Sounds Of Science

Rich Horgan and Karen Morales from the nonprofit biotech Cure Rare Disease join host Mary Parker to discuss their work. Rich’s brother Terry has a rare form of muscular dystrophy, with no treatment available for adults. Rich founded Cure Rare Disease for his brother and patients like him, and after three years they are on the cusp of a breakthrough. Listen now to hear their story.

How can we keep animals healthy without antibiotics? In this episode we talk with avian expert Nastassja Ortega, who develops therapies to protect her chickens from disease through natural antibodies and vaccines. In the fight against antibiotic resistance, she is on the front lines, keeping her birds antibiotic-free.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) insulates cancer from the body’s natural defenses. But like all defenses, the more we know about the TME, the easier it is for us to find chinks in the armor. Join host Mary Parker as she interviews Rhiannon Jenkinson, Director of Science for Discovery Services at Charles River’s Portishead site, about this fascinating and frustrating microworld.

At the end of 2019, we wanted to take time to predict some of the hot research trends for the coming year. Many companies are taking up the challenge to reduce the time to market for vital therapies, so what are the cutting edge technologies that can make that goal a reality? I spoke with Charles River Discovery scientists Ian Waddell and Chris Hill about two of their favorite trends: AI and biomarkers in early drug discovery. How can these research tools get drugs to patients faster? Find out in this month’s episode! 

Genome mapping has made personalized medicine achievable, but how can the FDA balance safety requirements with the speed that is necessary for desperate patients?

Meet Gina Mullane and Chris Garcia, the hosts of Vital Science, a brand new podcast that shares the personal stories of those impacted by life science. Today, Gina and Chris are responsible for global marketing and sales operations, but they both began their careers in the lab. They've experienced the impact of life science from every angle, and use those experiences to tell the stories of patients, scientists, employees and advocates. Subscribe now and download the first episode on Tuesday, October 22nd!

Central nervous system (CNS) diseases are well known for being tricky to treat and difficult to research. However, some researchers are getting excited about the possibilities of new research into neuroinflammation. For this episode of Sounds of Science we speak with Carina Peritore, product manager neuroscience discovery at Charles River. We will be discussing the relatively recent resurgence of research on neuroinflammation, which could hold the key to new therapeutic avenues for CNS diseases.

Dr. Allyson Berent speaks with us about her work to find a cure for her daughter’s rare disease.

Herodotus may be the first human historian, but to travel farther back in time we need our fossil friends, the horseshoe crab.

Can free data and for-profit research coexist?

How California veterinarian Jamie Peyton uses tilapia skins to heal four-legged burn victims, including those hurt in  the California wildfires.

One woman describes the messy reality of living with stage IV cancer. 

How vaccines can protect everyone if enough people get them. A conversation with microbiologist Ken Henderson.

A tool that seems inspired by Hollywood animation imagery allows us to accurately model and measure subtle movements in rodent models of CNS disease.

Medicines can be toxic to the ear, so where’s the regulatory guidance?

The debilitating liver disease, a consequence of bad diets, is on the rise.  So is the pipeline of drugs trying to arrest it.  

When communicating your concern to a cancer patient, words matter…a lot.

CRISPR technology has enabled rapid advances in gene editing, but it also invites unintended consequences.  

David Hysong talks about a diagnosis that changed his life and professional direction.

One of the trickiest parts of drug discovery is moving from test tubes to animals. Here’s a way to not only pick up the pace of the process, but also the expectations for results.