Sounds Of Science

In honor of Earth Day 2021, we speak with Corporate Sustainability experts Gregg Belardo and Erik Mohn about the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the effects of stay-at-home orders could be seen from space, but did they have any impact on climate change? Listen now to learn more.

Scientific Advisor Mike Templin joins us to discuss what drug developers have learned from working with the FDA during the pandemic. Where can we improve the relationship between science and government regulations? Find out now by listening to this episode. 

In honor of Rare Disease Month, we are joined by Terry Pirovolakis from CureSPG50.org. Terry's son Michael was born with the ultra-rare SPG50 disease. Listen now to hear their story.

Yugal Sharma, Ph.D., from CAS and David Clark, Ph.D., from Charles River join us to discuss machine learning in chemistry. We discuss the importance of organizing big data to avoid creating a data dump, and how machine learning can speed up drug discovery. 

Antonio Maltese, a senior studying political science in Virginia, is passionate about advocating for the rare disease community. He belongs to the community himself twice over, with a diagnosis of Huntington’s Disease and osteonecrosis. He speaks with Charles River scientists Lauren Black and David Fisher about his studies, their research, and how scientists and patients can help each other. 

COVID-19 wreaked havoc with academic labs - students were sent home, campuses were closed, and research projects were delayed or cancelled. Given the critical value of academic research, especially for preparing for or even preventing future pandemics, how can we avoid this situation in the future? Emory University's George Painter and Charles River's Joe Cornicelli discuss one potential solution.

Simon Chapleo, an expert in plant metabolism, joins us to discuss agrochemical safety testing and the difficulties of cultivating banana plants in Scotland.

Stem cells are a valuable tool in a drug researcher’s shed, but they are notoriously tricky and time consuming to grow. The biotech company Bit Bio hopes to change that by streamlining the process through their innovative cell reprogramming technology, making batches of cells ready at shorter notice. Bit Bio founder Mark Kotter and Charles River researcher Mariangela Iovino talk shop in this episode.

Gracie van Brunt – singer, songwriter, and rare disease survivor – joins us for a candid interview about her life, career, and experiences with growing up rare.

Foster Jordan knows a thing or two about horseshoe crabs, and isn't afraid to share his opinion! Listen now to learn about the future of endotoxin testing, and the potential pitfalls of recombinant technology.

With chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy, patients’ own immune cells can be “souped up” and used as a cancer treatment. This immunotherapy and its variants are a promising area of research, with fascinating safety considerations. Listen now to learn about CAR T and TCR T from Sanne Holt, a biologist at Charles River. 

Dementia is a tricky disease with no cure and precious few treatments. Join host Mary Parker and biologist Sarah Almond to learn about the Dementia Consortium, a public-private partnership determined to change this narrative through collaboration.

What does corporate sustainability mean for the pharmaceutical industry? Gregg Belardo, Senior Director for Corporate Sustainability at Charles River, discusses the “no-brainer” policies that can help any company meet their green goals. 

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.