Translational Research
What is Translational Research?
Laboratory scientists every day make important discoveries that describe the basic components of normal human biology and the causes of various medical conditions. Translational research is the process of translating scientific discoveries into diagnostic, therapeutic, and other real-world applications to improve medical care and the lives of our patients. Translational research goes hand-in-hand with clinical research to identify the best possible use of new technology in clinical practice. The end goal of our efforts is to apply scientific breakthroughs made at our institution and others to improve the health and well-being of patients everywhere.
The mission of translational cancer research in the Department of Urology is three-fold:
- Improve detection, monitoring, and treatment of urologic cancers by translating laboratory discoveries into bedside tools, tests, and applications improving patient care.
- Develop and validate biomarker tests that spare patients from invasive procedures while improving early detection of cancer.
- Train students, residents, and fellows in the fundamentals of translational research and prepare them for independent research careers.
Translational cancer research in our department is under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Tosoian, a urologic oncologist with specialized training in development and clinical application of non-invasive cancer testing. With a focus on team-based science, Dr. Tosoian’s research is focused on developing novel blood- and urine-based tests to identify patients that need to undergo more invasive testing (e.g. biopsy), and, as importantly, to spare those that do not. Dr. Tosoian is co-chair of the National Cancer Institute – Early Detection Research Network’s consortium focused on prostate and genitourinary cancer detection. As such, much of our research is performed in collaboration with the brightest minds at our institution and across the country. We invite you to learn more about the exciting research underway in our department.
