Modern biomedical research: an internally self-consistent universe with little contact with medical reality? (original) (raw)

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery volume 2, pages 151–154 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Congruence between in vitro and animal models of disease and the corresponding human condition is a fundamental assumption of much biomedical research, but it is one that is rarely critically assessed. In the absence of such critical assessment, the assumption of congruence may be invalid for most models. Much more open discussion of this issue is required if biomedical research is to be clinically productive.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 print issues and online access

$209.00 per year

only $17.42 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Figure 1: Hesse's The Glass Bead Game.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hesse, H. Magister Ludi (Bantam Press, New York, 1970) Originally published as Das Glasperlenspiel, Fretz and Wasmuth Verlag, Zurich, 1943.
    Google Scholar
  2. Reynolds, L. M., Dalton, C. F. & Reynolds, G. P. Phospholipid fatty acids and neurotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Neurosci. Lett. 309, 193–196 (2001).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  3. Witt, M. R. & Nielsen, M. Characterisation of the influence of unsaturated free fatty acids on brain GABA/benzodiazepine receptor binding in vitro. J. Neurochem. 62, 1432–1439 (1994).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  4. Pearson, H. Surviving a knock-out blow. Nature 415, 8–9 (2002).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  5. Horrobin, D. F. Innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. J. R. Soc. Medicine 93, 341–345 (2000).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  6. Horrobin D. F. Realism in drug discovery — could Cassandra be right? Nature Biotechnol. 19, 1099–1100 (2001).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  7. Persson, C. G., Erjefalt, J. S., Uller, L., Andersson, M. & Greiff, L. Unbalanced research. Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 22, 538–541 (2001).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Rees J. Post-genome integrative biology: so that's what they call clinical science. Clin. Med. 1, 393–400 (2001).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  9. Rosenberg, L. Physician–scientists — endangered and essential. Science 283, 331–332 (1999).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laxdale Ltd, Kings Park House, Laurelhill Business Park, Stirling, FK7 9JQ, Scotland
    David F. Horrobin

Authors

  1. David F. Horrobin
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Horrobin, D. Modern biomedical research: an internally self-consistent universe with little contact with medical reality?.Nat Rev Drug Discov 2, 151–154 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd1012

Download citation