Best Podcasts for Staying Ahead in Research, Compliance, and Administration

Modified on March 5, 2026 to remove the “subscribe” option. This blog has been retired and replaced by the S.P.I.R.I.T. newsletter.

Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, Compliance Rockstars, Clinical Research Professionals, Ethics Enthusiasts, and Investigators! 270+ blog subscribers and counting!

It makes me ecstatic to see more and more folks subscribing to the blog! I’m happy that this blog is a useful resource to you all. I aim to continue to provide meaningful, unique content. As I mentioned before, I love to explain complex topics in a simpler format. Speaking of learning and reinforcing concepts:

To solidify a concept, I like to see the content in various mediums (e.g., text, audio, visual).

Podcasts can be an excellent learning tool! Whether you are reinforcing concepts or would like to learn something new, podcasts can aid in this. If you love learning on the go, then this post is for you!

In this post, I will list the best podcasts for staying up to date on research, compliance, and administration.

As a general reminder, these are my own interpretations. Any legal information discussed within this post should be discussed with your institution.

Let’s learn about these top-notch podcasts! Please note that these aren’t listed in any particular order.

Is there a podcast that you feel fits into this category that I didn’t mention? Please leave a comment below for myself and the community!

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PRIM&R Research Ethics Reimagined

The “Research Ethics Reimagined” podcast was created by Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R), hosted by Ivy R. Tillman, PRIM&R’s executive director. 

Per the description, PRIM&R speaks with scientists, researchers, bioethicists, and some of the leading minds exploring new frontiers of science.

• What I find really neat about these podcasts is that PRIM&R will post discussion questions via their Ampersand blog. Below is an example of this:
  • “Community Engaged Research with Monica L. Albertie” (episode)
  • “Community Engaged Research with Monica L. Albertie” (blog post – discussion questions)
• Relatedly, please feel free to check out my guest contribution to Ampersand: Redefining HRPP Stakeholders in an Institution’s IRB Training Program

For each podcast discussed in this post, I plan to list my TOP THREE episodes you should tune into.

These are based on my interests. I strongly encourage you to explore all episodes.

If you have a favorite episode that wasn’t on my list, PLEASE leave a comment below. I’d love to hear why it’s your favorite and what you learned!

This goes for all podcasts discussed in this post.

Tasha’s TOP THREE:

1. Research with AI by Mary L. Gray
2. Research Ethics Across Domains with Nicholas Proferes, PhD, Sarah Gilbert, PhD, and Kyle Pittman, MPA
3. Ethics in Orbit with Rachael Dempsey

Random Musings From The Clinical Trials Guru

Dan Sfera aka “The Clinical Trials Guru” shares his thoughts on the clinical research industry, business, entrepreneurship, sports and really just about anything he feels like at the moment.

I absolutely love to follow Dan on LinkedIn. He offers extraordinary insights to the clinical research community. You can also check out the following resources related to Dan’s work:

• The Clinical Trials Guru blog
• Dan Sfera’s YouTube channel
• The CRA Academy

Tasha’s TOP THREE:

1. Common Traits for Clinical Research Patient Recruiters
2. She Attended My Conference. One Year Later, She’s a Site Owner!
3. Mastering Your Clinical Research Resume with Ashley Margo

On Research with CITI Program

This podcast discusses issues that impact scientific research monthly, from clinical research to ethical considerations. Hosted by Alexa McClellan. 

There is a new episode each month. CITI Program’s blog also provides insights to their podcast episodes by breaking down the episode by podcast chapters and providing transcripts (example below):

• Engaging with Online Communities: Ethical Considerations for Researchers (episode)
• Engaging with Online Communities: Ethical Considerations for Researchers (blog)

Tasha’s TOP THREE:

1. Research Site Operations
2. The Evolution of IRBs: Navigating Ethical Considerations in Research
3. Dual Use Research of Concern Policy

On Tech Ethics with CITI Program

This podcast discusses a broad range of technology ethics topics. Hosted by Daniel Smith.

