[Fruit fly--genetically excellent model animal for research]

Drosophila melanogaster, i.e., the fruit fly is a familiar nuisance in late summer. For those living in a country plagued by myriads of flying insects, it is difficult to think any other model animal as an ethically more suitable research tool. Due to its genetic manipulability, the fruit fly is an excellent research model, but mainly due to lack of experience, has been utilized only to a small extent in medical research in Finland. For instance, the readily available transgenic RNAi strains have made functional, genome-wide screening possible in a complete organism or in a designated tissue.