Reimagining Biomedical Research with Computational Models
Researchers are turning to computational models to solve some of the most pressing biomedical challenges. Melding the intricacies of human biological systems with the precision of mathematical modeling, computational models are redefining how we conduct biomedical research and its implications for human health. Promise of Precision At its core, computational modeling (sometimes referred to […]
New Acronym Mayhem (NAM): Why we need a consistent definition of NAMs
NAMs is a common acronym used to represent human biology-based methods in biomedical research. This acronym often refers to human-relevant testing methods like organ chips, organoids, and in silico models, but sometimes can include methods that are not human-relevant, but play a role in reducing the use of animals in testing. In the United States, […]
Revolutionizing Drug R&D with Human-Relevant Methodologies & Artificial Intelligence
In the United States alone, COVID-19 erased two decades of life expectancy growth. The U.S. also ranks lowest in life expectancy for both men and women among countries with high GDP per capita. With a 90-95% average failure rate for drug candidates in the U.S., a 10-15 year average timeline for a drug to receive […]
Organoids, Digital Twins, and the Law: A Case for Alternatives to Animal Testing
CEO and Co-founder of the Center for Contemporary Sciences, Dr. Aysha Akhtar M.D., M.P.H., was interviewed by Dr. Erika Gebel Berg Ph.D., Director and Science Editor of the Science Custom Publishing Group. This podcast interview was originally broadcasted and transcribed by the Science Podcast. The conversation included context around the historic achievement of the FDA […]
A Review of Human Disease Models in Drug Development
In the article Human disease models in drug development published in Nature, the authors delve into the critical role of human disease models in drug development, emphasizing the importance of bridging the gap between bench and bedside. They shed light on the challenges and opportunities associated with leveraging human disease models to accelerate the discovery […]
What If We Could Do Clinical Trials Before We Do Clinical Trials?
Originally appeared in Clinical Leader: Alternatives To Animal Testing In Preclinical Research (clinicalleader.com) I’m a doctor, but I hate wearing my car seat belt. And it’s not for the reason you might think. Rather than comfortably crossing over my shoulder as it’s intended, the seat belt agonizingly crosses right over the most tender spot in […]
It’s Time to Modernize Medical Science
Stacked away in my basement is an old 8-track cassette player that I used as a kid in the late 1970’s. I keep it to remind me how far science can advance if there is the will to do so. The 8-tracks first hit the market in the mid-1960’s and were considered state of the […]
The Three Biggest Impacts the Pandemic is Having on Animal Testing
At the Center for Contemporary Sciences (CCS), we believe in the possibilities that good science can offer. We believe that we can improve human health, and do it better, by replacing animal tests with innovative testing methods. We believe that medical research and testing methods should start and end with human biology. After all, the goal of […]