Sounds of Science

What happens when cutting-edge science meets compassion? In this episode of Sounds of Science, host Mary Parker sits down with two pioneers reshaping the future of research: Elizabeth Nunamaker, Executive Director of Global Animal Welfare and Training at Charles River, and Dr. Megan LaFollette, Executive Director of the 3Rs Collaborative. From digital biomarkers to environmental health monitoring, they reveal how innovation and collaboration are redefining what's possible in animal welfare — and raising the bar for ethical, high-quality research. Tune in to explore the tools, strategies, and bold ideas driving meaningful change across the scientific community.Show NotesAdvancing Alternatives | Charles RiverEvolving Animal Welfare: Science, Ethics, and Innovation | Sounds of Science Can You Practice High-quality Science and 3Rs? | Eureka BlogAnimals in Research | Charles RiverResearch Models & Services | Charles River

Join Charles River experts Sandy Kimber, Charlotte Cumper, and Claire Richards from our Portishead site for a discussion on what makes some viruses more contagious than others, how viruses can trick your immune system, and how vaccines can affect viral spread.

When Luke Rosen's daughter was diagnosed with KIF1A—a rare, progressive neurological disorder—he didn't wait for answers. He and his wife built a community, launched a nonprofit, and became a driving force in rare disease research. In this episode, Luke shares how patient-led science accelerates treatments and reshapes what's possible for families like his. Show Notes  Sounds of Science - N=1 Episode Charles River | Rare Disease Charles River | Rare Disease for Drug Discovery Charles River | ASO Screening Services Personalized ASO Provides Improvement for a Girl with KAND< an Ultra-rare Disease SCA3: A Family Affair Susannah's Superhero Story 

Are we on the brink of a major shift in research? In this episode of Sounds of Science, Charles River experts challenge traditional approaches, exploring cutting-edge innovations that enhance animal welfare while driving scientific breakthroughs.   From revolutionary non-animal testing methods to advanced behavioral management strategies, we uncover how ethical care leads to better data and faster drug discovery. Tune in to discover how science, compassion, and innovation are shaping the next era of drug development.Show Notes Animals in Research | 3Rs Alternative Methods Advancement Project CHARTER Program for Lab Animal Welfare Advancing Responsible Science 

Did you know that the first attempt at a cancer vaccine was all the way back in the 1800s? I am joined by Charles River experts Louise Brackenbury, Dan Rocca, and Mike Templin to discuss the fascinating science behind therapeutic cancer vaccines.

Spheroids are three dimensional cell models that can mimic some organs, tumors, and other biological systems for drug testing. Like organoids and organs-on-a-chip, spheroids are breaking in to drug development as a promising alternative to animal models. I am joined by Madhu Lal Nag, MBS PhD from the 3D in vitro model company InSphero, to discuss the development and future potential of these tiny cellular machines.

The agrochemical field has long relied on animal models to evaluate the safety and efficacy of substances, but there's a growing demand to adopt new alternative methods (NAMs) that can further the industry while reducing the need for animal testing. However, questions remain as to their long-term viability.   Join Robert Landsiedel, Vice President of Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, and Susanne Kolle, Research Coordinator of Experimental Toxicology and Ecology at BASF, as they explain the benefits of NAMs, how they comply with the 3Rs principle, and the role collaboration is playing to push NAMs as a viable alternative to animals.Show Notes     Alternative Methods  AMAP Strategic Partnerships Animals in Research  Modernizing Drug Development Agrochemical Testing Service for Approvals Chemical Testing Services Charles River Laboratories Announces Development of Nonclinical Virtual Control Groups with Sanofi to Reduce the Use of Animals Charles River Laboratories, in Collaboration with MatTek Corporation, Awarded Grant from the Foundation for Chemistry Research and Initiatives to Advance Research Alternatives

How can genetic, geographic, and social considerations effect outcomes for Black women with cancer? To answer this question, I am joined this week by Dr. Lauren E. McCullough, Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health, and Julia Schueler, Research Director Therapeutic Area Lead Oncology for Charles River. Dr. McCullough is also one of the lead researchers for the American Cancer Society's VOICES of Black Women initiative, which will track the health of participants over several years to gain insight into health considerations for Black women. For more information on how to enroll, please visit voices.cancer.org.

