Blood samples from the zoo help predict diseases in humans
The zoos of Saarbrücken and Neunkirchen are home to penguins, Asian elephants and many other species. Since they come from different continents, blood samples are regularly taken from the animals to check their health. These blood samples have now been used by bioinformaticians and human geneticists at the University of Saarland to search for biomarkers that can be used to detect diseases at an early stage. The researchers want to use similar genetic patterns, which have been present in the blood of humans and animals for thousands of years, to improve computer-assisted disease prognosis.