Translational Research in Surgical Oncology: Introduction and My Own Experience as a Surgeon-Scientist

Translational research is possible when scientists have broad knowledge of not only basic research, but also clinical science, which is acquired via experience in patient care. These requirements cannot always be met by one individual, and, hence, collaboration between suitably qualified individuals is the key for the progress of translational research. However, it is vital that translational research is conducted by an investigator who has knowledge about all fields. I could be a good conductor in that sense, because as an oncology surgeon, I have considerable experience in working with patients; in addition, I have a background in biochemistry and have started my basic research laboratory. Thus, I can use these qualifications to my advantage to build a tissue bank as the first step, and initiate small-scale experiments such as estimating the DNA or protein levels in specific tissues or blood samples. Once I successfully launch good research products and publish in peer-reviewed journals, I intend to build a large research group focusing on large-scale studies on single nucleotide polymorphisms and proteomics. These translational approaches can overcome several unsolved clinical problems. Many of my research products, for example, patents and new techniques such as Mastocheck@, are designed for improving the clinical outcomes in patients.