The N=1 Collaborative is changing the way we view drug development. Their specialty is creating customized therapies tailored to individual patients, paving the way for a unique approach that can leave long-lasting impacts on those with ultra-rare diseases.   Join us as Executive Director Hugh Hempel discusses the origins of N=1, the collaborative effort it takes to advance customized therapies down the pipeline, and what the future holds for the field of individualized medicine.Show Notes    n=1 Collaborative Rare Disease | Charles River Rare Disease Research for Drug Development Repurposing Drugs for Rare Disease S4 E07: Free For Life: The Story of N-Lorem Foundation 

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are launching a new era in drug development. By integrating these technologies, researchers can get their life-saving therapies to patients faster thanks to more accurate data and efficient processes.   Join us as Brian Roche, General Manager of Charles River's integrated toxicology site in Kansas, as he discusses the advantages of using these advanced technologies, how their being leveraged across multiple platforms, and what role they play in shaping the future.Show NotesNew Integrated Toxicology Site Kansas Site Unlocking the Promise of Integrated Toxicology: A Tour Through the Lab of the Future Meeting at the Intersection of Technology and Scientific Innovation 

David and Karen Kahn were overjoyed when they welcomed twins Amelia and Makenzie in 2010. However, it wasn't long before they realized their girls were different. Since getting their Batten disease diagnosis, they have worked tirelessly to find a treatment not only for their girls, but for kids around the world, with the help of researcher Dr. Michelle Hastings. Listen to their story now, and learn more about their mission at www.forebatten.org.

As researchers look for ways to reduce the need for animals in their studies, new alternative methods (NAMs) are an intriguing route to capture crucial safety data and help advance drug discovery and development – specifically, virtual control groups (VCGs).   Join Steve Bulera, CVP and Chief Scientific Officer for Safety Assessment and Toxicology at Charles River, as he discusses how VCGs can be a viable alternative to research models, what it would take for the industry to widely accept NAMs, and how they can revolutionize research for the future.Show NotesVirtual Control Groups  Sounds of Science E73: Virtual Control Groups Modernizing Drug Development with Virtual Control Groups Virtual Control Groups: A Data-Driven Novel Method Revolutionizing the Future of Safety Studies Charles River Laboratories Announces Development of Nonclinical Virtual Control Groups with Sanofi to Reduce the Use of Animals 

Dr. Jared Baeten, Senior Vice President of Clinical Development and Virology Therapeutic Area Head at Gilead Sciences, joins me to discuss the incredible advancements in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatments in honor of World AIDS Day. What if a twice yearly shot could replace a daily pill? Listen now to learn more!

As researchers continue to look for new ways to test therapeutics in vitro, the field of biomedical engineering is offering new microphysiological systems that can reduce the need for animal models. Hear from Jeffrey Borenstein, Director of the Biomedical Engineering Centre at Draper, as he explains how it works, ways to expedite its access, and the benefits they will ultimately bring to patients. Show Notes    The Coming of Age of Organ-on-a-Chip technology Sounds of Science E76: Multi-Organ Chip Systems Charles River Joins Consortium to Advance Organ-on-a-Chip Technology Bold New Approached: The Future of Organoid Intelligence Organoids Evolve from Academic Marvel to Industrial Tool 

I am joined by Raphael (Ralph) Malbrue, Director & Attending Veterinarian, Center for Comparative Medicine, University of Virginia; and Christina (Winnie) Winnicker, Executive Director for Laboratory Animal Medicine for Charles River. Both bring a fresh perspective to the questions of how to improve diversity in veterinary medicine, how to inform new graduates of previously unconsidered career paths in lab animal medicine, and what kind of specialties are in demand in the industry now. 

Piotr Kosla, founder of the PACS2 Research Foundation, joins us to discuss his personal motivation to develop the first treatment for Development and Epileptic Encephalopathy 66 (PACS2 Syndrome), how cell painting assays are being used to repurpose a treatment for this condition, what the future holds for research in this area, and how you can help contribute to his mission.Show NotesPACS2 Research Foundation Eureka Blog | Drug Repurposing Through Cell Painting Could Treat Rare Disease ASO Screening ServicesGene Therapy Services Art of Science: Cell Painting Free for Life: The Story of n-Lorem Foundation 

Lisa Sharp, Project Coordinator for Charles River, joins us to discuss her COVID lockdown experience. Right at the beginning of the pandemic, just weeks apart, both she and her husband were diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, he didn't make it. While Lisa and their daughter faced the worst, she decided to make big changes to her life and career. Listen now to hear her story.

