What is translational research?
Translational research is the process by which discoveries made in the laboratory are transitioned into practical applications. Scientists who study diseases at a cellular or molecular level provide information to clinical scientists, process scientists, analytical scientists, and manufacturers, who translate this basic information into drugs that are potential treatments or cures. Discoveries from these clinical studies prompt new studies at the cellular/molecular level, which drive further clinical studies, and this cycle continues until the new drug reaches a level of safety and efficacy for clinical distribution. For more information, please see the NIH Roadmap: http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/clinicalresearch/overview-translational.
Translational research transforms currently available knowledge into useful measures for everyday clinical and public health practice. Translation research aims to assess implementation of standards of care, understand the barriers to their implementation, and intervene throughout all levels of health care delivery and public health to improve quality of care and health outcomes, including quality of life. (from Narayan et al. “Diabetes Translation Research: Where Are We and Where Do We Want To Be?” in Ann Intern Med, 2004; 140:958-963).
