As I have previously discussed, although the idea of translational research did not start to emerge as such until the 1980s, it had roots in the idea of “diffusion of innovations”, “the process in which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system” as Everett Rogers defined […]
Category: Jeff Aronson’s Words
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Diffusion
Diffusion and dissemination are important aspects of translational research. They are the processes whereby the products of such research—knowledge, skills, understanding, innovations—spread, encouraging implementation. Diffusion is a passive process, like the transmembrane movements of sodium and potassium down their concentration gradients, while dissemination is active, like active transport of sodium and potassium against the concentration […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Knowledge translation
You would think that the word “knowledge” comes from the word “know”, but it isn’t as simple as that. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) only says “probably”. The problem is that the noun and the verb differ markedly in both chronological occurrence and the sources of their earliest uses. According to the OED, the noun […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Knowledge
As I discussed last week, new knowledge, not in itself research, is an important outcome of research and, through diffusion and dissemination, a tool for further research. GN, meaning to know and beget, with both cognitive and sexual connotations, is one of the most prolific IndoEuropean roots, with numerous forms: lengthened e-grade, GNĒ, o-grade, GNŌ, […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Defining research
Last week I proposed a definition of translational research and started to explore the problem of defining research itself. Previous definitions suggest six headings, relevant to all types of research. Pre-requisites Successful research requires certain personal attributes and cognitive processes: curiosity or wondering (how, whether, why, etc), both of which imply a desire to know […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Defining translational research
Over the past four weeks I have been exploring models of translational research using the metaphor of crossing bridges. I started by exploring the meanings of translation. It comes from the Latin noun translatio, from translatum, the irregular supine form of the verb transferre, to carry or cause to be carried from one place to […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Translational research—a new operational model
To recap: over the past three weeks I have used the metaphor of crossing bridges in discussing translational research in clinical medicine; derived a model of it from definitions in the Cooksey report; and, recognising its weaknesses, modified the model based on later descriptions. However, the second model still has weaknesses. For example, it retains […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Translational research—a further model
In the past two weeks I have used the metaphor of crossing bridges in discussing translational research, and have derived a model of it from definitions in the Cooksey report, while pointing out problems with the model. Firstly, it assumed a strict dichotomy between basic and applied research, whereas the idea of translation implies no […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Translational research—an early model
A clear definition of translational research is hard to come by. Typical general definitions include: • the process of transferring, from bench to bedside, findings in basic science into clinical practice, e.g. diagnostic procedures and therapeutic concepts. • the application of biomedical research (pre-clinical and clinical), conducted to support drug development, which aids in the […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Translational research—early developments
Last week I discussed the nonlinear nature of systematic reviews and suggested that many aspects of medical science are also nonlinear. I believe this to be true of translational medicine. The word “translation” derives from the Latin “translatio”, which in turn is derived from the supine form, translatum, of the irregular verb transferre, whose primary […]