Transition to innovative, human-relevant pre-clinical cardiovascular research: a perspective

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Experimental investigation has been instrumental in biomedical research to shed light on disease mechanisms and to develop our diagnostic and therapeutic arsenal. Thus far, animal models have contributed substantially to our understanding of the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms implicated in the development of various CVDs. Although animal models may partially mimic some human cardiac (patho)physiological features, they fail to fully recapitulate all aspects and complexity of human physiology and CVDs. To reduce the impact of translational failures, research efforts are gradually shifting towards bridging the gap between animal models and humans by adopting more human-relevant and predictive approaches. To aid this transition, EURL ECVAM, part of the EC’s JRC, undertook a unique study to examine emerging New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) being used for CVD research and recently published a systematic review on “Advanced non animal models in biomedical research – Cardiovascular diseases”. It is the right time for the scientific community to act, in order to challenge mindsets, to push for more innovation and to pave the way for doing better, more predictive and more human-relevant cardiovascular research, to exploit more human-relevant methods and reach the ultimate goal of personalised medicine in CVD.

DASKALOPOULOS Evangelos;  DECEUNINCK Pierre;  WHELAN Maurice;  GRIBALDO Laura; 

2024-06-04

OXFORD UNIV PRESS

JRC133455

0008-6363 (online),   

https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvae080,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC133455,   

10.1093/cvr/cvae080 (online),