Translational medicine is a relatively new, actively developing interdisciplinary direction, designed to bring together fundamental developments in the field of biotechnology and practical medicine. One of its priorities is the development and implementation of highly effective medical and diagnostic technologies.
What is translational medicine?
Most of the significant discoveries in science in recent decades are related to molecular and cellular biology and its applications for medical purposes. Proof of this are the themes of the Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences. We can say that now there is a revolution in understanding the structure and functioning of living systems. A huge amount of information has been accumulated in molecular genetics, protein analysis and low molecular weight metabolic profiles of cells.
These fundamental studies allow us to find out the cause of diseases at the “thin” molecular and cellular level. However, a significant drawback of modern medicine is that there is a big gap between understanding the causes of pathologies andway of treating them. The introduction of progressive methods into clinical practice occurs with a delay of several years. In many cases, new scientific discoveries remain completely unclaimed in he althcare.
This is due not only to the need to conduct long-term clinical trials of new drugs to obtain permission for their use, but also to a significant difference between the professional competencies of an experimental scientist and a clinician. Time costs do not allow the first to engage in implementation, and the second - to master a new amount of knowledge. Translational medicine is designed to eliminate this discrepancy by transferring (“translating”) fundamental achievements into practical technologies and methods.
History of Appearance
The concept of "translational research" appeared in 1986. It was used in relation to those developments that helped the practical use of new scientific achievements (disease prevention, diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation technologies).
This branch of human activity is quite young. Back in 1993, only 5 papers on this topic were published in the WoS scientific search platform. In 2011, there were already about 1,500 of them.
Starting from 2000, state institutions of translational medicine began to appear in different countries (including Russia). New specialized journals are being published, designed to exchange ideas between researchers in the fundamental fieldmedicine and practicing physicians, and corresponding courses have been introduced for students in higher medical educational institutions.
Goals and objectives
The main goal of translational medicine is the application of scientific discoveries in clinical trials or research. The result of such activities should be an increase in the effectiveness of the treatment of pathologies.
Narrower tasks include:
- clinical trial of new drugs;
- coordination of research institutions;
- scaling up basic research;
- attracting financial support from the state and other investors;
- search for ways to increase the effectiveness of drugs already used in practice;
- revision of legal and ethical norms in medicine;
- promotion of new technologies to the pharmaceutical market.
Pharmaceuticals
Pharmacy and translational medicine are closely related. All drugs undergo mandatory testing in preclinical (animal experiments) and clinical conditions. This stage is very long. The faster and more efficiently these developments are carried out, the faster patients will be able to access modern treatment technologies.
However, this problem requires a special approach. There are many cases in the history of medicine when the hasty introduction of drugs led to catastrophic consequences. For example, taking a sedative"Thalidomide" in pregnant women in a number of countries of the world caused the appearance of 8-12 thousand children with congenital deformities.
Phases
In accordance with the main tasks of translational medicine, 3 phases of translational research can be distinguished:
- Clinical trials of invasive and non-invasive methods of diagnostics and treatment involving people, translation of fundamental developments into practice under controlled conditions. Analysis of efficiency and safety. Search for molecular markers.
- The use of experience in real social conditions in order to assess the possibility of its wide application.
- Introduction of new technology into the he althcare system. Public recognition of results.
Biological markers
One of the key moments in the development of new highly effective drugs is the search for specific biomarkers that help choose the most appropriate therapy for a particular patient. The system of biomarkers is understood as a set of indicators that characterize the interaction of the human body with chemical, biological, physical and other factors.
Simply put, they help to evaluate the mechanism of action of a particular substance. This is done through monitoring: observing and recording the effects that occur after the introduction of the drug into the human body. This technology allows to identify people with an increased risk of disease and reducethe gap between the theoretical and practical sections of medical science.
Institutions and centers
The first translational medicine center was established in the USA in 2005 (ITMAT). It currently has a large number of medical institutions, more than 800 active members, and is developing about 100,000 programs funded by the US Department of He alth.
Today, in the United States, almost every major university has such centers. The state allocates billions of dollars for developments in this field of science. Similar institutions exist in Europe, and in Finland there is a grant program to fund research in the field of molecular technologies.
The situation in Russia
In Russia, the development of innovations in medicine is constrained by the low technical level of production of pharmaceuticals, the lack of the required number of highly qualified specialists and large pharmaceutical companies that can carry out such work. Pharmaceutical enterprises are currently mainly engaged in the production of drugs based on basic compounds that are imported from China and India.
In 2016, by order of the Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations, the “Federal Research Center for Fundamental and Translational Medicine” was established. It was organized on the basis of four research organizations (NIIEKM, NIIMBB, Research Institute of Biochemistry, IMMPPM). The purpose of this institution is the implementation of scientific statebiotechnology programs and educational activities.
At the First Moscow State Medical University. Sechenov also operates the educational department of the Institute of Pharmacy and Translational Medicine, which provides interaction between organizations in the field of fundamental research and the pharmaceutical industry.
