Translational medicine 2.0: from clinical diagnosis-based to molecular-targeted therapies in the era of globalization.

Translational medicine encompasses the itinerary from the conception of an idea to its implementation in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of human diseases. It cannot be identified as a stand-alone field; rather, it comprises a fragmented patchwork of activities, competencies, and knowledge distributed along diverse and often disparate disciplines. In standard practice, the success of a translational project is often less dependent on the validity of the original idea than on the outcome of the combination of several stochastic events. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2010) 87 6, 642–645. doi: 10.1038/clpt.2010.60