Humanized Test Subjects Essential for 21st Century Medical Research
The rat race continues for a cure to cancer, the solution to Alzheimer’s, and ways to treat and prevent countless other ailments, which, despite the advanced age we live in, have not been conquered by medical research. With only so much funding to go around, the millions of dollars required to bring new cures and treatments to market are being increasingly dispersed with caution. Competition for medical research funding has always been fierce, but it’s never been fiercer than it is today. Among the deciding factors for who gets what the ability to successfully replicate or near replicate the human model down to the point-one percent of DNA, which makes each person unique, can be the deciding factor. Despite the extreme similarities between the genetics of human beings, in addition to the similarities between humans and common test subject species such as mice and rats, the success of treatments depends significantly on the individual. In short, what works to cure cancer in traditional lab mice rarely cures cancer in humans, and even what works for one person may not work for another. Such is the vital importance that point-one percent difference in DNA plays.