Solving the lost in translation problem: Improving the effectiveness of translational research

Translational research frequently fails to replicate in the clinic what has been demonstrated in the laboratory. This has been true for neuroprotection in the central nervous system, neuroprotection in glaucoma, as well as many other areas of medicine. Two fundamental reasons for this 'Lost in Translation' problem are the 'Butterfly Effect' (chaotic behavior of many animal models) and the 'Two Cultures' problem (differences between the methodologies for preclinical and clinical research). We propose several strategies to deal with these issues, including the use of ensembles of animal models, adding intraocular pressure lowering to preclinical neuroprotection studies, changing the way in which preclinical research is done, and increasing interactions between the preclinical and clinical teams.

Graphical abstractDownload high-res image (179KB)Download full-size imageHighlights► One problem with translational research is caused by models behaving chaotically. ► One solution is to use ensembles of models, similar to how weather is predicted. ► A second problem is that the preclinical and clinical cultures can be far apart. ► A solution is to make the process of animal research more like clinical research.