ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Generic Model Organism Database

Imagine that you are playing with a big box of legos, and you have a lot of different colors and shapes to build with. But it can be hard to sort through all the pieces and find exactly what you need for your creation. That's where a generic model organism database comes in!

Instead of lego pieces, scientists use living creatures to study how different parts of the body work, or how diseases develop. But just like with legos, there are a lot of different organisms to choose from, like mice, fruit flies, and even tiny worms called C. elegans.

A generic model organism database is like a huge library that keeps track of all the different studies that scientists have done using these organisms. It helps scientists find the information they need quickly and easily.

For example, let's say a scientist is studying a disease that affects the brain. They might want to know what has been discovered about the brains of fruit flies, since they are a common model organism for studying the nervous system. They can use the generic model organism database to search for studies on fruit fly brain function and find all sorts of information to guide their own research.

In short, a generic model organism database helps scientists keep track of all the different studies that have been done on different organisms, making it easier to find relevant information and advance scientific knowledge.
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