Translational & Basic Science Research

Research at Odessa 

The term “translational” was first cited in the PubMed in 1993, characterizing the gene BRCA1 and its immediate applications in early detection and treatment of breast cancer This definition was cited few times throughout the 1990s until 2000, when the term started to be quoted in hundreds of articles every year. Although the term "translational" has various definitions, all focus on a better understanding of the pathophysiology and development of new diagnostic tests, aiming to develop better treatments for specific diseases. The term translational can also be characterized as the process of obtaining benefit for patients by converting scientific discoveries from preclinical research into clinical applications, with the goal of improving health parameters, consequently decreasing morbidity and mortality. Translational research also refers to those activities conducted to bridge the gap between drug discovery in preclinical models and drug development in humans. It has been used to refer to the entire enterprise of medicine: "from bench to bedside and from bedside to bench" (Machado-Vieira, 2012).