosquitoes: Innovative Ways To Combat Malaria
This week we're joined by Dr. Douglas Paton, Assistant Professor of the UGA Department of Infectious Diseases. We've covered malaria before- but not like this! Tune in to hear about his…
S4E15 Harnessing the Hulk: Insights on T Cell Function
Today's guest is a special one; he's travelled all the way from Australia to chat with us! Dr. Stephen Turner, Professor and Head of the Department of Microbiology at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery…
S4E14 SCWDS: Monitoring Wildlife Health for 50 Years
Today we're talking to Dr. Mark Ruder, the Director of SCWDS and Professor of Wildlife Heath here at UGA. Tune in to hear about the origins of the Southern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study and Dr.…
S4E13 Wolbachia: Unwelcome Guest or Essential Partner?
You'll have to tune in to find out! Today we're chatting with Dr. Vincent Starai, an associate professor of the UGA Department of Microbiology about his research with the obligate intracellular…
S4E12 Hypnozoites: World's Best Nappers
This week we're joined by Dr. Chester Joyner of the UGA Department of Infectious Diseases to discuss his research with Plasmodium vivax and the curious nature of its dormant liver stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
People, Parasites, and Plagues has published 54 episodes since April 2021, covering topics in Health & Fitness, Life Sciences.
People, Parasites, and Plagues is currently highly active with new episodes monthly. Average episode length is 33m.
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