Innovative Collaborative Research Research Articles

我國國別區域研究路徑發展微探——以德國「海德堡跨文化中心」建設為例

Through the analysis of the construction of the Heidelberg Center for Transcultural Studies of Heidelberg University, this paper investigates how this innovative collaborative research institute assembles different faculties as well as international scholars and students from different disciplines and promotes interdisciplinary cooperation and further development of “interdisciplinary clusters” within universities on the micro-level, the experience of HCTS was introduced in terms of diversified international enrollment models, scholar teams of diversified academic backgrounds and multi/interdisciplinary course structures, the creation of interdisciplinary “academic communities”, overseas research and the construction of its funding guarantee system and digital research platform. This paper aims to provide a reference for the development path of “Country and Areas Studies” in China.

Quality-assured research environments for translational cancer research.

In order to secure high‐quality cancer care for increasing numbers of cancer patients in the upcoming decades, the complete continuum of cancer research and cancer care needs a thorough overhaul, with more emphasis on prevention and early detection, and a greater focus on the development of innovative treatments that are also scrutinised for effectiveness and quality‐of‐life aspects. Therefore, under‐resourced research areas, such as primary prevention, early diagnosis/secondary prevention (Song et al., 2018; Wild et al., 2015) and outcomes research (Cavers et al., 2017), should be given more emphasis, whereas basic, preclinical and clinical cancer research requires more innovation and effective collaboration to develop more effective treatments at an affordable cost. Innovative collaborative research in this translational trajectory requires the participation of well‐resourced and well‐organised institutions that are committed to high scientific and ethical standards. Offering focused funding to distinct segments of this research continuum concomitant with incentives to aspire to high‐quality standards is the most effective route to achieve these goals. Therefore, a rigorous quality assessment system for institutions operating in this research continuum is a high priority.

Pediatric drug formulations: a review of challenges and progress.

Children differ from adults in many aspects of pharmacotherapy, including capabilities for drug administration, medicine-related toxicity, and taste preferences. It is essential that pediatric medicines are formulated to best suit a child's age, size, physiologic condition, and treatment requirements. To ensure adequate treatment of all children, different routes of administration, dosage forms, and strengths may be required. Many existing formulations are not suitable for children, which often leads to off-label and unlicensed use of adult medicines. New regulations, additional funding opportunities, and innovative collaborative research initiatives have resulted in some recent progress in the development of pediatric formulations. These advances include a paradigm shift toward oral solid formulations and a focus on novel preparations, including flexible, dispersible, and multiparticulate oral solid dosage forms. Such developments have enabled greater dose flexibility, easier administration, and better acceptance of drug formulations in children. However, new pediatric formulations address only a small part of all therapeutic needs in children; moreover, they are not always available. Five key issues need to be addressed to stimulate the further development of better medicines for children: (1) the continued prioritization of unmet formulation needs, particularly drug delivery in neonates and treatment gaps in pediatric cancers and childhood diseases in developing countries; (2) a better use of existing data to facilitate pediatric formulation development; (3) innovative technologies in adults that can be used to develop new pediatric formulations; (4) clinical feedback and practice-based evidence on the impact of novel formulations; and (5) improved access to new pediatric formulations.

The Stanley Collection

The University of Iowa Museum of Art and the University's graduate Art History program have developed into a unique and innovative collaborative research institution over the last thirty years. This article will focus on the history of the African art program at the University of Iowa, the collection of African art endowed to the university by the collectors Max and Elizabeth Stanley, and the various relationships and support mechanisms that put into place a structured program to ensure the collection's future and the future of African art scholarship. This article will also use the University of Iowa's academic program and art collection as a case study for future possibilities for collectors and their endowments.

Environment, Design, and Obesity

This article presents a framework for considering the relevance of the physical environment to obesity. The authors adopt the notion that the “environment” constitutes the space outside the person and therefore broaden the common conceptualization of the “environment” to encompass a full spectrum from small-scale design elements to large-scale community infrastructure. An energy balance approach is also adopted. The energy balance perspective recognizes the equilibrium of food consumption and energy expenditure, rather than focusing solely on one or the other side of the equation. The authors consider how environmental characteristics present either barriers (that hinder), or supports (that promote) healthy habits. Thus, they describe a range of obesity-related environmental themes that provide opportunities for innovative collaborative research between environmental psychologists and colleagues in fields ranging from apparel design to landscape architecture. Last, conceptual and methodological considerations are briefly presented.