What is Biomedical Research UNIT I CHAPTER 2

What is Biomedical Research? UNIT I CHAPTER 2

WHAT IS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH? ● STUDY OF PROCESSES OF LIFE ● STUDY OF PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DISEASE ● STUDY OF GENETIC, LIFESTYLE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS RELATED TO DISEASE

THREE TYPES OF RESEARCH ● BASIC ● APPLIED ● CLINICAL

BASIC RESEARCH ● CONDUCTED TO INCREASE FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE PROCESSES AND DISEASE ○ PHYSICAL ○ CHEMICAL ○ FUNCTIONAL ● PROVIDES BUILDING BLOCKS FOR OTHER RESEARCH ● INVOLVES OBSERVING, DESCRIBING, MEASURING, AND MANIPULATING NATURAL SYSTEMS

Examples of Basic Research in the study of AIDS ● Immunologists ask basic questions about T-cells ● Biologists study the structure of CD 4 ( a protein embedded in the cell surface of helper T-lymphocytes); HIV invades cells by first attaching to the CD 4 molecule (CD 4 receptor) ● Geneticists manipulate genes that the virus uses to replicate ● Scientists conduct basic research in the molecular structure if the virus ● Virologists conduct basic research in the genetics of the virus

Basic Heart Facts ● Pulse= the throbbing caused by the heart forcing blood through an artery ● Heart= large muscular organ that pumps blood though the body ● Blood enters the pumping chambers of the heart through a vein ● Blood leaves the heart’s lower chambers through an artery

Basic Heart Facts ● Aorta=The large artery leaving the heart and supplying all of the blood to the body ; which later branches off into smaller arteries ● Blood in the arteries supplies oxygen to the cells throughout the body ● The oxygen was obtained from the lungs, which are closely attached to the heart ● Used blood is collected in small veins which merge together into larger veins until the blood is returned to the heart’s upper chambers

Heart Throbs Activity

What is Applied Research? ● Research that is directed toward specific objectives such as the development of a new drug, treatment or surgical procedure. ● Involves the application of existing knowledge (much of which is obtained in basic research) to a biomedical problem ● Can be conducted with animals, humans or with non -aminal methods such as computer models or tissue cultures

Examples of applied cancer research ● The production (synthesis) of new anti-cancer drugs ● Studies of human growth factors leading both to diagnostic and therapeutic applications ● Production of monoclonal antibodies for potential use in the diagnosis and treatment of human cancer

The Heart Stopper Activity

What is Clinical Research? ● Once all other forms of study and testing have taken place, scientists look at clinical research to test potential drugs and treatments in humans. ● Builds upon what was done is basic and applied research stages ● May not always be the end of the process; may lead back to the lab for further research to be completed.

What is Clinical Research? ● Takes place in a hospital or other clinical setting for health care and directly applies to the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of a specific disease or to the rehabilitation of the patient. ● Includes a broad variety of activities ● There are many areas of study such as human clinical trials, psychosocial and behavior research, and disease-control research

Examples of clinical research in the area of cancer ● Pap test: Dr. George Papanicolaou’s studies showed that a sample of cells for a patient’s cervix could detect the early stages of cancer. ● Smoking: Research findings that showed lung cancer is significantly associated with smoking and that smokers die more often of heart attacks formed thwe basis of the American Cancer Society’s smoking control programs