People, Parasites, and Plagues
Science Podcasts
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.
Location:
United States
Genres:
Science Podcasts
Description:
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.
Language:
English
Contact:
706-542-4569
Email:
dharn@uga.edu
Episodes
The Silent Architect: Chromatin’s Role in Fungal Outbreaks
12/5/2025
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 epigenetic mechanisms shape genome organization, function, and long-term stability in eukaryotic cells. He particularly studies chromatin within fungal pathogens. In this episode, Dr. Lewis breaks down why these molecular systems matter, how they influence fungal disease, and the cutting-edge methods his lab uses to study them.
Duration:00:34:11
Endocytosis: T. cruzi's Cool Parasite Trick
11/14/2025
This episode takes us inside the lab of Dr. Drew Ethridge, an associate professor in the UGA Department of Cellular Biology. He walks us through his scientific path and his current work on endocytosis in Trypanosoma cruzi. This parasite is often overlooked, yet it is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States as it moves north from Central and South America.
Duration:00:40:41
Parasites & Passports: Graduate Students on Science & Self-Discovery
10/31/2025
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 abroad, and chasing their passion for research.
Duration:00:33:24
The Science of Public Policy
10/15/2025
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 past work explored how education policy is implemented across states, his latest research takes on a timely challenge: how misinformation and “alternative facts,” especially in the age of AI, shape public policy.
Duration:00:36:14
Lock and Key: The Devious Mechanisms of Viral Entry
9/26/2025
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. Understanding this process could lead to new ways of developing treatments for viral infections.
Duration:00:33:55
Observable Variations: Using Genetic Marker Systems for Infectious Diseases
9/12/2025
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 diseases.
Duration:00:38:29
PPP Book Club: Infectious Reads 2
5/30/2025
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 tapeworms.
Duration:00:33:01
Treating Mosquitoes: Innovative Ways To Combat Malaria
5/16/2025
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 groundbreaking work on an incredible new way to treat the disease.
Duration:00:35:56
Harnessing the Hulk: Insights on T Cell Function
4/25/2025
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 Institute, joins us in the studio to discuss his research on T cells, his journey into science, and some great immune system analogies.
Duration:00:39:40
CWD, BTV, EHDV, Oh My!
4/11/2025
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. Ruder's fascinating work with diseases in whitetail deer!
Duration:00:33:06
Wolbachia: Unwelcome Guest or Essential Partner?
3/28/2025
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 bacterium Wolbachia and his passion for teaching.
Duration:00:35:30
Hypnozoites: World's Best Nappers
3/14/2025
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.
Duration:00:44:06
Mom For The Win: Setting Up Your Early Immunity For Success!
2/28/2025
We're back today with a special visitor: Dr. Stephanie Langel, Assistant Professor of the Case Western University Department of Pathology. Tune in to hear about her journey to science, her research on colostrum and immunity, and her own experience as a podcast host!
Check out Stephanie's podcast "Immune" here: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vA26ZVp392p6udK7jltrI?si=dHqBa5_GSMuzuASWn2JT6Q
Duration:00:30:11
TB, Or Not TB
2/10/2025
This week we're talking tuberculosis with Dr. Frederick Quinn, the Department Head of Infectious Diseases here at UGA. Tune in to hear about his current research with zoonotic tuberculosis and what he's learned about transmission of this deadly disease.
Duration:00:38:45
To BSL, Or Not To BSL, That Is The Question
1/17/2025
We've got a treat for you this week! Dr. Jeff Hogan of the UGA Department of Infectious Diseases is joining us to talk about his work in the most secure building on campus and his time spent protecting our country from diseases with USAMRIID.
Duration:00:38:04
The Life & Times of the Schisto Kid
12/27/2024
Join us this week for a special discussion with Emeritus Professor of Microbiology Dr. Daniel Colley. We're chatting with him about his time spent with the CDC, becoming the director of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at UGA, and the research abroad that sparked his passion for schistosomes.
Duration:00:34:19
Galen: A Guy With A Great Sense of Humors
12/13/2024
We're mixing it up a little bit this week with Dr. Susan Mattern of the UGA Department of Classics! Join us on our walk through history as we talk about Galen, a prolific Roman physician whose treatises dominated Western medicine for over a thousand years.
Duration:00:32:31
Bears Hibernate, And So Does Malaria?
11/29/2024
Today we're chatting with post-doctoral associate Dr. Anthony Ruberto about his work with the Kyle Lab here at UGA and his journey towards the unique field of malaria research he's in today.
Duration:00:29:22
Transposons Advance Fungal Research By Leaps & Bounds
11/15/2024
We're back this week to talk more Cryptococcus neoformans with Dr. Blake Billmyre of the UGA Department of Infectious Diseases! Join us to hear how he's studying transposons in an effort to improve antifungal drugs.
Duration:00:29:12
That’s NOT A Nucleus In Your Red Blood Cell
11/1/2024
Dr. Vasant Muralidharan joins us this week for a metaphor-packed discussion about malaria and his work (and personal experience) with the Plasmodium parasite.
Duration:00:36:14