Translational research: Whither the ORS?

Abstract

There is a hue and cry from the public, policy makers and funding agencies about the primacy of research translation. The federal government has responded with the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research initiative. It is proposed that the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) initiate its own translational roadmap along themes that parallel the NIH Roadmap: the formation of interdisciplinary teams; the focus on specific musculoskeletal diseases; cross disciplinary education in essential translational research skills; fostering translational career pathways; and providing critical fora for translational research interactions--a "translational interface." By its very structure, the ORS is an organization that is uniquely poised to help its members respond to the demands for research translation. The roadmap outlined around these five themes is intended to make the ORS even more relevant in our professional lives and to transform the ORS into an organization that is a true catalyst for improving the musculoskeletal health of the public.