Improving biomedical science and reducing use of animals

[cor]

Hello,

 

I am posting here, hoping for ideas and feedback on how we can use the computer to

1) improve biomedical research, especially in cancer, and at the same time

2) reduce the use of laboratory animals.

 

My professional background is that I recently started as a bioinformatic engineer in a cancer research institute.

 

Biomedical science seems to be seriously hampered by the use of animal models, as Khalil writes in a recent article in Current view on Oncology:

"Many of the cell lines and animal models used to study cancer mechanisms and test possible therapeutics are not predictive of what will happen in actual in vivo human tumors. The discrepancy between in vitro and the in vivo human has significantly affected the ability of researchers to devise successful cancer therapeutics. “(1)

 

An example of the problem with the animal model is shown in the case of DNA (plasmid) vaccination. Although successul in animal models in humans it didnot work that well:

* However It soon became evident that DNA vaccines while robust in small animal models were less immungenic in nonhuman primates and humans. (6). and

* Unfortunately, this (DNA plasmid, ed) technology has not proven to be reliable in humans. (2, p. s7)

 

Replacing animal models for computermodels based on human (f.e. microarray) data, would improve science and at the same time reduce the use of laboratory animals. Besides the effort in building such models, it also seem to require a paradigma shift in biomedical science. Traditional, biomedical (molecular) science is using a reductionistic approach, Reseach is focused on the effects of knocking down or knocking out of a single gene. A more holistic, system approach is needed. The approach advocated by Khalil is to infer (“reverse engineering”) the gene regulatory mechanisms looking at microarray data, using mathematics and statistics. The “inference engine” should however also take in account what is already known in the form of existing computermodels.

 

What do you think are the prospects and/or requirements for the use of computer models in stead of animal models in biomedical science?

 

Thanks for your reply in advance!

 

Cor Lieftink

(1) Khalil, I G; Hill, C (2005) Systems biology for cancer. Current Opinion in Oncology. 17(1):44-48,

 

(2) Plotkin , S.A, (2005) Vaccines: past, present and future. Nature Medicine 11, S5 - S11

http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v11...ll/nm1209.html

 

(3) Schleef, M. (2005) DNA-Pharmaceuticals: Formulation and Delivery in Gene Therapy, DNA Vaccination and Immunotherapy. Chapter 1

http://media.wiley.com/product_data/...27311874-1.pdf

[InfiniteNow]

What do you think are the prospects and/or requirements for the use of computer models in stead of animal models in biomedical science?

Hello cor. Let me first say that I look forward to interacting with you, and sincerely wish you the best of luck in your search for non-invasive, non-harmful techniques to solve the health problems we face as a planet.

 

The quick answer to your question is that the computer models are only as good as the person programming them and the information they have available to them. However, considering all of the information we have gleaned from research into animals and humans thus far, someone with enough resources could easily generate accurate computer models with current technology.

 

Want this to happen quickly? Figure out a way to get Hollywood involved and use their amazing CGI folks to put some effort into the modelling of cancer.

 

 

Anyway, cheers. :naughty: