Translational Medicine: A Requirement for Effective Health Care in the Future

In the first of these, Barakat and Redzic [this issue, pp. 3–14] highlight how basic science research into the underlying mechanisms of cerebral ischemia may lead to novel therapies for this potentially fatal condition. Cardiac arrest and strokes can lead to ischemia in the brain, either focal (limited to a small region of the brain) or global (widespread and covering large parts of the brain). However, the role of individual cells in response to ischemia and reperfusion injury in the brain is not clearly known. Barakat and Redzic review the role of microglia and resident macrophages in cerebral ischemia. It appears that transient ischemia leads to alterations in the phenotype of resting microglia/macrophages from the M1 to the M2 phenotype, which ultimately leads to antiinflammatory and cerebro-protective effects. However, fine alterations in the balance of the number and phenotype of these cells appear to be critical in determining beneficial versus detrimental neurological outcomes. Thus, further basic research studies in this important aspect of cerebral ischemia may lead to novel treatment strategies in the future. Diabetes and its complications are a major health and cost burden in Kuwait and the region. Advances in basic research in this field and their translation into the clinic could lead to important and much-needed new strategies for the treatment of diabetes, metabolic disorders and the resulting complications. Dr. Al-Sabah [this issue, pp. 15– 21] suggests that understanding the molecular pharmacology of incretin hormones and their receptors could hold the key to producing a wave of novel therapies for The importance of disseminating medical and scientific research within academic institutions to promote collaboration and multidisciplinary inputs for solving medical problems was the focus of the 2012/2013 Faculty Seminars. These were followed by the 2013/2014 Seminar series that discussed the challenges faced in delivering research and evidence-based health care regarding pain. In this latest issue of Medical Principles and Practice , we advance this notion to discuss the importance of ‘Translational Medicine’ in health care. Although this term may mean many things to many people, the general consensus is that translational medicine is an interdisciplinary approach for the effective translation of new knowledge, mechanisms and techniques generated by advances in basic science research into new approaches for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Translational medicine thus involves three main pillars: the benchside, the bedside and the community. Its primary aim is to translate basic biomedical research into clinical applications using a multidisciplinary, highly collaborative, ‘bench-to-bedside’ approach that will benefit patients and the community at large. In the USA and Europe, formal translational research centers promote such research and highlight its necessity in creating an effective health care system. In Kuwait, although no formal translational research center exists per se, active researchers are already involved in translational medicine. Four faculty seminars were selected to showcase the impact of basic science research and its likely translation into clinical practice. Published online: February 19, 2016