History of Biomedical Research - 1980's

Animal Research Was Essential in the Following Developments:

• Development of monoclonal antibodies for treating diseases
• Research on communicative abilities (leading to strategies for teaching children with mental disabilities)
• Discovery of genetic factors leading to treatments for predisposition to such disorders as chronic anxiety
• Understanding of viral function in AIDS, Alzheimer's Disease and other degenerative disorders
• First stages of development of gene therapy / replacement
• Therapeutic use of cyclosporin
• First human intrauterine surgery
• Discovery of prostaglandin

Researchers use the results from animal-based experiments in their efforts to unravel the mystery of how genetics play a role in disease.

---

Nobel Prizes in Medicine Which Involved Animal Models:

Year	Scientist/s	Animal/s Used	Contribution Made
1980	Benacerraf, Dausset, Snel	Mouse, guinea pig	Identification of histocompatibility antigens and mechanism of action
1981	Sperry, Hubel, Wiese	Cat, monkey	Processing of visual information by the brain
1982	Bergstrom, Samuelsson, Vane	Rat, rabbit, guinea pig	Discovery of prostaglandin's
1984	Milstein, Kohler, Jerne	Mouse	Technique of monoclonal antibody formation
1986	Levi-Montalcini, Cohen	Mouse, chick, snake	Nerve growth factor and epidermal growth factor
1987	Tonegawa	Mouse embryo	Basic principles of antibody synthesis
1989	Varmus, Bishop	Chicken	Cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes.