The Persistence Lab

We often experience science through the breakthrough announced in the news. But that moment comes at the end of a long and arduous process that often began years earlier. Understanding this journey, and the people who dedicate their careers to these efforts, can bring us one step closer to appreciating the value of that breakthrough. In the season finale of The Persistence Lab, a podcast from AbbV...

Neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, are conditions that lead to a gradual, cumulative loss of neural activity in the brain. There are currently no cures for these conditions, and current care regimens focus on managing the symptoms of these diseases. In this episode, sponsored by AbbVie, we look at the impact of neurological conditions on patients and thei...

Why do some patients with autoimmune disease respond to treatment while others may not? Understanding these insights can offer scientists potential clues about the underlying cause of disease. This episode, sponsored by AbbVie, explores the approaches scientists use to help drive progress in immunology research like reverse translation – a process that works from “bedside to bench” using clinical...

The immune system is our greatest defense – a shield that protects us from harmful diseases. But what happens when it misfires and attacks the body with no pathogens in sight? For decades, scientists have been working to find ways to address the conditions that result from this process, like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. This episode, sponsored by AbbVie, traces how scientists’ understanding of i...

What does it really mean to feel good in your own skin? Despite the number of patients who achieve natural-looking results from dermal fillers, social media and online sources have disproportionately amplified stories of the outliers. Providers now play an important role in educating audiences about these medicines – knowledge that can help lead to more informed conversations. In this episode, spo...

For patients with tough-to-treat cancers, treatment approaches have advanced significantly over the past several decades. Scientists have made significant progress in understanding cancer biology. In this episode, sponsored by AbbVie, we explore how the discovery of biomarkers – the biological “signatures” for certain cancers – have helped create a paradigm shift in how we treat cancer by focusing...

Medication access goes beyond the ability to obtain the medication prescribed – it's also about the logistics: developing, manufacturing and delivering a medicine. This episode, sponsored by AbbVie, explores how teams are rethinking operations and manufacturing to prioritize the most important piece of the puzzle: the patient. Behind every package that reaches a patient lies remarkable science, de...

For many patients, navigating the health care system can be painstakingly difficult. But a conversation with an advocate can change everything. In this episode, sponsored by AbbVie, we follow the patient journey through the complexities of the health care system. Along the way, we meet people behind AbbVie’s patient support teams, who aim to help patients feel seen, heard, and empowered. Not inten...

Is it possible to deliver medicine to the brain when the brain won’t let it in? The blood-brain barrier is the brain’s personal fortress, protecting it from potentially dangerous pathogens. But that same barrier can also prevent the delivery of medicines. In this episode, sponsored by AbbVie, we meet the scientists exploring the use of shuttle technology to navigate the blood-brain barrier and pot...

Our health and well-being impact every element of our lives. For patients with some of the most difficult-to-treat medical conditions, a cure is what they’re hoping for. How can we accelerate drug development to spur progress and turn bold ideas into real breakthroughs? We launch our journey into The Persistence Lab, a podcast sponsored by AbbVie, with a look at how the company is empowering scien...

The Persistence Lab, a podcast from AbbVie, invites you to step into the lives of the people who wake up every day determined to solve some of the toughest challenges in medicine and health care. Here, breakthroughs aren’t single moments – they’re the result of questions pursued, experiments refined, and teams who push forward even when the path gets complicated. This is where science meets humani...