There is a new episode each month. CITI Program’s blog also provides insights to their podcast episodes by breaking down the episode by podcast chapters and providing transcripts (example below):

• Integrating AI into Healthcare Delivery (episode)
• Integrating AI into Healthcare Delivery (blog)

Tasha’s TOP THREE:

1. Privacy and Ethical Considerations for Extended Reality Settings
2. Understanding the Research Security Training Requirements
3. 3Rs Technologies in Animal Research

On Campus with CITI Program

This podcast discusses issues that impact higher education institutions. Hosted by Ed Butch.

There is a new episode each month. CITI Program’s blog also provides insights to their podcast episodes by breaking down the episode by podcast chapters and providing transcripts (example below):

• Professional Development: A Conversation about Career Transitions (episode)
• Professional Development: A Conversation about Career Transitions (blog)

Tasha’s TOP THREE:

1. Student Mentorship
2. Evaluating and Awarding Credits for Prior Learning
3. Human-Centered Learning: The Power of Design Thinking in Higher Ed

SRAI’s Shop Talk

By the Society of Research Administrators International: Shop Talk, this podcast spotlights research administration professionals across diverse institutions.

This podcast dives into the intricacies of pre-award, post-award, compliance, communications, and all the essential elements in between. You can tune in on the last Thursday of every month for insightful discussions and expert insights for research administrators across the globe. The SRAI blog is also an excellent resource to deep dive into the complexities of research administration.

Though I haven’t personally checked out this podcast yet, these are my TOP THREE episodes I would check out first:

1. Meet a Principal Investigator
2. Exploring Research Integrity
3. International Research Collaboration

SCCE and HCCA Compliance Perspectives

This podcast covers ethics and compliance-related topics and addresses issues ranging from FCPA to HIPAA to helplines. 

Though I haven’t had the pleasure of listening to this podcast yet, I like how the episodes are succinct. If you’ve heard of the phrase, “Big things come in small packages”, this certainly applies! If you have a short attention span (which I tend to have at times), then this podcast is for you! Here are my TOP THREE episodes I plan to check out first:

1. Kasturi Venkatesh on Conflicts of Interest
2. Alec Burlakoff on Preventing Fraud
3. Sarah Hadden on Compliance Officer Stress and Burnout

The Lab Coats & Life Podcast

This podcast is dedicated to helping scientists thrive. Brought to you by STEMCELL Technologies.

On their website, you can find excellent educational resources. With respect to podcasts, you can find summaries and video recordings of each episode here: Podcasts

Tasha’s TOP THREE:

1. “To postdoc or not to postdoc?” Featuring Dr. Jennifer Polk
2. “How to Keep on Top of New Technologies For Your Research” Featuring Dr. Caroline Hookway
3. “How to Effectively Communicate Your Research” Featuring Tamara Poles

From where does it STEM?

JP Flores sets out to capture stories of resilience, scientific journeys, and inspiration that have built and shaped many diverse scientists.

I appreciate that this podcast strives to celebrate scientists. I haven’t had the opportunity to listen to this podcast yet, but these are the TOP THREE I am striving to check out first:

1. “What Makes a Good Scientist? Dr. Roshni Patel & Dr. Rachel Ungar
2. “Rethinking How We Teach Science: Dr. Bryan Dewsbury
3. Making Waves in Science, Science Communication, and Representation: Jaida Elcock

Advarra In Conversations With …

Advarra speaks with leading experts to dig into pressing issues and explore solutions within research and clinical trials.

Advarra has a plethora of resources ranging from their blog to on-demand webinars. This was my go-to podcast when I first started in compliance trying to learn the ropes. Though they haven’t had any recent episodes, I still find the information useful!

Tasha’s TOP THREE:

1. James Riddle and Luke Gelinas Explore Digital Health and Regulation
2. James Riddle and Barbara Schneider Delve into the Different Players Involved in Reviewing Clinical Research
3. Let’s Get Ethical

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I hope you find these podcasts interesting and useful in your daily professional (and personal) lives!