Framework for Creating Successful Multidisciplinary Translational Research Teams

Abstract

Translational research teams are the need of the hour to address society’s complex problems. Researchers from various disciplines coordinate and collaborate to form research teams. The translation of their work from inception to social impact is integral to the team’s function. In this essay, the basic-fit translational model and design delivery framework are developed to assist researchers from all disciplines in self-analyzing their social impact to augment collaboration.

INTRODUCTION

The number of researchers involved in solving complex problems of nature is increasing. In turn, the number in articles published is also on the rise. Collaborations and innovations are at their highest peak in their own history. Considering the number of unsolved science questions and the advancement of technology including mass data analysis, the modern era will demand and pave the way for more researchers to test their new ideas and theories for planetary welfare. Though they all work towards the collective benefit unanimously, knowingly or unknowingly, every researcher analyzes the impact of their work on society.[1] The journey of their work from the inception of an idea to its societal impact is called the translation of research work. In addition, collaborative translation typically happens with an increase in the complexity of the problem solved. In such cases, they also ponder their role in the entire process of translation.[2] Quantifying the overall research impact along with a clear definition of their participation may add value to their thought process and increase their job satisfaction. A relationship exists between satisfaction and mental health.[3] Researchers’ mental health has a significant impact on their creative abilities.

Researchers vary greatly based on their research type, skills, abilities, beliefs, values, virtues, and cultural ties. This variation provides diversity in the researchers’ population and requires special attention to preserve it. Uniqueness and individuality create a trademark for each researcher. Customization of a product to meet a specific requirement from a user perspective is the latest trend.[4] Based on these background requirements, this study proposes a delivery design framework with researchers as end-users to custom-build and analyze their societal contribution. We aim to assist researchers from all educational backgrounds to tailor their solutions independently.

A framework built on established or familiar models will help the end-user to correlate easily.[5] The majority of the existing translational models are developed by domain-specific groups of researchers. To generalize these beneficial models to a wider researcher population, a basic-fit translational science model is devised to serve as a foundation for the delivery design framework.

Translational science models and their background

Translational science is a basic science[6] spotlit for its ability to cause greater benefit in creativity and innovation.[7] Historically, models were built to define this scientific approach in terms of its structure and process.[8] As a result, the definition has evolved over time, adding value to this approach. Being a young platform, this science provides many opportunities to grow, change, and evolve. In the beginning, the highest percentage of the contribution to model development came from like-minded researchers who wanted to provide a pathway for their discoveries, from fundamental work to patient care. Later, the available models [Table 1] are improvised as a continuum to include the collaborative effort of multiple domain experts.

Table 1.

List of some translational models

T models     T1–T2 (Sung et al.)[9]     T1–T3 (Rubio et al.)[10]     T1–T3 (Dougherty and Conway)[11]     T0–T4 (Khoury et al.)[12]

Process models     Pathways to clinical goals[13]     Biomedical research translation continuum[14]     Lean and Six Sigma application for clinical and translational research[15]     Process and sub-process markers[16]     Need to knowledge model[17]     Translational framework for public health research[18]

Other models     The translational science benefit model[19]     The human-centered design approach in health research and innovation[20]     Application of human-centered design to translational research[21]

T models (T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4) denote the structural translation of research outcomes from one phase of research to another, intending to connect the entire study from fundamental research, scientific research, clinical practice, population impact, and back again to fundamental research. Process models explore the detailed functionality of the translation work for timely completion. In today’s world, human-centered design approaches are applied to include collaborative work and, in particular, to alleviate the difficulties that arise while working with multiple domain experts.

Meaning of the word “translation”

The term, translation is tagged with language translation universally. It generally means “an act, process, or instance of translating,” which includes rendering, conversion, and transformation.[22] Apart from language translation, the other things commonly translated are skills, knowledge, ideas, action, or in combination [Table 2].

Table 2.

