The Animal Free Labcast, hosted by our amazing CEO Carla, 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.
Our 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.
New episodes out every fortnight starting on June 29 2022. Available wherever you get your podcasts, or click one of the icons below.
31 Jan 2023 – Episode 15: Professor Mike Philpott
It is a little known fact that scientists can cure cancer in mice, but not yet in humans.
In this episode, Carla speaks with skin expert Professor Mike Philpott, who heads up the Animal Replacement Centre of Excellence at Queen Mary University of London – funded by Animal Free Research UK. At the ARC, Mike and his team are using human relevant methods to study skin, head and neck cancer, all without using mice – or any other animals. Listen to find out what led Mike to develop a now widely used human skin model, and the surprising place Mike and his team source human skin.
PS. You may have heard of in-vitro, but what about ex-vivo? Mike simplifies the science for us.
17 Jan 2023 – Episode 14: Dr Malcolm Wilkinson
An Organ on a Plate – not as macabre as it sounds – is a pioneering piece of technology that is replacing the use of animals in laboratories and advancing medical research. Dr Malcolm Wilkinson, founder of company Kirkstall who makes and provides this technology, explains to Carla what it is, how it works, and its huge potential for human-relevant science.
Listen to find out how a presentation at a conference aligned with Malcolm’s passion for animals and sparked the birth of his company, and which recent animal-free success Malcolm draws hope from for a world where animals are no longer used in medical research.
3 Jan 2023 – Episode 13: Dr Martin Ashby
In this episode, Carla is joined by Dr Martin Ashby – a consultant in palliative care for the NHS and Trustee of Animal Free Research UK. Martin talks to Carla about his frustration at the lack of progress being made for treatments for his patients, something he attributes to the continued focus on substandard animal-based research.
Listen to find out what 80s TV programme sparked Martin’s lifelong animal advocacy, leading him to take a stand against the animal-using status quo at his university, and eventually to challenging animal research at medical conferences.
20 Dec 2022 – Episode 12: Dr Jan Turner
Dr Jan Turner shares her vivid memories of animal use in her A Level Biology class and beyond, a grim reality that made her uncomfortable throughout her studies and early career. Her aversion to using animals, coupled with the emergence of new human-relevant technologies, has led Jan to being a Product Manager at Axol Bioscience, a supplier of human cells to biotech and pharmacology industries.
Jan tells Carla about the fascinating work Axol Bioscience does, how they are already helping to reduce the use of animals in medical research, and how the future of personalised medicine is closer than you might think.
6 Dec 2022 – Episode 11: Steph Jones-Giles
Since she started fundraising for Animal Free Research UK, Steph Jones-Giles and the Bude Support Group that she Chairs have raised an incredible £48,000 for the charity.
In this episode, Steph shares her passion for fundraising with Carla and explains why it is one of the best bits of her life. Learn about Steph’s motivations for supporting us, her inspirational fundraising successes, and how she engages with her community in Bude, Cornwall, on animal free science.
22 Nov 2022 – Episode 10: Dr Paul Holloway
In this episode, Carla is joined by Dr Paul Holloway, stroke researcher at the University of Oxford whose fascinating work is funded by Animal Free Research UK.
From paint strokes to studying strokes, learn about how Paul’s artistic side helps him find creative new solutions for stroke research that he hopes will contribute to reducing suffering for both patients and animals. They discuss the advantages of human relevant science, the route to its adoption, and what Paul thinks is the biggest barrier to getting there.
Psst… Ever wondered what “cell culture”, “in vivo” and “in vitro” mean? Paul explains all.
8 Nov 2022 – Episode 9: Baroness Sue Hayman
In 2020, Baroness Sue Hayman became the first Member of the House of Lords to be introduced in faux fur robes, an unsurprising choice given her strong political record on supporting animal welfare.
In this episode, Sue tells Carla about how a university tour opened her eyes to animal suffering, led her into animal welfare campaigning, and eventually to Westminster.
From working on the banning of glue-traps and ivory importation, to now acting as Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Relevant Science, Sue shares her political wins for animals.
25 Oct 2022 – Episode 8: Prof Valerie Spiers
To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Carla is joined by Professor Valerie Spiers, breast cancer researcher at the University of Aberdeen supported by Animal Free Research UK.
In their conversation, you’ll hear how Val is using fascinating organ-on-a-plate technology to study the spread of cancer, and how her research could benefit patients in the not-too-distant future.
11 Oct 2022 – Episode 7: Carol Royle
In this episode, Carla is joined by actor and Animal Free Research UK Patron Carol Royle. They discuss the moment Carol was awakened to the need to speak up for animals, and her experience of being an animal advocate in the 1970s through to present day.
Stay tuned until the end to hear a powerful poem by Carol, along with a definition of the spiritual doctrine “Ahimsa” which guides her life.
8 Sept 2022 – Episode 6: Prof Chris Denning
Converting extracted human wisdom teeth into heart cells – no, not science fiction but reality in Professor Chris Denning’s lab at the University of Nottingham. In this episode, Carla talks to Chris about the important work he and his team do at the Biodiscovery Institute on heart disease, and the path that led him there.
Chris shines a light on how “Modern Day Alchemy”, as he calls it, is paving the way for personalised medicine, and how new animal free technologies will impact heart patients in real terms.
24 Aug 2022 – Episode 5: Prof Lorna Harries
Ever wondered how we can beat the aging process and lead a long, healthy life? In this episode Carla catches up with Professor Lorna Harries who researches such things along with her team at our Animal Replacement Centre of Excellence at the University of Exeter – also known as ARC 2.0.
Lorna takes us through her amazing and very successful animal free research work on diabetes and Covid 19 – exciting research science at it best.
11 Aug – Episode 4: Dr Don Ingber
Today world-class pioneer of biomedical research and innovation, Dr Don Ingber, is our special guest.
In 2010, Dr Ingber developed a lung-on-a-chip – the first of its kind – and has continued to lead the field by developing numerous other organ chip models, demonstrating their ability to faithfully mimic human physiology.
Don discusses his career, his personal motivations for making that leap into human relevant research and his proudest achievements.
27 July – Episode 3: Prof Amanda Ellison
Professor of Neuroscience at Durham University, Amanda Ellison discusses her career, and how a new human neuroscience technique – Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) – pushed the boundaries of human relevant science.
Amanda offers her thoughts on where New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) will take the medical research community, and shares her passion for scientific communication. She also details how she is inspiring the next generation of animal replacement scientists.
1 July – Episode 1 & 2: Dr Jarrod Bailey
In these episodes Dr Jarrod Bailey, Animal Free Research UK’s Science Director, highlights the issues surrounding the use of animals in medical research and drug testing – and makes a plea for the status quo to be broken.
He dismantles the arguments often made by those who advocate animal use, and details how so-called new approach methodologies – NAMs – are revolutionising the transition to animal free innovation.
