Skip to main content

Or 34,00 After 66% tax deduction

I make a monthly donation I make an IFI donation
Une chercheuse qui manipule

What is translational research?

Improving human health as an objective

Last update: 15/10/2024 Reading time: 1min

Translational research aims to transform discoveries, observations and ideas developed in the laboratory into practical applications with the objective of improving human health. This process is often described as a "bench-to-bench" approach from laboratories to patients’ beds, reflecting the fact that basic knowledge from basic research is converted into new therapies, treatments, diagnostics or clinical procedures.

From Discovery to Clinical Application

From Discovery to Clinical Application

Translational research is at the interface between basic and clinical research.
So-called fundamental scientists discover new biological, genetic or physiological processes, often without any direct and immediate application. Translational scientists build on these discoveries and explore how they can be used to diagnose, prevent or treat diseases. Clinical scientists assess the safety and efficacy of clinical trials in healthy or ill volunteers.
 

Phases of Translational Research

Phases of Translational Research

Translational research is generally divided into two main phases:

  • the first translational phase involves the translation of knowledge from basic research into a potential concept or product for clinical use. This often includes the development of drugs, medical devices, diagnostics or even therapies;
  • the second translational phase is to translate these concepts or products into actual clinical applications, including clinical trials and the evaluation of their efficacy and safety in humans.
     
The Challenges of Translational Research

The Challenges of Translational Research

Translational research faces many challenges. One of the most significant is the one referred to as the "valley of death" which describes the difficulty of moving from basic research to clinical applications. Financial, regulatory and logistical obstacles all play a role in this challenge, which requires strong responses.
 

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Interdisciplinary collaboration

A critical aspect of translational research is collaboration across diverse fields. Biologists, physicians, pharmacologists, bioinformaticians, engineers and other professionals must work together to effectively translate scientific discoveries into clinical treatments.

Funding and Support

Funding and Support

Funding for translational research comes from a variety of sources, including governments, private institutions and the generosity of the public.

Support research at Paris Brain Institute

You can support research by making a donation to Paris Brain Institute.

Click here
Impact on Public Health

Impact on Public Health

The impact of translational research on public health is profound. It has led to the development of many revolutionary treatments, significantly improving the quality of life of patients and, in some cases, saving lives.

The Future of Translational Research

The Future of Translational Research

With continuing advances in science and technology, including genomics, artificial intelligence and biotechnology, the potential for translational research continues to grow. The future promises more personalized approaches to medicine, faster and more accurate diagnosis, and more effective treatments for an ever-widening range of diseases.

Translational Research at Paris Brain Institute

Translational Research at Paris Brain Institute

Paris Brain Institute was conceived with the objective of eliminating as much as possible the theoretical, material and financial barriers between basic research, applied research, clinical research, translational research, etc. That is why Paris Brain Institute brings together researchers, clinicians, patients, startups and much more to maximize interactions, create simulations and accelerate clinical applications.
Thus, hypotheses proposed in basic research can be tested or invalidated clinically, and clinical observations can serve as the genesis for basic research projects, mobilizing multiple research teams and enabling the development of solutions.

News that might interest you

Interneurones. Crédit : UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center.
Stimulating specific neurons in the striatum stops compulsive behaviour
What if we could resist compulsions? These irrational behaviours, particularly common in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are hard to suppress. At Paris Brain Institute, Éric Burguière's team shows that we can anticipate them and block them ...
09.10.2024 Research, science & health
Les nerfs moteurs présents dans la moelle épinière se projettent vers la périphérie, où ils entrent en contact avec les muscles, formant des connexions appelées jonctions neuromusculaires. Crédit : James N. Sleigh.
Ultrasound show unexpected effects on motor neuron disease
Over the past fifteen years, neurosurgeons have been perfecting a fascinating technique: using ultrasound to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier to facilitate the action of therapeutic molecules in the central nervous system. At Paris Brain ...
09.05.2024 Research, science & health
Un neurone
Rett syndrome: a new gene therapy on the way
Gene therapy could be our best chance of treating Rett syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes severe intellectual and motor impairments. At Paris Brain Institute, Françoise Piguet and her colleagues have looked closely at brain cholesterol ...
07.16.2024 Research, science & health
Lésions d’un patient à l’inclusion dans le protocole (M0) disparues après 2 ans de traitement à la Leriglitazone (M24)
The dual effect of leriglitazone in X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD)
In 2023, the team led by Professor Fanny Mochel (AP-HP, Sorbonne University), a Paris brain Institute researcher, showed that daily dose of leriglitazone slow down the progression of myelopathy in patients with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, and ...
06.28.2024 Research, science & health
Une tête de statue de l'île de Pâques sur laquelle sont posées des éléctrodes
A multimodal approach to better predict recovery in patients with disorders of consciousness
When a patient is admitted to intensive care due to a disorder of consciousness—such as a coma—establishing their neurological prognosis is a crucial yet challenging task. To reduce the uncertainty that precedes the medical decision, a group of ...
05.30.2024 Research, science & health
Population de bactéries commensales (en rouge) dans un intestin grêle de souris. Crédit : University of Chicago
The composition of the gut microbiota could influence decision-making
The way we make decisions in a social context can be explained by psychological, social, and political factors. But what if other forces were at work? Hilke Plassmann and her colleagues from the Paris Brain Institute and the University of Bonn show ...
05.16.2024 Research, science & health
See all our news