Imagine you're exploring the great outdoors when, out of nowhere, you feel the fangs of a snake – a poisonous snake – breaking through your skin. Medical care is nowhere in sight, so you're left with the terrifying prospect of venom slowly infecting your body's critical functions.  This is the reality that roughly five million people face annually. Over 500,000 of which either die or are permanently maimed or suffer long-term cardiovascular/neurological impairments.   However, Drs. Rebecca Carter and Matt Lewin are working to change that. Their work at Ophirex revolves around further developing Varespladib, a repurposed drug, as an accessible and affordable oral treatment to instantly combat venomous snakebites. By ingesting a small tablet or capsule, victims can buy time to seek out more advanced care, giving them a better chance to limit complications and prevent death.   Join us as we explore the impacts snake venom has on the body, how Drs. Carter and Lewin discovered Varespladib, how collaborations and partnerships have benefited their development of this treatment, and what can be done to improve its accessibility, especially in remote areas of the world.Show NotesOphirex Lifesaving Antidotes Antivenoms -_World Health Organization Interventions for the Preventing Reactions to Snake Venoms - National Institute of Health 

I am joined by Dr. Kacey Ronaldson-Bouchard from Columbia University, who is an expert on linking organs on a chip together to form models of human systems. Can these models replace animals? Can they save time and money in drug development and safety testing? Find out now when you listen to this podcast!

Mike Curtis, president and CEO of eGenesis, and transplant surgeon Dr. Leonardo Riella join me to discuss the ongoing research into pig kidney to human transplants. How can a porcine kidney be genetically modified to be safe for a human? Listen now to find out more.

Felicia Samuel has worked for Charles River for years, but recently the work she contributes to has taken on a new meaning. Her daughter will be part of a clinical trial to receive one of the brand new sickle cell treatments, with the potential to drastically change her own and her family's lives. She joins me to discuss the details of this amazing but involved gene therapy process, and how working for one of the companies that contributed to this treatment's research makes her feel. You can read more about it here: https://www.criver.com/eureka/crispr-silences-sickle-cell

What if we could replace mouse model control groups with a virtual equivalent? What would that mean for drug development in terms of cost, time, and animal model reduction? To answer, I am joined by Charles River associate director Laura Lotfi and Guillemette Duchateau-Nguyen from F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Pharmaceutical Sciences - Roche Innovation Center Basel. Listen now to learn how close we are to replacing some physical models with 1's and 0's.

Alex Sargent, Director of Process Development at Charles River in our Cell and Gene Therapy department, joins me to discuss the work he and his partner put into developing an algorithm to make his job faster and easier. How can you train a computer to accurately sift through the mountains of data generated in drug development? Listen now to find out!

There have been many articles recently about cellular agriculture, or lab-grown meat products. But what happens when a company takes a practical approach to this science fiction concept? Joining me are Charles River's Steven Miklasz from our Biologics Testing Solutions team; and Ramsey Foty, Scientific Director for Fork & Good, a cultivated meat company, to discuss how the sausage is made!

This month I am joined by Benjamin Oakes, scientist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Scribe Therapeutics. He studied at UC Berkeley, working in the Doudna Lab and Savage Lab during the earliest days of CRISPR. We discuss his personal vision for the future of CRISPR, encouraging advances in the field, and the first ever drug approval for a CRISPR based therapy. 

Norm Wainwright and Foster Jordan have been immersed in the field of limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) testing for decades, and have seen the progress and refinement of this crucial safety test. With the 20th anniversary of Charles River's Endosafe Cartridge and the recent introduction of recombinant alternatives, we look back at the past and future of endotoxin testing.

I am joined by four experts in their field to discuss what will be hot in rare diseases, drug discovery, artificial intelligence, and animal models in 2024. 

Molly Dupre, a lab assistant at Charles River's Reno site, was recently diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Type B/ Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency. After years of waiting, doctor's visits, and tests, she could finally put a name to the condition that flared up after the birth of her son. But what came next? She joins me to tell her story.

Senior Principal Scientific Advisor Stan Spence joins me to discuss off-target liability: what happens when a drug misses its target? What are the risks to the patient if the off-target effects aren't caught early? Has there ever been an example of an off-target effect being beneficial to the patient? Find out here!

Rachel Kiserow and Susan Desmond have joined us year after year as part of Eureka's Breast Cancer Roundtable. This year, they wanted to share what happens after - after the treatments, after remission - life after cancer.

For this episode, I am joined by Charles River's Doug Botkin and Pure Microbiology's Abby Roth to discuss the 2012 NECC meningitis outbreak. Doug and Abby bring their background in microbiology to explain how it happened, and how we can prevent such tragedies in the future. 

Charles River experts Justin Bryans and Elizabeth Anderson join me for a spirited discussion of where we are now in oncology research. Could we ever see a world without cancer?

