posted on 2021-08-17, 12:54authored byJames J Russell, Julie A Theriot, Pranidhi Sood, Wallace F Marshall, Laura F Landweber, Lillian Fritz-Laylin, Jessica K Polka, Snezhana Oliferenko, Therese Gerbich, Amy Gladfelter, James Umen, Magdalena Bezanilla, Madeline A Lancaster, Shuonan He, Matthew C Gibson, Bob Goldstein, Elly M Tanaka, Chi-Kuo Hu, Anne Brunet
Model organisms are widely used in research as accessible and convenient systems to study a particular area or question in biology. Traditionally only a handful of organisms have been widely studied, but modern research tools are enabling researchers to extend the set of model organisms to include less-studied and more unusual systems. This Forum highlights a range of 'non-model model organisms' as emerging systems for tackling questions across the whole spectrum of biology (and beyond), the opportunities and challenges, and the outlook for the future.