Penn State expert discusses emerging diseases on next 'Conversations'

University Park, Pa. -- The recent spread of the H1N1 flu virus – known as “swine flu” – has drawn renewed attention to the threat posed by infectious diseases, one of the leading causes of death in the world, killing millions of people each year. Many of these strains first evolve in animals and then spill over into the human population. On the next “Conversations from Penn State,” Penn State scientist, Peter Hudson, discusses the dynamics of infectious diseases, their spread, and their transmission from animals to humans.

The show will air for a second time at 4 p.m Thursday, June 18 and again at 9 a.m. Friday, June 19 on the Big Ten Network. The show will also air at 9 p.m. Thursday, June 18, on WPSU-TV.

Hudson is the founding director of the Penn State Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the director of the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences at Penn State. Hudson is internationally known for his groundbreaking work in parasite ecology. He was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society, the leading academy of science in the United Kingdom.

"Conversations from Penn State" is a new series hosted by veteran interviewer Patty Satalia. The program offers thoughtful, in-depth exchanges with a broad range of remarkable people who perform trailblazing work in advanced fields.

All episodes of the show can be viewed at http://conversations.psu.edu.

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