Jobe P C, Adams-Curtis L E, Burks T F, Fuller R W, Peck C C, Ruffolo R R, Snead O C, Woosley R L
University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria.
Physiologist. 1994 Jun;37(3):79-86.
The biomedical sciences in the United States are currently experiencing the effects of an increased emphasis on in vitro models of biological and disease processes. Advances in cellular and subcellular biology have been a driving force in the funding of new research, the training of new scientists, and new drug discovery and development. The importance of new findings at the cellular and subcellular levels is not disputed. However, the corresponding decline in funding and training opportunities for biologically relevant investigations at the level of the intact animal (including humans; hereafter designated as integrative biology) is a serious threat to continued biomedical advances. The lack of resources for integrative biology has far-reaching negative consequences in 1) the development and utilization of whole animal models of disease and dysfunction; 2) assessing the relevancy of in vitro studies to physiological mechanisms; 3) the evaluation of the scientific merit of whole animal investigations and their relevancy to the nation's scientific imperatives; 4) the instruction of young scientists in the technology and especially in the methods of integrative biology, including how to develop appropriate experimental hypotheses; 5) the instruction of graduate, medical, dental, pharmacy, and nursing students in drug and disease processes in the intact human; and 6) the ability of the pharmaceutical manufacturers, the FDA, the EPA and academia to hire scientists who can develop drugs and evaluate the effects of exogenous agents on the intact animal. These negative consequences can be alleviated in a variety of ways. These include 1) increasing the availability of funding for research in integrative biology, 2) increasing the opportunities for training in integrative biology, and 3) instituting grant reviews of integrative biomedical research by peers in integrative biomedical sciences. These measures can revitalize integrative biomedical research, help ensure the continued advancement of biomedical understanding, and consequently contribute to the alleviation of human suffering.
美国的生物医学科学目前正受到对生物和疾病过程体外模型日益重视的影响。细胞和亚细胞生物学的进展一直是新研究资金投入、新科学家培养以及新药研发的驱动力。细胞和亚细胞水平新发现的重要性无可争议。然而，完整动物层面（包括人类；以下称为整合生物学）与生物学相关研究的资金和培训机会相应减少，这对生物医学的持续进步构成了严重威胁。整合生物学资源的匮乏在以下几个方面产生了深远的负面影响：1）疾病和功能障碍全动物模型的开发与利用；2）评估体外研究与生理机制的相关性；3）评估全动物研究的科学价值及其与国家科学要务的相关性；4）对年轻科学家进行整合生物学技术尤其是方法的指导，包括如何提出恰当的实验假设；5）对研究生、医学生、牙科学生、药学学生和护理学生进行完整人体药物和疾病过程的教学；6）制药商、美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）、美国环境保护局（EPA）和学术界雇佣能够研发药物并评估外源性物质对完整动物影响的科学家的能力。这些负面影响可以通过多种方式得到缓解。这些方式包括：1）增加整合生物学研究的资金可得性；2）增加整合生物学的培训机会；3）由整合生物医学科学领域的同行对整合生物医学研究进行资助评审。这些措施能够振兴整合生物医学研究，有助于确保生物医学认知的持续进步，并进而有助于减轻人类痛苦。
