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.
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...
11 Sept 2026
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...
29 May 2026
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...
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