Building translational research infrastructure and access to expertise for biomarker discovery in cancer

Abstract

The way that biomarker research is being conducted in oncology is changing. We are moving away from institutional and expertise specific silos to multicentre studies, networks of institutions and integrated multidisciplinary workflows. These changes are influencing the way that researchers operate and present a host of new challenges, both scientific and operational. Investing in translational research infrastructure represents both an investment in a technical platform and access to expertise to promote high-quality, streamlined procedures under appropriate governance. Key elements that should be addressed to facilitate the translational of biomarkers to clinical practice include sample collection, laboratory analysis, molecular and clinical data collection analysis and interpretation. Building these elements to create a supportive research environment is therefore becoming increasingly important.