Translational science seeks to speed up the process of moving research discoveries from the laboratory into healthcare practices. Numerous scientific and organizational roadblocks can act as obstacles along the path of translation and ultimately hinder the speed of progress in medical research. The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) was established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to transform and accelerate the translational research process, with the intended result of getting treatments to more patients faster.
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The field of Translational Science aims to bridge these gaps by:
- Developing new approaches, technologies, resources and models
- Demonstrating the usefulness of new approaches, technologies, resources and models
- Disseminating the resulting data, analyses, and methodologies to the broad scientific community
Introduction to Translational Science is an introductory course that provides students with a broad understanding of translational science, the types of research that are conducted under the translational science umbrella, and how this research impacts the public at large.The course will compare and contrast current impediments to clinical research with the potential of translational science and will include selected case studies from the University of Rochester.
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Translational Science - The Big Picture and T1 - Translation to Humans
The first lesson in Introduction to Translational Science provides an overview of the basic definitions and key concepts related to clinical and translational science and the CTSA program. Students will learn about the different stages of translational research and the roadblocks that impede progress across the spectrum.The second lesson in Introduction to Translational Science provides an introduction to T1 research which is research that translates findings from basic (laboratory) research to humans through developing treatments and interventions. T1 research is often conducted through observational studies, case studies, proof-of-concept studies, phase I clinical trials, and phase II clinical trials.
WEEK 2
T2 - Translation to Patients and T3 - Translation to Practice
The third lesson in Introduction to Translational Science provides an introduction to T2 research, which is research that translates findings from T1 research (humans) to patients. T2 research is often conducted through Phase III clinical trials, observational studies, evidence synthesis, and clinical guidelines development. The fourth lesson in Introduction to Translational Science provides an introduction to T3 research, which is research that translates findings from T2 research (patients) to actual clinical practices. T3 research is often conducted through Phase IV clinical trials, health services research, and clinical outcomes research.
WEEK 3
T4 - Translation to Communities and Participating in Clinical and Translational Research
The fifth lesson of Introduction to Translational Science provides an introduction to T4 research, which is research that translates findings from practices (T3 research) to communities, both domestic and globally. T4 research is often conducted through prevention and outcome studies, mass screening studies, and health policy studies.The sixth lesson of Introduction to Translational Science provides an overview of how interested individuals can participate in clinical and translational research; as an independent research, as a clinical research professional, and as a study volunteer. The final segment of the module demonstrates what a typical study volunteer will encounter if they are selected to participate in a clinical trial.
