Lab Rat Chat

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

Ever wondered if taurine could be the secret to longevity and health span? We got curious and decided to investigate. With insights from animal studies, we explore if taurine could help combat obesity, inflammation,...

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 34 with Dr. Ben Wylie

Get ready to embark on a fascinating scientific journey with our esteemed guest, Dr. Ben Wylie.  We know you're curious about his career journey, his cutting-edge work in sarcoma research, and his innovative approach towards cancer treatment. So, we promise you an enlightening conversation that is sure to feed your curiosity and inspire your scientific spirit.

In t...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• New birth control injection for female cats
• Making experiments more natural to better understand the brain
• Wound healing ink and 3D-printed applicator pens
• Potential cause of chronic pain associated with long COVID
...

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 33 with Dr. Alejando Torrado-Pacheco

What if psychedelics could hold the key to improving mental health? Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Alejandro Torrado-Pacheco, a postdoc from Oregon Health Sciences University, as we journey through the world of psychedelics and their potential therapeutic applications. Alejandro shares his unique background, from growing up in Europe and studying p...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• The rapid evolution of the dogs of Chernobyl
• A mouse study that correlates nose picking with Alzheimer's
• How hibernating bears, pigs in small enclosures, and immobile humans avoid blood clots
• The quest to save...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• March is National Kidney Month!
• How NAD+ and NMN can slow, stop, and even reverse kidney disease
• Scientists have been able to create mice from the cells of two male mice
• Did you know beetles mainly absorb water fro...

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 32 with Dr. Jodi Salinsky

In this episode of Lab Rat Chat, Jeff and Danielle chat with Jodi Salinksy, DVM, Animal Welfare Officer for the University of Auckland, New Zealand.  We're thrilled to finally talk with someone from New Zealand to be able to compare and contrast some of the similarities and differences regarding animal research in that part of the world.

Topics discussed in this episode...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• Monogamous prairie voles - Happy Valentine's day!
• How freezing hibernating frogs might one day save humanity
• A discussion about the FDA Modernization Act
• February is American Heart Awareness month, so of cours...

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 31 with Erin Vogelsong

In this episode of Lab Rat Chat, Jeff and Danielle chat with Erin Vogelsong, MS, Program Director of Drexel University's Master of Laboratory Animal Science program.

Special Live Webinar Announcement - February 1st @ 12pm EST:
In celebration of International Laboratory Animal Technician Week, Drexel University is hosting a webinar Bringing the Magic Through Podcasting: ...

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 30 with Dr. Agnès Lacreuse

In this episode of Lab Rat Chat, Jeff and Danielle chat with Dr. Agnès Lacreuse, PhD, who is a researcher at the University of Massachusetts in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences Department.

She utilizes nonhuman primates in her research in order to better understand neurocognitive aging and pathological aging processes, such as those involved in Alzheimer&ap...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• How mice, and many other species, benefit from having fat in their bodies.
• Needless jet injection technology?!
• Reviving organs in pigs HOURS after death
• Why elephants don't get cancer - we bet you've neve...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• Kinda Baboons and how their social structure affects their development
• How whale brains are protected through their special blood vessels
• Testosterone - a cuddling hormone?!
• Dogs and their ability to smell when we're st...

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 29 with Dr. Kyle Flippo

In this episode of Lab Rat Chat, Jeff chats with Dr. Kyle Flippo, PhD, who is a postdoc in the University of Iowa Neuroscience and Pharmacology Department.   He studies the role of endocrine signaling in the CNS in regulating metabolism, amongst other things.  One of his current research projects has explored the role of a hormone (FGF21) in suppressing alcohol consumption in monkeys. N...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• Zombie spiders - not quite as horrifying as it sounds
• Regeneration and restoration of heart cells in mice
• mRNA cancer vaccine development
• A pacemaker implanted into a mini-donkey
• An update on the rare colorful lobster news st...

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 28 with Dr. Amanda Vanderplow

In this episode of Lab Rat Chat, Danielle and Jeff chat with Dr. Amanda Vanderplow, a PhD research scientist in the Cahill Lab of Neuroscience Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.   She studies dendritic spine plasticity and how synaptic alterations contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders.  In other words, she much smarter than the rest of us.  One of her current rese...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• A promising new drug to prevent and slow the progression of Parkinson's disease
• Pain relief in the form of implantable nerve cooling devices
• How sound and music can reduce both chronic and acute pain
• Danielle's tru...

News Bites are monthly episodes where Danielle and Jeff break down important topics surrounding the field of biomedical research (and some unrelated topics).

In this News Bite edition, Jeff and Danielle discuss:

• The ability of animals to detect harsh speaking tones
• Bats and echolocation
• First-ever study showing that headbutting animals can and do suffer from traumatic brain injuries
• A new incredible imaging technology to image the m...

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 27 with Dr. Christine Lattin

In this episode of Lab Rat Chat, Danielle and Jeff chat with Dr. Christine Lattin, an assistant professor at Louisiana State University.   She conducts incredible research using birds as a model to help our understanding of stress and how different neurotransmitters and hormones help wild animals successfully cope with challenges, from predators to disease.  Dr. Lattin's resea...