The new Back to Basics section: emerging concepts in basic and translational medicine.

The European Respiratory Journal (ERJ), the flagship publication of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), is launching a new section on novel concepts in physiology, immunology, biology and translational medicine [1, 2]. Within this Back to Basics section, we aim to present cutting edge knowledge and emerging ideas on topics relevant to respiratory medicine. Basic scientific findings represent the essential foundation for advances in clinical medicine, and a close and continuous exchange between basic and clinical scientists is key to improved diagnosis and therapy for our patients. This new section underlines the importance of discussing basic scientific findings and their potential for translation into clinical practice, which will ultimately lead to better patient care.