Our podcast exclusive with Harvard University’s organ-on-a-chip pioneer, Dr Don Ingber
Published on August 9, 2022
World-class pioneer of biomedical research and innovation, Dr Don Ingber, is the special guest on the next edition of the Animal Free Labcast, aired from Wednesday August 10, 2022.
Dr Ingber – the founding director of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University – is interviewed about his illustrious career by podcast host and CEO of Animal Free Research UK, Carla Owen.
During the 30-minute show, listeners will learn how the eminent scientist formed the celebrated Wyss Institute to pioneer the future of bio engineering – and how he and his team developed game-changing organ-on-a-chip technology to mimic human organs in vitro, enabling faster, better, and cheaper drug development and insights into human health.
In 2010, he developed a lung-on-a-chip – the first of its kind – and has continued to lead the field by developing numerous other organ-on-a-chip models, demonstrating their ability to faithfully mimic human physiology and disease states, as well as therapeutic responses.
His organ-on-a-chip technology was named one of the Top 10 Emerging Technologies by the World Economic Forum in 2016 and won the 2015 Design of the Year by the London Design Museum.
“Science is a tough business,” Dr Ingber tells host Carla “but it is a creative art. It gives you creative freedom … Science is much closer to art than to medicine. As a scientist you have a view of how the world works and you try and convey it, like an artist – but you also have to lead to understanding and predictions.”
Host Carla Owen, said: “What struck me during my interview with Don is that like many of us, his love of animals is at his core – that and the way he is able to harness creativity in his science to bring organ-on-a-chip technology into the world for the good of us all”
The Animal Free Labcast is a frank, lively exchange of ideas and experiences with leading scientists, policy makers and animal protection ambassadors – all of whom are part of the animal free innovation revolution.
Guests cut through the noise and complexities to break down the urgent need to accelerate human relevant science and end the medical emergency, which is in large part caused by the continued reliance on animals as models for human disease research.
With new episodes out every fortnight, Series 1 is available wherever you get your podcasts including Spotify and Apple, or click here: www.animalfreeresearchuk.org/animal-free-labcast
Carla interviewed Dr Ingber at the recent Animal Free Research UK Science Conference in Birmingham UK, where he was presented with the charity’s first Pioneer Award, which is given to scientists leading the way in animal free research.
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