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.