Ryan Cox from Microbial Solutions joins us to discuss the curious creatures living at the edges of life – from microbes pulled from the MIR space station to antibiotic resistant bacteria festering in shark mouths. Meet these and many more on this episode!

When Dalila Sabaredzovic’s sons were diagnosed with an ultra-rare genetic condition, she faced more questions than answers. But through resilience, advocacy, and the power of collaboration, her family's story has become a beacon of hope in rare disease research. In this deeply moving episode of Sounds of Science, Dalila shares her journey from despair to discovery—and how a global village of scientists came together to pursue a personalized treatment that could change everything.

Show Notes

• Taking a Customized and Collaborative Approach to Therapeutic Development
• Drug Discovery Services | Charles River
• ASO Screening Services | Charles River
• Rare Disease Research for Drug Development | Charles River
• Two in Eight Billion | Eureka blog

Chris Magee, Head of Policy and Media for the UK advocacy group Understanding Animal Research, and Naomi Charalambakis, Director of Science Policy & Communications at the US based advocacy group Americans for Medical Progress, joins me to discuss new directives from the US FDA and the EU regarding lab animal use. Join us to cover the realities of lab animal use today, as well as the history or public misinformation dating back before Charles Darwin!

In this episode of Sounds of Science, learn how the Retrogenix® platform is reshaping drug development by identifying off-target risks earlier, reducing animal use, and gaining traction with regulators—now as part of the FDA’s ISTAND pilot program. Guests Nick Brown and Mark Aspinall-O’Dea from Charles River Discovery Services share real-world insights on their role in advancing NAMs and supporting safer, faster therapeutic development.

Show Notes 

• Maximize Safer, Targeted Biologic Development with Smarter NAMs-Based Off-Target Screening 
• Paving the Way for Enhanced Drug Development 
• A Status Report on Cell-Based Protein Arrays 
• Retrogenix® Human Protein Library 
• Retrogenix®: The Screen Door of Drug Development 
• Retrogenix® CAR Specificity Testing 
• Charles River Launched New Retrogenix Non-Human Protein Library 

How do researchers keep our dirt clean? How can earthworms, duckweed, birds and bees help us ensure environmental safety? Find out now by listening in with our experts from Charles River's Hungarian site - Szabolcs Gáty and David Esdaile.

For this exciting conversation, I am joined by NanoPalm CEO and co-founder Dr. Ali Alhasan and by Charles River Executive Director Ramin Baghirzade, who joins us to talk about Charles River’s incubator program for startups like NanoPalm. Alhasan and his co-founder, Dr. Samar Alsudir, began NanoPalm to help reach rare disease patients who could benefit from advanced gene therapies. NanoPalm is the first company to conduct a gene therapy clinical trial in Saudi Arabia, with plans for many more treatments in the works. Listen now to learn about the trial, Charles River’s incubator program, and about the current state of biotech startup in Saudi Arabia.

What if a mouse could help shape the future of cancer treatment? In this episode of Sounds of Science, host Mary Parker speaks with Julia Schüler, DVM, PhD, Research Director and Therapeutic Area Lead for Oncology at Charles River. Julia shares how patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models—often described as “avatars” of human tumors—are transforming preclinical oncology research. From preserving tumor heterogeneity to improving translational relevance, PDX models are accelerating the discovery of more effective, personalized therapies. Tune in as we explore how these advanced models are driving innovation across the drug development pipeline—from target discovery to clinical trial design.

Show Notes

• PDX Tumor Organoids : A New Tool in Drug Discovery Testing Realm 
• Organoids: Some Assembly Required 
• Patient-Derived Xenografts- PDX Models 
• 3D Tumor Models 
• In Vitro PDX Assays 

Join me, Charles River’s Miriam Guest, and independent consultant Vanessa Figueroa as we tackle the role of a microbiologist in drug manufacturing. Who is keeping patients safe from contamination, and how are they making sure our life saving drugs are not contaminated? How is manufacturing like yoga? Find out by listening now!

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 Notes

Advancing Alternatives | Charles River

Evolving Animal Welfare: Science, Ethics, and Innovation | Sounds of Science
Can You Practice High-quality Science and 3Rs? | Eureka Blog
Animals in Research | Charles River
Research 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.