Animal models play a vital role in translational aging research

A nimal models provide a vital link for the translational progression of biomedical research from the bench to the clinic. However, animal models are not surrogates for human beings, but they rather simulate focused aspects of a disease or age-related condition. Therefore, any animal model must have defined boundaries to enable the integration of valid preclinical data for use in planning a clinical trial. It is important that these boundaries are continually defined and refined by identifying new model paradigms in standard laboratory animals such as the mouse, and also in novel animal species that may have overlapping boundaries with humans in a specific area. To promote the emergence of new animal model paradigms and new animal models in translational aging research, we are beginning a new feature called ‘‘Animal Model Brief.’’ This will be a short, one-page description of a novel observation in a relevant animal species, ranging from invertebrates, such as worms and flies, to standard laboratory rodents to domestic animals and nonhuman primates. The first ‘‘Animal Model Brief’’ is being published concurrently with this editorial commentary. It is from the editor’s laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, and is an example of a novel observation in a genetically engineered mouse line that is of interest but was never published as a stand-alone paper. We think many research groups have numerous similar situations so that the ‘‘Animal Model Brief’’ will provide a venue for publishing unique findings in animals on a study that do not necessarily fit into a full-length scientific paper. We encourage submission of one-page descriptions of a potentially novel animal model or paradigm to be considered for publication in ‘‘Pathobiology of Aging and Age-Related Diseases’’ as an ‘‘Animal Model Brief.’’ Each brief will be peer reviewed and published as a onepage paper with no publication fee.