Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Mississippi State University biologist Matthew W. Brown is part of an international research team whose latest findings, published this spring in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , are reshaping scientific understanding of how parasitic organisms evolve and ultimately spread disease. New insights into parasitic evolution Focusing on the protistan parasite Leishmania , a genus of trypanosomatids that is spread globally through insect bites, the study provides critical insight for developing more effective interventions and treatments of parasitical infections. Brown, the Donald L. Hall Professor of Biology in MSU's Department of Biological Sciences, contributed to the study's genetic analyses and interpretation of evolutionary patterns. "Understanding how these parasites exchange genetic material fundamentally changes how we think about their evolution and adaptability," Brown said.…