Drosophila as a model for human disease

Abstract

Drosophila melanogaster has proved a remarkable genetically tractable model organism that continues to provide significant contributions to our understanding of numerous biological processes. In this chapter we discuss insights into a variety of human diseases that have been gained directly from studies conducted in fly labs. These include discoveries relating to the basic biology of diseases (the signaling pathways, for example, that may contribute to disease states), new loci implicated in disease progression or susceptibility (uncovered in large-scale screens and verified in situ using often ingenious assays) and the identification of pharmacological reagents to treat diseases (also identified and tested in well-designed screens and assays). Because genomes, biological processes, and responses have been well conserved, and particularly with the current trend in translational research, studies in flies continue to build a strong foundation for disease studies. Those discussed in this chapter include cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, diabetes and metabolic diseases, addiction, and sleep disorders.