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.

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.