Page History

...

Each of these types of information is an image of at a different scale, from a different scientific discipline. A large-scale image like an X-ray may be almost life-size. Genes, on the other hand, fit on a slide that is put under a microscope. It may be that an animal has had the same exact type of tumor the patient hasSlices of tumors are smaller still. Like genes and proteins, you must put them on a slide under a microscope to see them. Not surprisingly, each of these scales requires specialized knowledge to handle and interpret them. While complementary, each specialist comes from a different scientific discipline.

Yet another way we learn about cancer in humans is through small animal research. Images from small animals allow detailed study of biological processes, disease progression, and response to therapy, with the potential to provide a natural bridge to human disease in the clinical environment. If you were the patient, wouldn't you want your medical team to benefit from an integration of all of these images?

...