Season Three

Podcast: Science With a Twist

Podcast: Season 3

Science With a Twist is a podcast for curious people who enjoy exploring how science impacts our daily lives. From technology that helps the fight against COVID-19 to solutions that help clean the water we drink – it’s all thanks to science. In each episode, members of Thermo Fisher Scientific’s team talk to experts who are on the cutting-edge of redefining how we exist. Ultimately, Science With a Twist helps lifelong learners understand the everyday applications of science that are helping to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.
 

EPISODE SUMMARY

 

In this episode of Science With a Twist, join host Terri Somers as she explores how Thermo Fisher Scientific leverages science, innovation, and customer relationships to help drive health equity, which is described as a state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to reach their highest level of health.

 

Thermo Fisher is continually working to improve health equity through its Healthier Communities Initiative. Joining Terri to share the details of the global program on this episode are guests Fred Lowery, executive vice president and president, Laboratory Products and BioProduction, and Meron H. Mathias, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability.

 

Listen to the conversation as they discuss:

  • How health equity is a key component of Thermo Fisher’s core business.
  • How Thermo Fisher leverages its capabilities and customer relationships to further its impact.
  • Initiatives that improve health equity through accessibility to drug-resistant HIV testing, next-generation sequencing to diagnose lung and breast cancer in 30 underserved countries, increasing the accessibility to and diversity in clinical trials, and more.
  • New programs in 2024.

 

EPISODE SUMMARY

 

In this episode of "Science with a Twist," host Terri Somers speaks with Dr. Rose Blackburne, MBA, Vice President, Medical Science and Strategy, and Global Head of General Medicine and Women’s Health at the PPD clinical research business at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Dr. Blackburne, a thought leader in women’s health and clinical trials, emphasizes the critical need for diversity in clinical trials to achieve health equity, highlighting how different populations experience varying symptoms and responses to treatments. She explains that women’s health goes beyond reproductive issues, providing examples of diseases that impact far more women than men. She also explains why, historically, women were excluded from clinical trials and recent measures that are helping to ensure equitable representation.

 

Dr. Blackburne shares insights into:

  • The challenges of recruiting women and minority groups for clinical trials, noting the logistical and societal barriers they face.
  • Innovative solutions, such as telemedicine and flexible scheduling, to make trial participation more accessible.
  • Recent advances in clinical research, including a groundbreaking preeclampsia test and contributions to COVID-19 vaccine trials, highlighting Thermo Fisher's pivotal role in these developments.

The conversation concludes with a discussion of recent government initiatives to advance women’s health research and the importance of public and private partnerships. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of inclusive healthcare and scientific innovation. 

 

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