Manufacturing gene therapies is a hot topic in the pharma field, on both the supplier and the client ends. Joining me to discuss this issue is Charles River Associate Director of Gene Therapy, Andrew Frazer, and Purespring Therapeutics' VP of Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls, Amanda Weiss. 

Dr. Lauren Black and Dr. Monkol Lek are both committed to the research and advancement of rare disease treatments. But when you are trying to treat just one patient, what can you learn that could help many more? We discuss the importance of n-of-1 studies, not just for that one patient and their families, but for anyone who might someday need a rare cure.

Through his own first-hand experience, Charles River Senior Director of Global Talent Acquisition Michael Hakeem knows the importance of diversity in hiring. He joins us this Pride Month to talk about his experiences and his insight into a thoughtful approach to recruiting for a company as large as Charles River.

Jesse McCool from Wheeler Bio and Ian Wyllie from Charles River's RightSource℠ program join me to discuss the manufacturing of biologics from both ends: getting from development to first in human, and quality control. 

Mycologist Ziva Abraham discusses fungal detection and identification in cleanrooms, and whether the TV show The Last of Us portrays a realistic fungal zombie apocalypse.

This month I am joined by Romaine Wright, Program Manager for Learning and Development for Charles River, to discuss allyship in the workplace. How can we use whatever privileges we have to help our colleagues and build a more diverse workforce?

This month I am joined by Dr. Elise Lewis, principal director of toxicology for Charles River's Horsham, Pennsylvania site. As a woman of color in the scientific field, she is passionate about mentoring the scientists of tomorrow. She can also be seen in this interview with Fox 29 Philadelphia: https://www.fox29.com/video/902459

In vivo models have been the drug safety standard for as long as there have been drug safety standards. With mounting data proving the worth of in vitro models, could there be a future where we will not need in vivo? I am joined by Anjli Venkateswaran, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Charles River, to discuss this trending topic.

This year Charles River celebrated its 75th anniversary. To help me reminisce about how far the company and science in general have come in that time, I invited Chief Commercial Officer Bill Barbo to chat. He started at Charles River in 1982 as a scientist, and has seen the company grow and change along with advances in science.

This year saw the worst spread of avian influenza yet, with fall showing another surge as migratory birds make their way south for the winter. Could an avian influenza vaccine be on the horizon for the United States? I spoke with Wayne Collins and Nastassja Ortega from Charles River's Avian Services, and David Swayne, Lab Director for the USDA specializing in Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research to find out.

I am joined by a very special guest - Dr. Ali Said Faqi, former employee of Charles River and current Congressman for Somalia. In 2013 his career path changed when he decided to accept an appointment as Somalia's ambassador to the European Union, but he still makes time for science.

Charles River senior account manager Brad Gartland experienced a great personal tragedy when his father took his own life in 2016. Driven by the loss, Brad worked to establish a safe place for men like his father to talk, helping them feel less alone. Listen now to learn how Brad's efforts caught the attention of the British Royal family.

Dr. Kathrin Meyer from the Center for Gene Therapy at Nationwide Children's Hospital joins me to discuss the current state of gene therapy research - where we are now, and how far we have left to go.

I am joined by consulting physician Dr. Peter Matos, an expert on viral spread through his work at the U.S. Department of Defense Global Emerging Infection Surveillance and Response System, to discuss the various viruses making their way through the world as of now. 

Sex discrimination is not just something that happens with people. In many animal studies, males have historically been used more often than females, resulting in a significant sex bias that has snowballed since we started using mice and rats in research. Liz Nunamaker, Director of Animal Welfare for Charles River, joins me to discuss what this bias means for animals and patients.

Graham Tobin is one of the most noted experts on laboratory animal diets, writing several definitive texts on the subject. He joins me to discuss how a lack of attention to animal nutrition can impact research, from reproducibility to reliability. 

We talk with Oliver Jonas, the Scientific Founder of Kibur Medical, about his research on implantable devices designed to distribute cancer drugs directly into tumors. Kibur is a strategic partner of Charles River, and these tiny devices could help doctors narrow down the best therapies for each individual patient.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a degenerative neurological disease most often associated with older while males. However, it is not exclusive to them, and obtaining a diagnosis as a young woman can be tricky. The women of Her ALS story are patients and spokespeople who are trying to change that by sharing their stories with the world. Listen now to hear their stories, and learn more at heralsstory.org.

Dr. Jeffrey Millman joins me and my colleague Laura Gee to discuss his work on a potential cure for Type 1 diabetes. Laura, who is herself a Type 1 diabetes patient, shares her perspective on living with diabetes and what a cure could mean for her everyday life. Using cellular replacement therapy, The Millman Lab works towards a diabetes cure.