Precision PathoBiology for Disease Models

Mouse-based studies are essential for all Precision Medicine Initiatives (PMIs), which aim to transform current medical practice to personalized healthcare. Global PMIs will combine tens-of-thousands of human individual genetic profiles, deep phenotyping, and environmental exposures and life style behaviors to guide therapies more targeted and cost-effective than current ¿one-size-fits-all¿ strategies. Mouse models will be needed to provide efficient and accurate assessment of the scientific validity of such gene-environment correlations. Furthermore, the success of using genetically engineered mice to evaluate genetic disease hypotheses has encouraged the development of large-scale European and global projects making the mouse the most used animal model. However, the scientific community lacks sufficient human resources and expertise in mouse pathology to effectively and reproducibly characterize and validate these animal models. Despite this increasing demand for mouse experts, there is a proven significant deficiency of specialised training opportunities for veterinary and medical pathologists and biomedical researchers to acquire the necessary expertise, especially formalized and recognized programs in Higher Education. In this scenario, no single European University has all the expertise, resources and personnel required to design and establish a strong educational program in Mouse Precision Pathobiology. For this reason several universities, research institution and companies have come together to establish PATHBIO, a Knowledge Alliance initiative, to develop a Virtual Learning Platform with innovative teaching material and to organize and deliver intensive specialized courses in Mouse Precision Pathobiology. The PATHBIO project also aims to design a Joint European Master Degree. The new degree program aims to become a benchmark Master qualification internationally in Mouse Precision Pathobiology.