Biomedical Research

What is Biomedical Research

Biomedical research is the area of science devoted to the study of the processes of life; prevention and treatment of disease; and the genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors related to disease and health.

Scientific Method

Science is a “continuous stream of ideas that are constantly being reshaped.” It is discovery-based and/or inquiry based.

Involves critical thinking, encourages creativity and seeking solutions to problems

Observation Hypothesis Experiment Conclusion Science is a way of making predictions

and making decisions for the future

Basic Biomedical Research

Conducted to increase fundamental knowledge and understanding of life processes and diseases

It is NOT directed toward solving any particular problem

Provides the building blocks for other types of research

Applied Research

Directed toward specific objectives such as developing new medications

Involves the application of existing knowledge to a problem

Can be conducted with animals, computer models and tissue cultures

Clinical Research

Takes place after the other 2 Clinical research tests a particular

medication or treatments in humans Takes place in a hospital or other health

care facility May lead to the need for further research

Biomedical Research Methods

Researchers use a combination of highly interdependent, state of the art methods to understand life processes.

Chemical, mechanical, mathematical and computer simulations Used to simulate living organisms Helpful in understanding complicated

biological processes Helpful in the preliminary stages of

research Provide ideas about new research

directions

Limitations and Strengths

Models increase the speed and efficiency with which data can be studied and processed.

If the model is simple, it can be very accurate

Reduces the number of animals needed for research

They cannot replace laboratory testing The reliability is a function of how well the

organism being researched is defined Expensive Cannot replace living systems

In vitro tests

Experiments performed in laboratory containers using tissues or cells.

Literally means “in glass” Scientists use cell cultures, isolated

tissues, in the early and intermediate phases of research

Strengths and Limitations

Allow scientist to study a single effect in isolation without interference

Less expensive, less time consuming and more accurate

Able to control more readily Critical to the study of viruses

Toxic effects are complex therefore it cannot be duplicated

Cells grown in culture are not exposed to other living organism processes

Cells do not metabolize toxins in culture the same

Difficult to maintain differentiated cells

Nonhuman Animal Models

Animals provide the best surrogate for humans

Results from animal studies can be applied to humans

Animals provide a complex living system

Strengths and Limitations

Ethical alternative to using humans Whole integrated biological system Animals share the same structures and

function as humans

Animals are not identical to humans Research animals are expensive Animal research is regulated by extensive

federal regulations

Human Clinical Trials

Important component 3 major phases of clinical trials

Phase I- Phase IIPhase III

Strengths and Limitations

Actual human data on the efficacy and safety of new medications

Ethical and moral limitations Requires extensive pre-clinical testing Numerous variables affect test data

Epidemiological Studies

Epidemiology is the study of disease incidence and its distribution in a population

To prevent disease, need to know what causes it

Three general types of epidemiological studies

Strengths and Limitations

Epidemiological studies offer direct opportunity to study diseases

Identify patterns and distribution of disease Considerable human exposure can take place

before a toxic effect is detected Difficult to demonstrate a cause and effect

relationship Difficulty in determining the control group