People, Parasites, and Plagues

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.

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.

Dr. Vasant Muralidharan joins us this week for a metaphor-packed discussion about malaria and his work (and personal experience) with the  Plasmodium  parasite. 

This week we're chatting with Dr. Erin Dolan, a Professor of Science Education here at UGA about how different factors in student's research experiences influence them and how the presence of mentorship can affect their pathway into a STEM career.

We're back with a new sort of episode this week as we chat with "Three Minute Thesis" participants Jordan Parker and Hannah Ericson about their experiences in this difficult competition and their interesting research on science education and equine stem cell therapy.

The answer may surprise you! We're kicking off a new season with Dr. Astra Bryant: neuroscientist, parasitologist, and Assistant Professor at the University of Washington. Tune in to hear about her research with  Strongyloides stercoralis,  a fascinating parasite with incredible thermosensory capabilities.

We've got another great malaria episode lined up for you today with Dr. Noah Butler, a professor of microbiology and immunology from University of Iowa. Join us as we learn about immune response during the blood-stage of a Plasmodium infection and cells who can sing!

Dr. Rick Tarleton of the UGA Center for Tropical and Emerging Diseases to talk about his work with  T. Cruzi  and Chagas disease, what transmission looks like here in America, and the important research being done on the subject.

This week we're chatting with Dr. Andrew Park, a professor with the UGA Odum School of Ecology, to discuss case studies of case studies and the interesting ways ecologists approach research on parasites. 

Dr. Klonowski and Dr. Peterson are joined by PPP Assistant Producer Syd Weigand to discuss some novels that we think the plague doctor would love. Today we're covering "And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic" by Randy Shills, "Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It" by Gina Kolata, and &qu...

Today we're joined by Dr. Michelle Momany, a fungal expert from the UGA Department of Plant Biology. Tune in to hear about her fascinating research with the common fungus Aspergillus and the potential risks it poses.

It's time to talk kissing bugs again! Today we're interviewing Dr. Kevin Vogel of the UGA Department of Entomology to discuss at the bacteria that call these insects home. 

We’re back from our break for a great discussion with Dr. Samarchith Kurup of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases! Join us for a chat about liver-stage malaria and the development of drugs and vaccines. 

This week, we're talking tapeworms and stem cells with Dr. Tania Rozario from the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. Tune in to hear about her research with rats, how tapeworms utilize stem cells in unbelievable ways, and why you should NOT try the tapeworm diet.

We're chatting with Dr. Dan Peach, Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases, for an episode that you can really bite into! Join us to hear about his wild educational journey, the ecology of mosquitoes, impacts of global warming on disease transmission, and much more!

For this episode, we’re talking to the knowledgeable Dr. Nicole Gottdenker of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. Together we dive into monitoring the kissing bug, the insect vector of T. cruzi , and discuss why studying disease transmission is important for disease control.

This week, we're joined by Dr. Chris Cleveland from the UGA Department of Population Health to talk guinea worm. 

Today we're joined by Dr. Christine Szymanski from the UGA Complex Carbohydrate Research Center to discuss her work with  Campylobacter jejuni,  more commonly known as "traveler's diarrhea". 

Today we're joined by the knowledgable Dr. Glen Nowak, the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at the UGA Grady College of Journalism, to talk communications. Dr. Nowak walks us through some of his time spent working with the CDC and explains just how important health informations programs can be.

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Xiaorong Lin, a distinguished professor of medical mycology at the University of Georgia's Department of Microbiology. Dr. Lin explains some of the issues with the way that we fight fungal infections, common misconceptions, and even the HBO hit show "The Last of Us."

In this episode Dr. Ron Walcott joins us to talk about diseases affecting seeds, and the challenges, and opportunities, in directing graduate education at the University of Georgia. Dr. Walcott is a researcher in the Department of Plant Pathology, the Vice Provost for Graduate Education, and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Georgia. His research interests include seed pathology, pl...

In this bonus episode Dr. Jessica Kissinger reflects on her unconventional path to a successful and productive career in science. Dr. Jessica Kissinger is an evolutionary geneticist, and Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Genetics and the Institute of Bioinformatics. She is also a faculty member of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. Her research is focused on...

  In this episode Dr. Jessica Kissinger joins us to talk about how insights gained from analyzing parasite genomes can help us more effectively develop interventions against these dangerous pathogens in the future. Dr. Jessica Kissinger is an evolutionary geneticist, and Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Genetics and the Institute of Bioinformatics. She is also a faculty member...

According to the CDC, Salmonella bacteria cause over a million infections each year, and over 400 deaths in the US alone. While most of outbreaks are caused by contaminated food, some are linked to other sources such as wild or domestic birds, raccoons and even small turtles. But just how is an outbreak of Salmonella traced to its source? Our guest today can help us understand this process of mole...

In this episode Dr. Dennis Kyle joins us to talk about a deadly disease caused by Naegleria fowleri , also known as the brain-eating amoeba. Dr.  Kyle is the Director of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at the University of Georgia, and a faculty member in the Departments of Infectious Diseases and Cellular Biology. His areas of research include drug discovery for malaria and t...