[Transversal Health Research Networks, a strategy for translational medicine]

Translational research, in its regulatory function as a current policy for the research activities being performed at the Mexican Institute for Social Security (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social: IMSS), demands a collaborative work among people involved in the generation of knowledge and in those who consume such knowledge. Being an organization who has among its major objectives for almost 80 years the health care of Mexican population, the Institute has an important human capital represented by its physician leaders, researchers and directors, who, by working closely together, will be able to find a better respond to the health care needs of the Mexican population. Through collaborative groups, transversal research networks oriented to the priority health problems of Mexican people are being organized as a strategy whose purpose is making research more efficient and ensuring rapidly applicable results, in order to improve the quality of health care services offered by the Institute, whose commitment is primarily to Mexican society, although the results of this strategy could also be shown to the world, considering that the Institute is one of the largest public health service organizations, at least in Latin America, and its results could be a benchmark for the region. Collaborative work in research networks began more than 15 years ago at IMSS, but today it is being consolidated and its objectives are being reoriented, aligning them with both national policies and those of the Institute itself.