Fruit fly as a model organism in the study of human diseases and drug discovery

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Drug discovery is a dynamic yet an ever-lasting topic in medicine that heavily relies on the application of modelorganisms. Through the use of suitable model organisms, pre-clinical testing of new drug candidates can be carried out tensively prior to further testing with humans. This has been proven, so far, as one of efficient ways to limit the emergence of new substances that are potentially harmful to individuals. Nevertheless, increasing public interest in the thical issues raised by the use of live model organisms, such as mice and rats, pushes urgent needs for alternative modelorganisms. To this end, fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster might be an appropriate model organism to be accounted r.With its long-standing history of use, Drosophila is an insect behind the revelation of striking similarity to humans as to basic biological mechanisms and their tight controls to maintain homeostasis. Impairment of such events in rosophila is linked to the emergence of metabolic-related diseases such as obesity and diabetes mellitus, the unsolved cases of neurodegenerative diseases, and the fall of host immune responses against various infectious agents. With a igh genetic similarity, about 75%, to humans, ease of maintenance, and the availability of various disease models constructed through genetic manipulation and/or chemical induction, Drosophila has been a very promising model organism in he field of drug discovery. With this in mind, it would be not surprising if this tiny yet powerful model organism will soon substitute our current in vivo platform in the pre-clinical testing of new drug candidates.

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