Models for translational research of human diseases

Abstract

Human disease models, including cell models, are important platforms in translational research studies to understand the pathophysiology of human diseases. The subject is vast as many models and diseases are involved. This essay will focus on the following models i.e. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast), Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast), Caenorhabditis elegans (roundworm), Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), Danio rerio (zebra fish) and Mus musculus (laboratory mouse), which are being used in such human diseases such as cancer, metabolic diseases, inflammation, infection, and neurodegenerative conditions. With the impact of CRISPR and next-generation sequencing technologies, disease modelling is stepping up the understanding of molecular mechanisms of human diseases. This in turn is helping in the theranostic management (diagnosis, prognosis and therapy) of the latter and paving the way to more personalized precision medicine.