Translating academic discovery to patients' benefit: is academia ready to assume its key role?

Academia does not translate research results into new medical therapies optimally, despite the huge resources invested in biomedical research. The difficulties of ensuring progression of basic scientific knowledge to patient benefit, and how to overcome the identified roadblocks are discussed in the following publication: «Translating academic discovery to patients’ benefit: is academia ready to assume its key role?».

Translational medicine is the process of bringing new inventions generated in the laboratory to the patient and to society, with the objective of improving human health. Unfortunately, a vast majority of research results are never tested in humans, and very few academic life science discoveries are translated into a change in clinical practice, new medications, diagnostics, or devices.  

The report published by the SAMS in the «swiss academies communications» series shows that academia has a key role to play in translational medicine, but is still insufficiently prepared to engage in a process that is arduous and risky, requires substantial funding, in-depth drug development knowledge, appropriate structures, and long development timelines. The report identifies important opportunities for improvement. 

The analysis conducted on behalf of the SAMS by Martin Schwab, Prof. of Neuroscience at the University of Zurich and ETHZ, is intended to be a basis for further discussions with the academic leadership and other stakeholders to define and implement concrete measures on how to improve the situation in academia and draft a roadmap for more efficient and transparent collaboration between academia, public authorities, and industry.