The world has recorded losses in terms of human life as well as extensive time spent in experimentation with development of new drugs, elucidation of disease mechanism(s), and therapeutic agent discovery. Ethical and legal issues cojoin in slowing down scientific discoveries in medicine and biology. The past two (2) decades, therefore, have seen tremendous attempts that largely are successful in developing animal models with the characteristics of mimicking, approximating, or expressing transplanted human organs/tissues. These models or rather approaches seem to be fast, cost-effective, and easy to maintain compared to primates. This book is a collection of expert essays on animal models of human diseases of global interest. A visible objective of the book is to provide real-time experimental approach to scientists, clinicians, ethicists, medicolegal/medical jurisprudence workers, immunologists, postgraduate students, and vaccinologists and informative and multidisciplinary approach for the identification of new therapeutic targets and biomarkers using animal models as well as investigating the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies of human diseases. An increased understanding of the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms responsible for the development of human diseases has laid out the foundation for the development of rational therapies mainly with animal models.

In recent years, human studies have made enormous contributions towards an understanding of the genetic basis of diabetes mellitus; however, most of the experimentation needed for the invention and testing of novel therapeutic approaches cannot be performed in humans. Thus, there is no alternative to appropriate animal models. In Animal Models in Diabetes Research, expert researchers explore the current status of the most important models and procedures in order to provide a timely resource in experimental diabetology. The first half of the volume serves as a comprehensive overview on our current knowledge of the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of diabetes in animal models through a series of reviews in model strains. The book then continues with vital, established protocols that are employed in the characterization and study of animal models of diabetes. As a volume in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series, this work contains the type of detailed description and key implementation advice necessary to achieve successful results. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Animal Models in Diabetes Research delivers essential content that will be an important resource to advance diabetes research in the years to come.

Translational Medicine in CNS Drug Development, Volume 29, is the first book of its kind to offer a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in translational medicine and biomarker techniques. With extensive coverage on all aspects of biomarkers and personalized medicine, and numerous chapters devoted to the best strategies for developing drugs that target specific disorders, this book presents an essential reference for researchers in neuroscience and pharmacology who need the most up-to-date techniques for the successful development of drugs to treat central nervous system disorders. Despite increases in the number of individuals suffering from CNS-related disorders, the development and approval of drugs for their treatment have been hampered by inefficiencies in advancing compounds from preclinical discovery to the clinic. However, in the past decades, game-changing strides have been made in our understanding of the pathophysiology of CNS disorders and the relationship of drug exposure in plasma and CNS to pharmacodynamic measures in both animals and humans. - Includes comprehensive coverage of biomarker tools and the role of personalized medicine in CNS drug development - Discusses strategies for drug development for a full range of CNS indications, with particular attention to neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive disorders - Includes chapters written by international experts from industry and academia

Animal Models for the Study of Human Disease identifies important animal models and assesses the advantages and disadvantages of each model for the study of human disease. The first section addresses how to locate resources, animal alternatives, animal ethics and related issues, much needed information for researchers across the biological sciences and biomedicine.The next sections of the work offers models for disease-oriented topics, including cardiac and pulmonary diseases, aging, infectious diseases, obesity, diabetes, neurological diseases, joint diseases, visual disorders, cancer, hypertension, genetic diseases, and diseases of abuse. - Organized by disease orientation for ease of searchability - Provides information on locating resources, animal alternatives and animal ethics - Covers a broad range of animal models used in research for human disease

This book deals with a novel aspect of a topical problem that is of widespread concern. Obesity and other eating disorders are significant human health problems that are proving highly resistant to prevention and cure. The recognition of important genotype/environment interaction in the causation of these problems and of the extensive genetic homology of higher animals justifies the importance of cross-species comparisons. The book covers observations made on animals in the wild as well as experimental data on laboratory animals and farm animals in order to lay out the basic genetic and environmental factors underlying the control of appetite (including diet selection) and body weight. Breakdown in these intricate mechanisms are then compared to examine the possible common candidate genes and their interaction with non-genetic factors, particularly the availability of diet choice and of levels of body activity. Animals have much to tell us about these mysteries and may significantly aid progress in dealing with what are still highly intractable and serious diseases of the modern world.

This book aims to aid the selection of the most appropriate methods for use in early phase (1 and 2) clinical studies of new drugs for diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and related cardiometabolic disorders. Clinical research methods to assess the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of new diabetes drugs, e.g. the euglycemic clamp technique, have become well-established in proof-of-mechanism studies. However, selection of the most appropriate techniques is by no means straightforward. Moreover, the application of such methods must conform to the regulatory requirements for new drugs. This book discusses the need for new pharmacotherapies for diabetes, obesity and NAFLD and the molecular targets of drugs currently in development. Emerging technologies including functional imaging, circulating biomarkers and omics are considered together with practical and ethical issues pertaining to early phase clinical trials in subjects with cardiometabolic disorders. Translational Research Methods in Diabetes, Obesity, and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is of interest to biomedical scientists, pharmacologists, academics involved in metabolic research and clinicians practicing in these specialties.

This book is devoted to innovative medicine, comprising the proceedings of the Uehara Memorial Foundation Symposium 2014. It remains extremely rare for the findings of basic research to be developed into clinical applications, and it takes a long time for the process to be achieved. The task of advancing the development of basic research into clinical reality lies with translational science, yet the field seems to struggle to find a way to move forward. To create innovative medical technology, many steps need to be taken: development and analysis of optimal animal models of human diseases, elucidation of genomic and epidemiological data, and establishment of “proof of concept”. There is also considerable demand for progress in drug research, new surgical procedures, and new clinical devices and equipment. While the original research target may be rare diseases, it is also important to apply those findings more broadly to common diseases. The book covers a wide range of topics and is organized into three complementary parts. The first part is basic research for innovative medicine, the second is translational research for innovative medicine, and the third is new technology for innovative medicine. This book helps to understand innovative medicine and to make progress in its realization.