The Pathogems Podcast

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The Pathogems sat down to discuss rotations, which start off your first year as a PhD student in CeZAP's ID-IGEP program. We hope this is helpful to incoming grad students and please feel free to reach out to us with any questions: [email protected]!

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This month, we interviewed Dr. Kylene Kehn-Hall, Professor and Director of the Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens. Tune in for a discussion of her role and responsibilities, new publication on VEEV neurological sequelae, and Caroline's battle with Skeeter Syndrome... Paper linked here: https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1014115

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Stay tuned until the end of this video for an important question that we ask Dr. Duggal. Happy Women's History Month!

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In this episode the girls interview each other! We talk about all things graduate school and life outside of school. Tune in to learn more about the girls!

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In this episode, the Pathogems sat down with Dr. Morgan Carter from UNC Charlotte while she was visiting VT on 9/22/26 to participate in CeZAP's SPARK Seminar Series! Dr. Carter researches the largely unexplored endofungal (bacteria living inside fungi) bacteria system and its host interactions. Tune in to hear more about her work and incredible mentorship philosophy!

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In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Laura Strawn, professor and extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech! 🦠🍎 Dr. Strawn shares her journey into the field of food safety and discusses her work in microbial food safety, fresh produce, and extension. We also talk about how research can be translated into real-world food safety practices, and her experiences throughout her career!

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The girls gab about all things interview weekend.

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What is it really like moving across the world for graduate school? In this episode, Aryn and Caroline sit down with international students at Virginia Tech to share their experiences adjusting to life in Blacksburg, finding community, overcoming challenges, and creating a home away from home in the beautiful city of Blacksburg, Virginia!

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In this episode of Pathogems, we sit down with Dr. Luis Escobar to discuss hantavirus, including what it is, how it spreads, and some of the most common misconceptions surrounding the virus. We also talk about recent hantavirus-related news, disease ecology, and the importance of public health communication when discussing emerging zoonotic diseases.

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In this episode of Pathogems, we sit down with Dr. Dana Hawley, Professor of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech, to talk about her path into science and the research questions that have shaped her career. We discuss how diseases spread among wild bird populations, what influences transmission in nature, and some of the surprising things scientists have learned by studying birds.