The Infectious Science Podcast
🌍 Welcome to the Infectious Science Podcast – Your source for cutting-edge insights on infectious diseases and the power of the One Health approach! 🎙️
Our mission? To empower YOU with the knowledge to better understand and prevent the spread of emerging diseases. Whether you're a researcher, clinician, student, or simply curious about public health, we bring experts and thought leaders together to spark innovation, collaboration, and critical thinking.
Join us as we dive into the latest research, share inspiring stories, and make complex science accessible to everyone. Let’s build a healthier, more resilient world—one episode at a time! 🌱💡
Subscribe now and become part of the global community driving a safer future! #OneHealth #PublicHealth #InfectiousDiseases
Episodes
32 episodes
Space Pathogens In Fiction & Reality
A parasite that senses you coming. An “egg” that waits for the right moment. A life cycle designed to turn a host into a nursery. Space pathogen sci-fi stories hit so hard because they borrow from real evolutionary tricks, and in this episode w...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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33:00
Parasites & People
Parasites spark equal parts fascination and fear—and they reveal how closely our health is tied to animals, food, water, and the places we live. We take you from the “heirlooms” we inherited from primate ancestors to the “souvenirs” picked up t...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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34:04
What Melting Permafrost Really Means For Human, Animal, and Planetary Health
Ice doesn’t just melt; it remembers. As permafrost thaws, we unpack what really ‘wakes up’ in the soil—and what that means for human health, animals, crops, and culture. We bring a One Health lens to a noisy topic, cutting through “zombie virus...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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55:23
How Patients, Clinicians, and Communities Can Close the Healthcare Gap
The average primary care visit lasts about 18 minutes. Complex symptoms, multiple conditions, and a maze of electronic forms don’t fit neatly into that window—and neither do the emotions that come with being sick. We sat down with advocates inc...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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1:00:04
How Generative AI Can Speed Research, Elevate Care, And Keep Humans At The Center
Curious how AI can make healthcare feel more human instead of less? We sit down with medical writer and AI adoption strategist Dr. Núria Negrão, who went from bench science to building practical ways for clinicians, researchers, and communicato...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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41:56
Climate Change and the Rise and Spread of Pathogens
The climate isn’t just warming—it’s reorganizing the rules of biology. We explore how rising temperatures, deforestation, wildfire smoke, and thawing permafrost are reshaping the risk landscape for malaria parasites, heat-trained fungi, spillov...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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55:34
Botulism: Medicine, Menace, and a Masterclass in Food Safety
Imagine a toxin so potent that a few nanograms can shut down a muscle—and yet, in the right hands, it eases migraines and calms spasms. We take you from the sausage-linked origins of botulism to the science of spores, food safety, infant risks,...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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24:23
War & Pathogens, How Combat Drives Contagion
War is a vector of disease. The battlefield isn't just a place where bullets fly—it's where pathogens thrive and evolve. Throughout human history, war and disease have been inseparable companions, creating perfect storms of contagion that affec...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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49:41
Beyond the Sequence: People, Pathogens, and Power Dynamics
The cutting edge of infectious disease control isn't just about vaccines or treatments—it's increasingly about data. Dr. Stephen Molldrem, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Bioethics and Health Humanities, takes us deep into the world of...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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1:13:02
From Four Corners to Hollywood: Tracing Hantavirus's Deadly Path
A hidden killer lurks in the humble dust of forgotten cabins and outbuildings across America. World-renowned virologist Dr. Thomas Ksiazek takes us behind the scenes of the landmark 1993 Four Corners outbreak, where hantavirus first emerged on ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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43:14
Measles: The Return of a Highly Contagious Disease
Measles isn't just a childhood rash—it's a potentially devastating illness that can reset your entire immune system. In this eye-opening conversation, our team explores why this ancient virus still demands our attention in 2025.When we ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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32:22
Googling the Flu: How Your Search History Became a Public Health Tool
What if your Google searches could predict disease outbreaks before traditional surveillance methods? That's exactly what happened during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic when researchers discovered online search patterns matched CDC data – but delivered...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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37:29
