Translational Research

Translational research is broadly defined and often varies across institutions. In general, translational research is research that translates the findings at the bench to directly benefit patient care. There are growing opportunities for graduate students and postdocs to participate in this kind of research. Translational research teams (PhDs, MDs, students, residents, posdocs, etc.) are best illustrated at disease centers at major universities.

Clinical Research: How can I get clinical experience?

Through programs such as the UNC Program in Translational Research we have discovered a vast array of clinical experiences that have been working for graduate students! Here are some suggestions. (We have also found that the more proactive the student or postdoc, the better the experience.)

Shadow a clinician (be prepared to tell them exactly why this would benefit your research direction)
Attend grand rounds in the disease area that you are studying
Volunteer to write a new or amend an existing IRB
Familiarize and get certified: (HIPAA and IRB)
Work with patient data
Attend the UNC-CH Office of Clinical Trials Lunch and Learn and Education Series
Interact with patient advocacy groups

Ways to Network: “Coffee Now…Job Later!”

As with all networking, it is a full time job that requires sincere interest in the folks with whom you are communicating. A few minutes with someone will not immediately result in a collaboration, but it is important to practice and keep trying.

In order to collaborate with clinicians, Dr. Etta Pisano advised to a group of students and postdocs to “network relentlessly.”

Opportunities and suggestions:

Grand rounds
Clinical Research Meetings
Volunteer at the hospital: http://www.med.unc.edu/medworld
Talk to graduate students in the UNC Program in Translational Medicine
Develop a ‘soundbite’ of your research interests and edit it as necessary. You will catch the attention of the right people (clinicians) with the right soundbite. (It takes time!)

Graduate Fellowships in translational research:

In 2006, UNC was one of 13 universities awarded a “Med into Grad” training grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute for the purpose of engaging more graduate students in translational medicine. Students enter the program at the end of their first year and remain in the program until graduation. Trainees receive a certificate in translational medicine when they graduate from one of the 14 PhD granting programs associated with UNC’s Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program.

The strength of the program comes from augmenting the usual student-research PI team with a clinical co-mentor who helps guide the student’s research and immerses the student in clinical experiences, vocabulary, and the overall culture of clinical research. In addition to experiential learning, the training program also provides didactic education. This includes a 2-semester human pathophysiology course, a closed door translational medicine seminar series, a lunch and learn meetings, and a yearly symposium on topics in translational medicine. For more information, visit the UNC Program in Translational Medicine

Postdoc Opportunities in Translational Research:

Search for labs in institutions that have been awarded a CTSA or an HHMI Med Into Grad Grant
Work in a clinician’s laboratory (Be sure to evaluate the clinician’s training history- has s/he trained graduate students or postdocs in the past? Does the clinician have dual appointments in clinical and basic science departments?)
Postdoctoral Translational Scholars Program @ the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR)

The North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute

The North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute at UNC-CH is one of 60 medical research institutions working together as a national consortium to improve the way biomedical research is conducted across the country. The consortium, funded through the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA), shares a common vision to reduce the time it takes for laboratory discoveries to become treatments for patients, and to engage communities in clinical research efforts. It also is fulfilling the critical need to train a new generation of clinical researchers.

To achieve these goals, TraCS offers a number of programs and services to assist researchers through all phases of the process of translating basic science discoveries into meaningful health advances.

Articles about careers in translational research:

From the Lab to the Clinic and Back: Translational Research Training and Careers
Making Translational Research Tangible