People, Parasites, and Plagues

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, bradyzoites, cyst walls, immune evasion, single-cell RNA sequencing, and why understanding chronic toxoplasma infection is essential for future vaccines and treatments.

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 disease, and the One Health paradigm, this conversation traces the deep connections between humans, animals, pathogens, and history. We also discuss how looking backward can help us better understand the diseases we face today.

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 parasite’s surprisingly complex biology, from its unusual ATP synthase (with nearly double the components found in humans) to the bigger evolutionary questions behind why it works the way it does. Along the way, we explore how scientists use Toxoplasma as a model to better understand other parasites, and how these differences could lead to more targeted treatments in the future.

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 than most people realize, and why its complexity makes it so challenging to study. From immune development to aging and disease, this conversation highlights how much we still don’t understand, and why it matters.

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 epidemiology, the importance of metadata, and how real-time data sharing transformed outbreak investigations during pandemics like H1N1 and COVID-19.