Editorial Letter
Authors: Mirmohammadi Hesam , D. Fahmy Mina , Shirani Bidabadi Farnaz , Liang Huixing 
Published: September 2024

As the problems facing modern societies become increasingly complex, interdisciplinary research has emerged as a critical approach for developing comprehensive solutions. Issues such as climate change, infectious diseases, environmental degradation, and bioethics defy traditional disciplinary boundaries and require integrating insights from fields including surgery, biology, physics, chemistry, social sciences and more. At the same time, new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology have applications across multiple domains of science and depend on cross-cutting perspectives from different areas of expertise. However, conducting interdisciplinary research poses significant challenges within the current structures of higher education and research centers. Disciplinary silos remain entrenched and cultural norms continue to overly value specialization. Funding interdisciplinary teams that span departmental divisions is also difficult in terms of coordinating budgets and timelines. Machine learning (ML) is a transformative technology that bridges disciplines and enables interdisciplinary collaboration. ML processes data, recognizes patterns, and makes predictions across various fields. By integrating insights from diverse disciplines, such as biology and social sciences, ML enhances decision-making. Collaboration among experts from different fields fuels innovation and uncovers hidden relationships within complex systems. Embracing interdisciplinary collaboration and leveraging the power of ML unlocks new frontiers of knowledge, drives scientific progress, and addresses complex challenges.
Despite these obstacles, there are promising signs that more support is growing for interdisciplinary collaboration. Universities are taking steps to break down structural and cultural barriers, and funders are steering more grants towards projects integrating diverse fields. When done effectively, interdisciplinary research has yielded important advances such as computational neuroscience, biochemistry, neuropsychology and bioinformatics - improving our understanding of brain functioning, cellular mechanisms, psychological disorders and disease treatments. As the societal problems become more complex, an ability to bridge unique disciplines will be increasingly vital. Universities have a pivotal role to play in facilitating interdisciplinary work. By establishing interdisciplinary programs and labs, offering joint workshops and training, enhancing cross-faculty collaboration and hiring researchers with diverse perspectives, universities can help take knowledge out of narrow silos and promote cooperation across differing areas of expertise. This will allow us to gain novel insights and develop more comprehensive solutions to life's intricate challenges. With continued support, interdisciplinary research has enormous potential to advance science and better address the problems of today and tomorrow.
By embracing interdisciplinary collaborations, researchers are able to tackle complex problems that cannot be addressed by a single discipline alone. This approach allows for the examination of issues from multiple view points, leading to a more comprehensive analysis. Moreover, interdisciplinary research has the potential to open up new areas of inquiry and foster the discovery of new and improved solutions. By integrating insights from different fields, researchers can combine diverse expertise, which in turn sparks creative ideas and promotes innovation. Adopting a multidimensional approach is essential for gaining a comprehensive understanding of intricate systems and interconnected issues that encompass various domains such as social, economic, environmental, biological, and technological aspects. Interdisciplinary research plays a pivotal role in addressing complex societal challenges that require a multidimensional perspective. Issues like climate change, pandemics, sustainability, and the impact of AI cannot be effectively tackled through narrow, discipline-specific thinking. Instead, researchers need to integrate knowledge from diverse fields to develop comprehensive and holistic solutions. Furthermore, interdisciplinary research encourages researchers to critically examine their own assumptions and overcome the limitations imposed by restricted disciplinary boundaries. By embracing insights from other domains, researchers expand their perspectives, leading to innovative breakthroughs and advancements.
Beyond advancing knowledge, interdisciplinary research also has practical benefits. It fosters the development of new interdisciplinary fields that defy traditional academic categorizations, expanding the frontiers of knowledge. Furthermore, it cultivates valuable collaborative and communication skills among researchers, as they learn to bridge different languages, tools, and perspectives from diverse fields.
Final Remarks
Importantly, interdisciplinary research facilitates the application of knowledge across domains, translating research insights into practical solutions that can benefit multiple sectors. This translational aspect enhances the societal impact of research, making it more relevant and applicable to real-world problems. Lastly, interdisciplinary research often increases the competitiveness of research projects for funding. By demonstrating broader impacts and alignment with real-world problems, interdisciplinary research projects showcase their potential to address pressing issues and attract funding from various sources. Interdisciplinary research offers many advantages, including the ability to tackle complex problems, discover new solutions, enhance comprehensive understanding, address social challenges, challenge assumptions, develop new fields, and foster collaborative skills thereby facilitating the application of knowledge, and increasing competition for funding. Embracing interdisciplinary approaches is crucial for advancing scientific knowledge and addressing the multifaceted challenges of our time. In light of this, a group of researchers decided to establish the Scientific Hypotheses (SCIHYP) in 2023 as a means to tackle such problems.
Financial support and sponsorship
None.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.