The changing scenario in laboratory medicine and the role of laboratory professionals in translational medicine

A revolution is now expected to occur in the ever-changing scenario of laboratory medicine thanks to the introduction of “omics” into clinical practice. However, our awareness of the divide between knowledge and practice, and the understandable assumption that omics research will be riddled with difficulties, has led to the concepts of knowledge translation, translational research and translational medicine. The interchangeable terms, translational research or translational medicine (hereafter referred to as translational research), currently underline the pressing need to gain practical benefit from the enormous investments made in biomedical research by the private and public sector. From the viewpoint of physicians, clinical laboratory professionals and patients, who are more directly involved in clinical practice, translational research responds to the need to obtain benefit from research, thus closing the gap between what we know and what we practice. This means transferring diagnostic and therapeutic advances that have proven effective in large well-conducted trials (and are therefore evidenced-based,) to daily medical practice. Translational research should be regarded as a two-way road: bench to bedside, and bedside to bench. However, to achieve a more effective translation process, a new road map should be implemented through interaction and cooperation between basic researchers, clinicians, laboratory professionals and manufacturers. Some examples of recent developments in clinical laboratory testing, including markers of cardiovascular diseases, clinical proteomics and recombinant allergens, attest to the importance of a careful evaluation of all variables allowing the introduction of such new insights into clinical practice in order to assure better clinical outcomes. The ability of laboratory medicine to deliver safer and more effective health care calls for a more careful evaluation not only of analytical characteristics but also of any other variables that may affect the clinical usefulness and diagnostic performances of laboratory tests thus enabling a more accurate interpretation and utilization of laboratory information.