Translational Research: Bridging the Gap between Fundamental Research and the Clinic

Abstract

Medicine is at a pivotal time, with new technologies for imaging and therapeutic agents being developed at an ever-increasing rate. Many of these systems have the potential to improve the human condition once challenges have been addressed. At the 2019 Molecular Imaging and Minimally Invasive Therapy (MIMIT) conference in October, Bioconjugate Chemistry Editors Zhifei Dai and Vincent Rotello convened a roundtable featuring thought leaders in the diagnostics, imaging, and therapy that were presenting at MIMIT. Participants included clinicians, scientists, and engineers that brought a wide range of perspectives to the discussion. Key issues raised include the need to better interface fundamental research with the clinic, and how artificial intelligence (AI) can best be incorporated into imaging. Another theme that emerged was the mismatch between scientific tools and economics: precision medicine is driving many research programs, but how can this approach be generalized so that it is economically feasible?