Why do the majority of drugs fail in clinical trials? My search for a moksha in biology
Creators
- 1. Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.
Description
In Hinduism, Moksha refers to freedom form ignorance, the liberation of the soul from the cycle of death and rebirth due to ignorance and attachment. Having centered all my educational and academic pursuits on Western ways of thinking, I pose a question aimed at bridging Eastern and Western philosophies: Is there a Moksha in biology, and if so, what does it entail? I believe that Moksha in biology is a state where we have acquired comprehensive knowledge about biology, leaving nothing more to learn, regardless of technological advancements we may achieve. In this state, we would be able to solve or prevent any diseases, potentially leading to a life free from neurodegenerative or other aging-related ailments, despite our advancing age. My pursuit of such Moksha in biology led me to propose the concepts of gas-based gasocrine, light-based photocrine, sound-based sonocrine, mineral/metal-based metallocrine, water-based aquacrine, and thermal radiation-based thermocrine signaling, which integrate biotic and abiotic life. Each of these signals can (or may) be sensed via protein and/or nucleic acid-based receptors. Any metabolically active cell or organism will require these signaling pathways for communication, survival, and asexual or sexual reproduction. Disruptions or dysregulations in any of these pathways can have acute or chronic impacts on the organism or its cells. Research on the role of these signaling pathways in development and the onset of diseases would not be possible without the use of organism-based research models. However, researchers seldom monitor the parameters of all these signaling pathways simultaneously when it comes to understanding diseases. In my view, the failure of drugs in clinical trials is simply due to the lack of Moksha in biology. There may be other reasons, but I leave those to other curious seekers of Moksha in biology. Nevertheless, I would like to emphasize that blindly searching for the next gene or drug without considering what we must learn to achieve Moksha in biology will lead to cycles of death and rebirth of 'lead drug molecules', 'drug targets', ‘animal model organisms’, ‘grant and patent applications’ in drug discovery and clinical research. This approach may erode trust in science and diminish the importance of basic science or organism-based research, causing curious minds to stray from science and miss out on opportunities to explore the beauty, secrets, and mysteries of biology. Compared to other organisms, humans are relatively successful in producing and/or controlling gasocrine, photocrine, sonocrine, metallocrine, and thermocrine signaling. However, as a society, we still lack awareness of how many of our diseases stem from disruptions in these signaling pathways. Hence, in my opinion, civilizational diseases and our inability to find better drugs are merely due to the absence of Moksha in biology.
Files
2024_Savani_Zenodo_Is there a Moksha in biology.pdf
Files
(150.4 kB)
Name | Size | Download all |
---|---|---|
md5:644e02ffbe35ae8deee3cd7fad93526e
|
150.4 kB | Preview Download |
Additional details
Dates
- Submitted
-
2024-04-28Preprint draft