Unwrapping the Past: What Mummies Reveal About Disease Through the Ages
Unravel the intricate stories behind ancient mummies and their connection to various pathogens in our latest podcast episode of this season. This engaging discussion leads listeners through a fascinating exploration of how the health of past ci...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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45:31
Untangling Alzheimer's: From Prevention to Future Treatments
Unlock the secrets of the brain's most enigmatic conditions with Dr. Mauro Montalbano, our esteemed guest from the University of Texas Medical Branch. He takes us on a journey through his lab's cutting-edge research into neurodegenerative disea...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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31:28
Unraveling the Modern STI Epidemic in America
This episode tackles the alarming rise of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States, exploring our hidden epidemic and the multitude of factors leading to this increase. We delve into the impact of COVID-19, the necessity for ...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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56:24
Intertwined Lives: Animals, Humans, and the Dance of Zoonotic Diseases
Gain a deeper understanding of the intricate connections between humans, animals, and the environment as we explore the One Health concept. Picture the harmony of adding a curious chameleon to our office or the joy of raising a lamb on a farm, ...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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41:47
Illness & Illustration: The Beauty Myths of Tuberculosis & Vampires
Could tuberculosis truly shape our understanding of beauty? Prepare to unravel the eerie yet intriguing connection between this historical disease and the evolution of beauty standards across centuries. With Christina and Camille at the helm, w...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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33:04
Bitten by Myth: Unraveling Rabies and the Werewolf Tale
Happy Halloween from the Infectious Science Podcast team! Join us as we dive into the parallels between medical and folkloric narratives. In this episode we explore how rabies inspired the werewolf myth. We dissect how rabies causes neurologica...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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43:02
Antibiotics, Antivirals, and the Fungus Among Us
Antibiotics, antivirals, and antifungals have revolutionized modern medicine, saving countless lives and transforming our approach to infectious diseases. In this episode of our podcast, we delve into the differences between these powerful tool...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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42:26
Decoding Leprosy Part II: Diagnosis & Treatment
Unlock the mysteries of Hansen's disease with us as we welcome acclaimed dermatopathologist, Dr. Mara Dacso. Through her journey from medical school in Galveston to her significant work in Baton Rouge, Dr. Dacso shares her extensive knowledge o...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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25:44
Decoding Leprosy: Stigma, Science, and Godzilla
Curious about how armadillos and ancient diseases intersect? Prepare to be captivated as we unravel the fascinating mysteries surrounding Hansen's disease, more commonly known as leprosy. We start this season with some fresh faces: Christina Ri...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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33:29
Breaking Barriers: Dr. Shannan Rossi on Viruses and the Business of Science
Ever wondered about the intricate connection between human, animal, plant, and environmental health? Join us as Dr. Shannan Rossi, an associate professor in the Department of Pathology at UTMB, illuminates this fascinating concept known as 'One...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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28:47
Interwoven Threads of Avian Influenza and One Health with Dr. Greg Gray
Ever wondered how bird flu affects not just our feathered friends, but also the wider ecosystem? Prepare to be enlightened as we journey into the world of avian influenza with Dr. Greg Gray. A respected authority on respiratory pathogens and on...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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35:04
Bacteria, Beef and the Fascinating Science Behind E. coli
Welcome to an eye-opening episode of our podcast, where we uncover the hidden dangers lurking in our food. Join me and our guest, Dr. Alfredo Torres, as we embark on a journey through bacteriology. In our conversation, Dr. Torres shares his per...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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34:20
Poison and poetry - the shocking connection between Pablo Neruda and Clostridium botulinum
Ever wondered how a renowned poet's death can lead to a twisty mystery entwined with the hidden world of lethal bacteria? Prepare to be enthralled as we join forces with Dr. Alfredo Torres, a renowned figure in Microbiology and Immunology, to u...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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28:53
