[Life sciences: a new area of action for the physician]

The development of the medical knowledge has became a multidisciplinary process that can be called life sciences. The new biotechnologies are changing the insight of pathology and medical therapy itself. So, the rule of the physician is changing together with the overwhelming centrality of the patient into the health system. Also, the evidence based medicine is no more considered a crucial task for the physician who cares the single ill person, albeit its importance is still high for health organizations. A genomic and post-genomic approach could indeed help to create an actual personalised medicine. Nevertheless, "omics" probably need the development of new bioinformatic tools capable to manage a huge amount of data by means of Grid computing. The development of the life sciences involves new formative and professional needs for the physician. The translational knowledge can be favoured by the closeness of clinical centres and basic science areas as suggested by several examples spreading all over the world. These experiences could open new exciting horizons for the medical science.