Development of translational medicine in China: Foam or feast?

SummaryTranslational medicine has been well accepted as a concept and trend in medical sciences. China is a late starter in the development of translational medicine, yet the Chinese medical community has already demonstrated its determination towards the realisation of this concept. There are many questions that need to be answered prior to when translational medicine can proceed from being a concept to reality. This paper highlights the essential requirements for developing “patients and clinic oriented” translational medicine and shares “an enriched stem cells technique” as an example of orthopaedic translation. Enormous collaborative and multidisciplinary work is required prior to when the results of scientific research can be translated into effective clinical practice.