Animal Free Labcast #42 – Dr Sam Aspinall – A Future Beyond Gelatine

In this episode of the Animal Free Labcast, Carla and Dr Gemma Davies are joined by Dr Sam Aspinall from the University of Hertfordshire, who is developing a synthetic, animal-free alternative to gelatine – a material found everywhere from labs to healthcare to cosmetics.

We unpack why gelatine, though cheap and effective, is problematic both ethically and scientifically, and explore how polymer-based substitutes could offer the same benefits without animal suffering or experimental variability. The conversation also shines a light on the hidden scale of animal use in research – from live testing to animal-derived biomaterials – and why human-relevant methods are urgently needed.

Tune in to hear how Dr Aspinall’s work could transform research worldwide, making science more reliable while sparing countless animals.

Poll of the Week: Did you know that even though there are animal-free alternatives, gelatine and other meat industry by-products are still widely used in medical research?

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