Translational Research
Translational research (TR) regards the application of scientific knowledge in the “real world”. Although often understood to be re-lated (T1 step), translational research also includes the application of clinical trial results in community health policy and practice (T2 step).
Therefore, TR is the process of applying knowledge from basic biolo-gy and clinical trials to techniques and tools that address critical medical needs. Unlike applied sciences, TR is specifically designed to improve health outcomes. This type of Research usually uses an in-tegrated team of experts who focus on translating useful infor-mation from laboratories to healthcare facilities.
The term ‘bench-to-bedside’, associated with TR, is used to describe the process by which the results of research conducted in the labora-tory are used directly to develop new ways of treating patients.
Strategic Vision for the Portuguese Economic Recovery Plan 2020-2030
Health research as a tool for economic recovery.
“The area of health sciences, which also involves research and devel-opment centres and the recent cluster of biotechnologies applied to health, which have responded so well during the crisis, should be the object of an integrated investment plan that strengthens national competencies in this area, at the same time as it creates conditions to boost the bio-health cluster, improve biotechnology techniques applied to diagnosis, serological tests, the creation of databases and the development of medicines and medical devices with high added value. National capacitation for the production of this equipment can create a new sector that is strategic for the future. The biotechnolo-gies sector, particularly the one operating in Health Sciences, has a broad future ahead of it and Portugal can constitute an international Hub for research and technological development in this area, posi-tioning itself as one of Europe’s factories for products with high add-ed value, such as medicines, new molecules and medical devices.”
António Costa e Silva
in: Strategic Vision for the Portuguese Economic Recovery Plan 2020-2030
in: Strategic Vision for the Portuguese Economic Recovery Plan 2020-2030
Quoted document available here
The Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 27/2018 states that it is intended “To establish that AICIB has as its purposes the support, funding and promotion of clinical and translational research, as well as biomedical innovation, through:
- The development, internationalisation and sustained and co-operative progress of clinical research activity;
- The promotion of research and development (R&D) activities and cooperation between healthcare units, scientific and aca-demic institutions and other organisations operating in this field;
- The valorisation of the potential of clinical and translational research for the creation of added value for patients, for the health system and for higher education in health areas, with the purpose of the continuous improvement and excellence of medical care;
- The stimulation and coordination, at national level, of bio-medical innovation activities and the knowledge economy in the area of health.”
EATRIS Portugal – Research Centers
| Institution | Main contact person for EATRIS | CONTACT DETAILS |
|---|---|---|
| i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde | André Albergaria | info@i3s.up.pt |
| 3Bs Research Institute | Rui L. Reis | info@i3bs.uminho.pt |
| iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences / Stem Cell Engineering Research Group (SCERG) | Cláudia Lobato da Silva | ibb@ibb.pt |
| ICVS/2CA-Braga (Life and Health Sciences Research Institute / Clinical Academic Centre – Braga, Association) | Nuno Jorge Carvalho de Sousa | icvs.sec@med.uminho.pt |
| Champalimaud Foundation | António Parreira | info@fundacaochampalimaud.pt |
| Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil (IPO-Porto) | Prof. Rui Henrique | diripo@ipoporto.min-saude.pt |
| Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes | Pedro Silva | imm@medicina.ulisboa.pt |
| Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT)/ Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS) / University of Coimbra (UC) | Miguel Castelo-Branco | cibit@uc.pt icnas@uc.pt |
| CNC – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology; University of Coimbra | Luís Fernando Pereira de Almeida | direcao@cnc.uc.pt |
| AIBILI - Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image | José Cunha-Vaz | aibili@aibili.pt |
| iBET - Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica | Paula Alves | info@ibet.pt |
| NOVA Medical School (NMS), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (NOVA) - Chronic Diseases Research Center (CEDOC) | Antonio Jacinto | cedoc@nms.unl.pt reitoria@unl.pt |
| Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC) | Alexandre Lourenço | casec@chuc.min-saude.pt |
| Institute of Biomedicine (IBIMED) | Maria Teresa Herdeiro | geral@ua.pt |