Current Issues in Clinical and Translational Research in the Hearing Sciences, Audiology, and Otolaryngology

Abstract

Translational research is often described as ``bench to bedside{''} because it builds on basic science findings to ``translate{''} discoveries into potential interventions or therapeutics that can be tested in clinical trials and adopted into healthcare practice. This introductory chapter offers working definitions of the various phases of research spanning from basic research to clinical testing and ultimately to the implementation of these endeavors into evidence-based patient care. There are multiple challenges in moving from basic science to clinical trials and from clinical research into routine application in healthcare delivery. There are also clearly diverging interests of academics (creation of knowledge, education of the future workforce) and industry (meeting market needs and protecting exclusivity to generate revenue and increase shareholder value). However, academia and industry share the common goal of finding cures for patients in need. Whether patient care is advanced through industry-funded research within an academic laboratory or industry licensing of an academic patent is not important from the patient's perspective. What will benefit patients the most in the long run is the translation of novel therapies into clinical testing with subsequent translation of the most effective therapies into patient care, with the long-term goal of improving public health outcomes.