Translational Research by Andrew Elia On April 10, the M.D.-Ph. D. Program hosted its first lecture in a series focusing on clinical research. Dr. William F. Crowley, Jr., Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Reproductive Endocrine Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, was the featured speaker. He described his research on the neuroendocrine and genetic control of human reproduction, offering students a glimpse into the work of a translational investigator. As Director of the Clinical Research Program at MGH, Dr. Crowley is committed to identifying students who demonstrate potential for a career in translational research.
Translational research is the present catch-phrase in clinical research circles.
It can be defined as the process of translating discoveries made in the laboratory into clinical interventions for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of human disease. Translational research is a two-way street, as observations made in the clinic often increase our understanding of cellular physiology and lead to the development of novel experiments. Dr. Crowley's story is replete with traffic going in both directions. Early in his career, he translated basic discoveries about the pulsatile nature of GnRH release from the hypothalamus into treatments for precocious puberty and hypogonadotropic hypogo-nadism. The unique opportunity to apply recent advancements immediately and directly to the care of individual patients, and potentially cure their diseases as in Dr. Crowley's case, is what makes translational research attractive to many.