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