How to choose your research organism

Area of Science:

• Biological research
• Philosophy of science
• Scientific methodology

Background:

• August Krogh's principle suggests a "convenient" organism exists for every biological problem.
• However, the concept of "convenience" alone is insufficient to explain organism selection in research.
• This highlights a gap in understanding the nuanced decision-making processes of scientists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the criteria biologists use when selecting model organisms.
• To move beyond the simplistic notion of "convenience" in organism choice.
• To develop a framework for understanding the complex reasoning behind these scientific decisions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of empirical data on organism selection.
• Application of philosophical arguments to scientific practice.
• Development of a set of twenty interacting criteria for organism choice.

Main Results:

• Identified a working set of twenty criteria influencing organism selection.
• Demonstrated that organism choice involves a "differential analysis" of multiple factors.
• Highlighted the contextual and multidimensional nature of these decisions.

Conclusions:

• Organism selection is a complex process, not solely based on convenience.
• A framework of twenty interacting criteria provides a more accurate model.
• Understanding these criteria enhances our comprehension of what makes an organism "good" for research.