Biomedical Research

What is biomedical research?  It is the area of science devoted to: The study of life processes The prevention & treatment of disease And the genetic, lifestyle, & environmental factors related to disease and health

3 categories of research  3 categories of biomedical research Basic Applied Clinical

Basic Biomedical Research  Basic research Research conducted to increase fundamental knowledge and understanding of:  The physical, chemical, and functional mechanisms of life processes & disease

Basic  Goal is not to SOLVE any particular problem  Goal IS to observe, describe, measure, & manipulate natural systems  Also, to provide building blocks for other types of research

Basic  Examples: Scientist working in a lab with test tubes Scientist working on computer to complete complicated mathematical equations Scientist working in the field observing behavior of wild animals

Basic  Hardest to define  Seeks to add to the primary storehouse of knowledge  We must know all we can about what is normal…in order to truly understand the abnormal

Basic  These researchers generally are not able to see how their research is going to contribute to one particular medical advance.  Most often, they actually set out with one idea in mind, only to stumble onto a completely different ending.

Basic research examples  Study of AIDS: As quickly as this virus was discovered, people wanted to know how to cure it, how to stop it But the basic information that was needed was how the virus was able to get into a persons system, how it survived and multiplied A very basic study of CD4 molecules, T- lymphocytes, white blood cells, and the genetics and molecular structure of the virus were needed to get us started

Basic heart facts  See handouts  Practice counting pulse  Heart throbs activity

Applied research  Directed toward a specific objective: Developing a new drug Developing a new treatment Developing a new surgery  Begins by applying knowledge gained from basic research

Applied research  May be conducted on animals, humans, or using computer models or tissue cultures  Behind every health advance is years of applied research  Applied research ongoing for cancer. Goal is to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Examples: Synthesis of new anti-cancer drugs Studies of human growth factors that apply to diagnosis and treatment Producing monoclonal antibodies for use in diagnosis and treatment

Clinical research  Once all other forms of study and testing have taken place, scientists need to test potential drugs and treatments on patients.  Building upon basic and applied research.  Sometimes clinical research sends us back to basic and applied research if the results are not as expected.

Clinical research  Takes place in hospital or other clinical setting  Directly applies to prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a specific disease, or rehabilitation from a disease  Variety of activities used  Human clinical trials, psychosocial & behavioral research, disease-control research

Improving health care  Pap test: Dr. George Papanicolaou studied cervical cells and detected early signs of cancer. The Pap test reduces deaths due to cervical cancer by 70%.

Clinical trials  Wake Forest clinical trials  National Institutes of Health  National Cancer Institutes