People, Parasites, and Plagues

What happens when malaria threatens more than just the person infected?
In Part 1 of this two-part episode of People, Parasites & Plagues, hosts David Peterson and Kim Klonowski welcome Dr. Julie Moore, a professor at the University of Florida, to explore the complex relationship between malaria and pregnancy.
Dr. Moore discusses how malaria parasites interact with the placenta, the challenges they pose to maternal and fetal health, and the immune responses that influence pregnancy outcomes. We also explore why pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to malaria and what researchers are learning about the biological mechanisms behind these infections.
From parasite biology to maternal health, this conversation highlights the importance of understanding malaria during pregnancy and the research aimed at protecting mothers and their babies.

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 discuss what planarians can teach researchers about stem cells, tissue organization, and the fundamental biology behind regeneration.

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 discuss his lab’s use of high-throughput genetic screens to uncover how these parasites regulate their genes, develop drug resistance, and survive inside their hosts.
We also look at the changing landscape of sleeping sickness treatment, from historically toxic drugs to acoziborole, a promising single-dose oral treatment that could play an important role in efforts to eliminate the disease.
Plus, Dr. Horn shares his path into parasitology, the value of unbiased discovery in science, and how he spends his time outside the lab cycling and exploring the Scottish countryside.

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.

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.