Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
07:48
Working with Human Tissues for Translational Cancer Research
Published on: November 26, 2015
Clinical research at a crossroads: the NIH roadmap
1National Institutes of Health, Office of Communication and Public Liaison, 9000 Rockville Pike, Room 344, Bethesda, MD 20892-0188, USA. burklowj@od.nih.gov
Summary
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) invests in biomedical research to improve national health through scientific translation. Strategic decisions and programs like the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) aim to accelerate discovery and pre-empt illness.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Research
- Translational Science
- Public Health
Background:
- NIH investment has driven significant health advances over 30 years through scientific translation.
- Rising research and healthcare costs necessitate strategic decision-making for maximizing NIH investment returns.
- Preventing end-stage disease via molecular knowledge and behavioral interventions is crucial for national health maintenance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To accelerate scientific discovery and its translation into patient care.
- To foster a collaborative research environment and address scientific challenges.
- To establish an academic home for clinical and translational science.
Main Methods:
- Development of the NIH Roadmap for Biomedical Research.
- Funding innovative programs to tackle scientific challenges.
- Implementation of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program.
Main Results:
- Creation of an incubator for innovative research programs.
- Fostering a new culture of inter-researcher cooperation and collaboration.
- Addressing barriers between basic and clinical research and complexities in clinical research.
Conclusions:
- The NIH Roadmap and CTSA program are vital for speeding scientific translation and improving public health.
- Strategic vision and adaptation are essential for the NIH to meet future scientific and public health needs.
- NIH's future actions will be guided by scientific community requirements and national public health demands.
Related Concept Videos
01:11Clinical Trials: Overview
Clinical development focuses on how the drug will interact with the human body and encompasses four key phases of clinical trials, each serving a specific purpose in assessing the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. These phases overlap and build upon one another. Phase I involves a small group of healthy volunteers (typically 20-80 individuals) or, in cases where significant toxicity is expected, patients with the targeted disease, such as cancer or AIDS. The volunteers are tested for...
01:28Preclinical Development: Overview
Preclinical development consists of a series of tests that ensure the safety and efficacy of a new therapeutic compound before it is tested in humans. There are four main phases to this process. First, safety pharmacology tests are conducted to ensure the drug does not produce any acutely harmful effects. These tests examine parameters such as bronchoconstriction, cardiac dysrhythmias, blood pressure changes, and ataxia. Next, preliminary toxicological testing is performed to determine the...
01:56Ethics in Research
Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.
01:16Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are prospective experimental studies conducted on humans to determine the safety and efficacy of treatments, drugs, diet methods, and medical devices. Using statistics in clinical trials enables researchers to derive reasonable and accurate conclusions from the collected data, allowing them to make wise decisions in uncertain situations. In medical research, statistical methods are crucial for preventing errors and bias.
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Biopharmaceutical studies constitute a vital field aiming to enhance drug delivery methods and refine therapeutic approaches, drawing upon diverse interdisciplinary knowledge. In research methodologies, the choice between controlled and non-controlled studies significantly influences the study's reliability and accuracy.
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...
01:26Drug Discovery: Overview
Drug discovery is a multifaceted process involving extensive screening, testing, and optimization of lead compounds to identify potential new drugs for therapeutic use. It combines several approaches, including screening large numbers of natural products, chemical modification of known active molecules, identification of new drug targets, and rational design based on biological mechanisms and drug-receptor structure. These approaches are carried out in both academic research laboratories and...