title: Questioning the preclinical paradigm: natural, extreme biology as an alternative discovery platform.
abstract: The pace at which science continues to advance is astonishing. From cosmology, microprocessors, structural engineering, and DNA sequencing our lives are continually affected by science-based technology. However, progress in treating human ailments, especially age-related conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease, moves at a relative snail's pace. Given that the amount of investment is not disproportionately low, one has to question why our hopes for the development of efficacious drugs for such grievous illnesses have been frustratingly unrealized. Here we discuss one aspect of drug development--rodent models--and propose an alternative approach to discovery research rooted in evolutionary experimentation. Our goal is to accelerate the conversation around how we can move towards more translative preclinical work.
authors.affiliation: Barshop Institute for Aging and Longevity Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX USA.
authors.forename: Rochelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buffenstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 9916, USA.
authors.forename: O Lynne
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Disorders, Amgen, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Corbit
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends