Categorizing biomedical research: the basics of translation.

Abstract

As biomedical research has evolved over the past century, the terminology employed to categorize it has failed to evolve in parallel to accommodate the implications of these changes. In particular, the terms basic research and translational research as used today in biomedicine seem especially problematic. Here we review the origins of these terms, analyze some of the conceptual confusions attendant to their current use, and assess some of the deleterious consequences of these confusions. We summarize that the distinction between basic and translational biomedical research is an anachronism. Elimination of this often contentious distinction would improve both the culture and the effectiveness of the scientific process, and its potential benefits to society.-Flier, J. S., Loscalzo, J. Categorizing biomedical research: the basics of translation.