Veterinarians represent a large, mostly untapped source of biomedical researchers. Their training provides them with a thorough understanding of the similarities and differences in physiology and diseases of different animal species (comparative medicine). This uniquely qualifies veterinarians to integrate their knowledge into the development of animal models for human diseases. Animal models are a critical component of research aimed at translating basic discoveries into clinical applications (translational research), which is an important priority in biomedical research.