From Lab to Life

Before taking part in a medical or health study, participants need to give their informed consent in a Participant Information and Consent Form (PICF). The purpose of the PICF is to provide information about what the study involves so potential participants can decide if it is right for them. Over the years PICFs have become increasingly complex and legalistic, meaning that it’s hard for people to fully understand what they need to know before deciding to participate. In this episode of From Lab to Life called “Becoming InFORMed” we hear the remarkable story of the development of the new, easy-to-understand InFORMed PICF and how it became adopted for use across Australia.

Australia’s largest provider of Human Research Ethics Committee services, Bellberry, and ASCEPT (Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists & Toxicologists) have been working together to develop robust guidance for the use of NAMs (New Approach Methodologies) Following the last workshop, Alison Rogers spoke with three leaders in the field to find out more about this growing alternative technology to kick off the 2026 series of From Lab to Life.

Worldwide there is growing focus on using NAMs (Non-Animal Models also known as Novel Approach Methods) in the development of therapeutics. In other words, removing animals from pre-clinical testing. In this episode of From Lab to Life, we take you to a NAM symposium hosted by Bellberry and ASCEPT (Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists) held late in 2024.

In 2004 Bellberry was founded as a disrupter and paradigm breaker. An institutionally independent not-for-profit company that offers Human Research Ethics Committee services. Today Bellberry provides ethics reviews for more than 40% of the CTN clinical trials that take place in Australia and has re-invested $12 million into the research sector. In 2024 we celebrated 20 years of Bellberry with a focus on the difference we’ve made since we began. This was recognised with Bellberry winning the Telstra Best of Business award for Championing health late last year. In this episode of 'From Lab to Life' we hear from some of the people we work with about the impact of Bellberry.

In “The Balancing Act” we meet Professor Andrew Wilson AO, the recently retired Chair of the PBAC. Andrew is a former Chief Medical Officer of Victoria and has spent his career trying to get the best possible outcomes in public health through our state and federal governments. For someone focused on evidence based research, engaging in the political system can be a huge challenge.

Without the patient or participant we would not have clinical trials. These are the people who, in some cases, are volunteering to have treatments that have never been tried on humans before. In It’s All About the Participant we hear first-hand about what it’s like to be the participant and ask how could the experience be improved for others? In Episode 9 of From Lab to Life we take a deep dive into the experience of those that have been on life-changing clinical trials.

In The Quiet Achiever we met someone who has made an extraordinary contribution to Australian health in a career spanning over six decades. Professor Emeritus Lloyd Sansom AO started his career as a pharmacist, going on to become Professor of Pharmacy as well as Head of the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences at the University of South Australia. In 2002 he was awarded an AO and in 2004 his contribution to the University was recognised with the naming of the Sansom Institute for Health Research. He was also Chair of the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council from 1991-2000 and Chair for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee from 2001-2012. Recently Lloyd retired as a member of Bellberry’s Board and in this episode he gives us insight into his life, work and lessons learnt.

What are the changes in medical treatment that are going to affect us in the coming years? In our latest episode of From Lab to Life we hear from three researchers and Bellberry HREC members who have a front row seat to the latest developments. On the Horizon reveals that one of the biggest influences on medical innovation is the pandemic. Despite having a devastating effect across the globe it has forced immense change in medical research.

In this episode of From Lab to Life, we hear the insights from some of the smartest researchers in the country about how they have succeeded in their careers. In Speaking From Experience we hear from Laureate Professor Ingrid Scheffer, Professor Doug Hilton, Emeritus Professor Ian Frazer, Professors Marnie Blewitt, Kim Jacobson and Di Yu about how they have navigated a successful path in the complex and demanding field of medical research.

The competition for good workers is high. What keeps a staff member engaged and energised? At Bellberry, some staff intended to stay months, but have ended up staying for years. What motivates an employee? And what’s the secret to having an engaged workforce? In this episode of From Lab To Life, ‘All In A Day’s Work’, we meet the people that work every day for Bellberry.

Barely a month goes by without a media report of the next breakthrough in cancer or other rare and life-threatening diseases. Unfortunately, it can take precious time for patients to receive the benefit of the latest medical innovation. In June 2023, Bellberry gathered representatives of regulators, reimbursement agencies, pharmaceutical companies and, most importantly, patient groups from around the globe to Adelaide, Australia, to examine the issue of accelerated access to potentially beneficial medicines. The challenge for the group was to agree on the principles to be considered when establishing processes to provide faster access to life-saving treatments. Gathering these experts in one place to focus on this difficult issue for three-and-a-half days was an achievement in itself. In this episode of From Lab To Life we meet some of the experts who attended this International Scientific Congress and hear their thoughts on this complex issue.

As a Not-For-Profit organisation, Bellberry allocates surplus funds raised from HREC review back into the health and medical research sector. In this episode, ‘Chasing The Money’, we hear about Bellberry’s flagship philanthropic program, the Bellberry-Viertel Fellowship, and the impact this funding can have on research careers.

The role of a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is to ensure that all kinds of research involving or impacting on humans conform to the highest standards of ethical practice and academic integrity. In this episode, ‘Behind Closed Doors’, we meet four members of Bellberry’s HRECs to understand what motivates people to take on this responsibility and how the process works.

As Bellberry celebrates its 20th year of operation in 2023/24, in this first episode ‘Creating Difference’ we speak with Bellberry’s CEO, Kylie Sproston, to understand what Bellberry is and how it works.