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Artwork for People, Parasites, and Plagues

People, Parasites, and Plagues

David Peterson and Kim Klonowski
Malaria
Infectious Diseases
University Of Georgia
Vaccination
Immunology
T Cells
Toxoplasma Gondii
Galen
Tuberculosis
Plasmodium Vivax
Sars-Cov-2
Viral Entry Mechanisms
Parasitology
Science Communication
Immune Response
Lipid Interactions
Microbiology
Drug Resistance
Public Health
CDC

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 e... more

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Artwork for People, Parasites, and Plagues

Latest Episodes

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, w... more

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 di... more

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 gl... more

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 Di... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Robin Kent
Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Episode: Toxoplasma’s Stealth Mode: Hiding in the Brain
Elizabeth Uhl
Faculty member in the Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Georgia
Episode: Paleopathology: A Window Into Ancient Diseases
Diego Huet
Faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy
University of Georgia
Episode: The World’s Most Successful Parasite: Inside Toxoplasma’s Weird Biology
Nancy Manley
Director of the School of Life Sciences and the John O. Whiteman Dean's Distinguished Professor at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Episode: Rebuilding Immunity: The Thymus, Your Immune System’s Hidden Architect
Justin Bahl
Faculty member in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Institute of Bioinformatics
University of Georgia
Episode: An Open-Source Pandemic: Genomes, Metadata, and Real-Time Outbreak Science
Dr. Julie Fox
Chief of the Emerging Virus Immunity Unit, Laboratory of Viral Diseases at NIAID
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH
Episode: When Neutralizing Isn’t Enough: The Immunology of Alphavirus Defense
Mike Strand
HM Pulliam Chair in the Department of Entomology and a member of the National Academy of Sciences
University of Georgia
Episode: The Hidden Empire of Parasitoid Wasps
Dr. Greg Phillips
Faculty in the Department of Infectious Disease and member of the Isaacson Center for Neurological Disease Research
University of Georgia
Episode: From Pathogen to Prescription: Reimagining E. coli
Zachary Lewis
Associate professor in the Department of Microbiology
University of Georgia
Episode: The Silent Architect: Chromatin’s Role in Fungal Outbreaks

Hosts

David Peterson
Host and infectious disease researcher guiding discussions with a focus on pathogens, outbreak science, and translational health.
Kim Klonowski
Co-host and infectious disease researcher guiding discussions with host partner, bringing clinical and laboratory perspectives.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 42 ratings
  • MSc

    Such a beautiful breath of feash air!🤷‍♂️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Fraser msc hons
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • I am a layperson tuning in and learning a great deal on the subject of infectious diseases from the top people who make it their life study.

    Audible
    5
    Rini
    United States3 years ago
  • Experts Enlightening Us

    I am a layperson tuning in and learning a great deal on the subject of infectious diseases from the top people who make it their life study.

    Audible
    5
    Rini
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Strong balance of lab-focused content and real-world health policy implications.
Guests are generally experts with practical and translational insights.
Listeners appreciate deep-dive scientific rigor paired with accessible storytelling.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Toxoplasma’s Stealth Mode: Hiding in the Brain
Q: Why is there a emphasis on cysts and bradyzoites rather than just the actively replicating forms?
Because cysts and bradyzoites drive chronic infection, immune evasion, and long-term disease outcomes; understanding their signals and dormancy is crucial to preventing reactivation and to developing effective vaccines that cover both stages.
Toxoplasma’s Stealth Mode: Hiding in the Brain
Q: What are the fundamental questions your research addresses?
The core focus is on how the parasite persists, what it needs to do to survive, and how it stays hidden while being able to react to signals, allowing it to adapt across different hosts and tissues.
The World’s Most Successful Parasite: Inside Toxoplasma’s Weird Biology
Q: How do researchers study organelle communication in this parasite?
They attach molecular handles to organelles and use TurboID labeling to identify neighboring proteins, enabling a map of inter-organelle interactions.
The World’s Most Successful Parasite: Inside Toxoplasma’s Weird Biology
Q: What makes the ATP synthase in Toxoplasma so unusual and why does that matter?
Toxoplasma's ATP synthase has many more subunits than typical eukaryotes, which likely relates to its specialized biology and could present unique vulnerabilities for targeting.
The World’s Most Successful Parasite: Inside Toxoplasma’s Weird Biology
Q: How prevalent is Toxoplasma infection and how does it spread to humans?
It infects roughly a quarter to a third of the global population, spreading mainly through exposure to cat feces and consumption of undercooked meat, with regional variation in prevalence.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About People, Parasites, and Plagues

What is People, Parasites, and Plagues about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A biology-forward series exploring pathogens, parasites, and disease with a focus on how organisms interact with hosts, environments, and public health. Episodes frequently center on parasitology, immunology, outbreak science, and translational research—from brain-dwelling parasites and organoid models to open-data epidemiology and vaccine strategies. Notable throughlines include the complexity of dormancy and reactivation in parasites, integrating historical and veterinary perspectives with cutting-edge lab techniques, and one-health viewpoints that connect animal, human, and ecological health. The conversations often mix rigorous science with personal storytelling, lab realities, and practical implications for health and agriculture, maki... more

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Which podcasts are similar to People, Parasites, and Plagues?

These podcasts share a similar audience with People, Parasites, and Plagues:

1. This Week in Parasitism
2. Immune
3. This Week in Virology
4. Infectious Disease Puscast
5. This Week in Virology

How many episodes of People, Parasites, and Plagues are there?

People, Parasites, and Plagues launched 5 years ago and published 54 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on People, Parasites, and Plagues?

Recent guests on People, Parasites, and Plagues include:

1. Robin Kent
2. Elizabeth Uhl
3. Diego Huet
4. Nancy Manley
5. Justin Bahl
6. Dr. Julie Fox
7. Mike Strand
8. Dr. Greg Phillips

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