Computer Modeling to Aid Fight Against Diabetes

A biotechnology company specializing in computer modeling of biologic systems has announced its intention to develop a model of the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse, the animal model most often used to study type 1 diabetes.

Although researchers use many types of animals to study diseases and drug responses, often results obtained from animals differ from those found for human subjects. The NOD model to be developed by Entelos (Foster City, CA, USA) is designed to bridge this gap by translating results from pre-clinical animal studies into predictions for the outcome of human trials.

The model will be built in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and a scientific advisory board they select to guide and oversee the development of the NOD PhysioLab platform.

Dr. Mikhail Gishizky, Entelos CSO, said, "Translational medicine--translating observations made in pre-clinical animal model systems to human in vivo responses--is a complex issue posing significant challenges to the development of therapeutics for treating human disease. Although numerous therapies have been shown to inhibit the development of type 1 diabetes in the NOD mouse, success in advancing these therapies to human patients has been limited. Through the use of predictive mathematical models, the research community will have a significant scientific advancement which will ultimately improve the rationale for taking novel interventions into humans.”




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