The Research Forward Podcast is dedicated to exploring the world of research and innovation. Hosted by David Mayo, each episode features conversations with individuals making significant contributions in various fields, including colleagues, customers, researchers, and industry leaders associated with IDEXX BioAnalytics.
The podcast aims to highlight our mission to advance research and to improve the health of pets, people, and livestock globally. Guests on the podcast range from PhD students to professors and industry leaders, providing diverse perspectives on science, entrepreneurship, and the real-world applications of their work.
We invite you to join us as we uncover the stories behind research breakthroughs and explore their transformative effects on our lives.
Honoring a Pioneer: The Life and Legacy of Pete Willan
In this special and heartfelt episode of Research Forward, we honor the life and legacy of Pete Willan, a remarkable leader whose five decades of service transformed biomedical research facilities and advanced the standards of animal welfare across the UK. Host David Mayo and guest Alison Hopkins reflect on Pete’s extraordinary career—from his strategic leadership at the University of Leicester’s Division of Biomedical Services to his unwavering commitment to humane care, ethical practice, and the technicians who uphold them.
We explore Pete’s groundbreaking 2001 study examining emotional conflict among animal care technicians, his leadership in advancing the 3Rs, and his influential innovations in environmental enrichment—such as nest packs and the seesaw—that improved welfare for research animals and working conditions for staff. Through data-driven insights, compassionate inquiry, and practical solutions, Pete elevated the role of the animal technician and shaped a more transparent, humane, and resilient research community.
This episode pays tribute to a pioneer whose impact continues to guide biomedical services today.
11 Dec 2025
Breaking Barriers in Clinical Research: How Prelude Is Redefining Data Management
In this episode of Research Forward, we sit down with Tommy Jackson, CEO of Prelude, to explore how technology is transforming clinical research. Tommy shares his journey from finance and Silicon Valley startups to leading one of the most trusted eClinical platforms in animal health—and now expanding into human health trials. We discuss:
How Prelude’s Electronic Data Capture (EDC) system accelerates trial timelines by up to 50% and reduces database build times by 75%.
Lessons human health research can learn from decades of optimization in veterinary trials.
Why user-friendly design and integrated modules like ePRO and eConsent are critical for trial success.
The role of robust customer success teams in overcoming resistance to digital adoption.
How modern EDC systems support compliance, improve data quality, and even help advance the “Three Rs” in animal research.
If you’ve ever wondered how clinical data management can evolve to be faster, more accurate, and more humane, this conversation is for you.
In this episode of the Research Forward Podcast, host David Mayo welcomes Dr. Michael Florea, co-founder and CEO of Olden Labs, a Harvard-trained synthetic biologist revolutionizing longevity research. Michael shares his journey from teenage lab work in Estonia to developing whole-body gene delivery systems at Harvard Medical School, and ultimately founding Olden Labs to tackle the bottlenecks of animal studies.Discover how Olden Labs is building the world’s first automated animal research lab using AI-powered smart cages and robotics to transform data collection, reduce costs, and improve animal welfare. From non-invasive health monitoring to accelerating disease model development, this conversation explores the intersection of engineering, biology, and artificial intelligence in modern biotech.Learn how automation is reshaping reproducibility, ethical standards, and the future of preclinical research—one smart cage at a time.
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