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Strategic Aim Two - Translation of research

We are driving the translation of discoveries from basic laboratory and clinical science into benefits for human health. Using these insights, we are further enhancing our knowledge of the fundamental pathways in health and disease. An essential component of this bidirectional process is sustaining strong support of the basic science that underpins it.

Objective

To bring the health impacts of fundamental research to people more quickly.

Now

The 2007 settlement for the MRC included an additional £132m targeted towards translational research – demonstrating the Government’s clear support for this activity. The MRC is delivering on this investment in coordination with our OSCHR partners and others.

  • We have put in place bespoke mechanisms to encourage and drive the translation of medical research, building on existing translational activities and schemes.
  • We have introduced dedicated funding streams – for example, to promote translational stem cell research – and specific initiatives targeted at areas that need boosting, supporting key facilities, coordinating existing infrastructure, and capacity development.
  • The managed programme, consisting of the Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme and the Developmental Clinical Studies stream, supports the preclinical and early clinical development of novel therapies, interventions and diagnostics, and the research tools used to achieve this. Projects have clearly defined outcomes and future value.
  • The Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme, part of the coordinated strategy of the MRC and the NIHR, is managed by the NIHR and funded by the MRC. The programme supports primarily ‘science-driven’ late phase studies with an expectation of substantial health gains.
  • As the lead organisation for methodology research under OSCHR, we are delivering on a programme of novel methods development research which includes the MRC-NIHR Methodology Research Programme and increased training and capacity development, to ensure that the translation of health research is accelerated, and built upon the best available evidence.
  • We have strengthened the methodological platform underpinning UK trials research through the establishment of the MRC Hubs for Trials Methodology Research.

Future

We will drive basic research discoveries into new treatments and products and feed clinical results back to the laboratory, with the aim of achieving better translation in strategically important areas.

  • We aim to strengthen research support in areas of unmet need.
  • By working with our partners and stakeholders, we aim to enable effective coordination from the laboratory to the clinic and wider healthcare settings.
  • We aim to ensure that researchers are well trained, confident and willing to transfer knowledge out of their own area of responsibility.
  • We aim to ensure that the approach to intellectual property protection and management is appropriate, and to explore how to develop an intellectual property strategy that benefits all parties involved in collaborative research appropriately.
  • We aim to better address ‘back-translation’ – questions raised by results from epidemiologic studies or clinical trials which are fed back to work carried out on fundamental mechanisms.
  • We aim to help governments improve the ability of their health systems to deliver effective interventions and care and to ensure that the outputs of research can influence policy and practice.

How

We will build on our existing translational schemes and continued investment in fundamental laboratory, clinical and population research.

  • To achieve translational activities, we will provide access to the required technology platforms and infrastructure.
  • We will embed the ethos of translation in academic communities.
  • Using expert input from partners and stakeholders we will prioritise clinical, patient, scientific and industrial research needs and match these priorities to the translational research we support.
  • Exploiting the emerging opportunities from enhanced genetic knowledge will allow more sophisticated approaches to early stage trials. Wider use of patient groups categorised (stratified) according to their characteristics, imaging and biological indicators will also be possible.