Doctoral Dissertation Research: An Historical and Philosophical Examination of the Use of the Nematode C. Elegans as a Model Organism

博士论文研究：使用线虫作为模式生物的历史和哲学检验

• 批准号: 9617211
• 负责人: James Lennox
• 金额: $ 0.7万
• 依托单位: University of Pittsburgh
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1997
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1997-02-01 至 1998-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9617211&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Historical; Philosophical

This research will construct an historical case study of the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans, in order to illuminate general philosophical and historical issues at the foundations of the biomedical sciences. Although there is a developing historical literature on factors governing organismal choice based on important case studies, little work has been done to trace historical and scientific factors surrounding the choice and development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a so-called model organism despite the prominence it has achieved as the focus of a highly successful research program. Further, biologists' use of the term `model organism` and its historical development and epistemological basis in biological practice has not been extensively explored. This project will examine the goals, motivations, and development of the `worm project` and the use of C. elegans as a model organism. Using this case study, a philosophical framework within which the epistemological dimensions of the use of model organisms in biology and medicine can be better understood will be developed.

本研究将构建模式生物秀丽隐杆线虫的历史案例研究，以阐明生物医学科学基础上的一般哲学和历史问题。 虽然有一个发展中的历史文献的因素，生物体的选择的基础上重要的案例研究，很少的工作已经做了跟踪历史和科学因素的选择和发展的线虫秀丽隐杆线虫作为一个所谓的模式生物，尽管突出它已经取得了一个非常成功的研究计划的重点。 此外，生物学家对“模式生物”一词的使用及其在生物学实践中的历史发展和认识论基础尚未得到广泛探讨。 本计画将检视蠕虫计画的目标、动机、发展以及C语言的使用。elegans作为模式生物。 使用这个案例研究，一个哲学框架内，使用模式生物在生物学和医学的认识论层面可以更好地理解将被开发。