Types of translation

Type		Requirement		Time taken		To check
Language		A translator who knows both languages		It depends on the fluency and repetitive strategy of translator		Precision and context
Knowledge		Expert and another person/group who is/are open to share and learn (willing) by questioning and connecting to baseline knowledge		It depends on the amount and expertise of both in sharing and learning		Context and adaptability
Idea		A need requiring solutions		It depends on the urgency of the need		Whether it covers the totality and has eco-friendly features
Action		Mimicking capacity (observing and doing) and the necessity to create a conducive environment to self-analyze and act.		Comparatively quicker than knowledge translation		Can quickly evolve as a norm (which has to be carefully evaluated frequently for upgrades and deficits)
Skill		A technical translation requires patience and persistence in the teaching and acquiring of the skill		It depends on the fineness of the skill		Application

Details about end-users – researchers work

Researchers come from different domains or disciplines: art – music and dance, science, language, mathematics, physics, chemistry, law, sociology, medicine, engineering, and more. Researchers work as part of research teams, apart from the individual research they conduct. The members of the research team collaborate, not just participate. Research teams are categorized based on disciplinary approaches as intra, inter, and multi[23] and based on geographical boundaries as an institution, community, city, state, country, and global teams.

In addition to research activities, they guide, teach, and supervise. They continuously translate (acquire and provide) knowledge and skills. In alignment with the geographic boundary vision and mission, they also play a part in administrative teams designing new curricula, labs, departments, committees, agendas, etc. The management of these newly established or existing designs also falls under their regular activities. At times, they can be part of multiple research projects simultaneously.

Irrespective of all these activities, every researcher works on personal well-being[24] – physical, psychological, and others – to maintain a good work-life balance. Even outside their work location, they continuously translate their gathered knowledge, ideas, and skills everywhere possible to produce social impact. Apart from all these, researchers indulge themselves in the thought process and conversations about their observations, gathered analysis, new plans, and the next achievable stage.[25]

The need for new model

From a user-centric perspective, a user will appreciate a model only if they can connect to it by any means, meaning that it has to be related to anything they do and need. Once the need arises, they will start testing the model using trial-and-error methods to confirm its compatibility and ease of usage. Moreover, the language that the model was built on should resonate with them.

Researchers participating in collaborative multidisciplinary teams use their domain core as a language (science and mathematics as languages). The sub-dialects vary greatly with their domain specializations, mainly because they use specific terms to express the demand for which their specialties arise.[26] For example, a conversation between two friendly undergraduate classmates after their unique specialization in different sub-fields will not be totally comprehensible. They regularly explain new terms with definitions that could connect them at the core level. Similarly, researchers working in multidisciplinary teams’ face language jargon. The process of briefly explaining and defining each vocabulary demands patience, time, and commitment. Only then does communication between team members cross-disciplinary jargon and evolve into an understanding or comprehensible language. Simplicity in word usage and content helps break down the scientific language into speaking language, but at times, it also breaks the essence of the core context of the specialty. A learner has to understand both the content and the context of the language used to appreciate its value and apply it in various other circumstances to test the knowledge acquired. Though understanding that “there exists a difference between the common language we speak and the scientific language we specialize in” helps, it requires several time-consuming rounds of argument and conversation. A moderator in multidisciplinary conversations plays a key role in breaking the scientific language into an easily comprehensible language. In this study, a moderator model called the “basic-fit translational model. [Table 3]” is introduced in simple language to serve the purpose of assisting researchers from different educational backgrounds in identifying their research work in terms of translation.

Table 3.

Basic-fit translational model

Basic-fit translational model ←→ Observe ←→ Analyze ←→ Identify pattern/problem ←→ Find/form a solution ←→ Implement/practice ←→ Test/retest ←→ Observe ←→ ←→ denotes thought process/stages as sub-process/translational work Forward arrow: to spread or transform Backward arrow: going back in the loop/to acquire/retrace

Basic-fit translation model

Each term and double-sided arrow in the model [Figure 1] represent a stage in a cycle of complete translation. The arrows in the model depict the thought process behind the ultimate power of creativity and the unsung part of successful research outcomes. The double-sided arrows also represent stages as sub-processes and translational work. The more sub-processes and tangled work there are, the more complex the project is.

Figure 1.

Schematic representation of basic-fit translational model

Researchers using the basic-fit model can correlate their research work to the stages. It is the researcher’s choice to translate their work, depending on their work. For example, the population percentage count ends with the quantification of observation. A comparison of two products results in a qualitative analysis. Identification of a problem in teams raises the need to translate the details of the problem through communication with other members, which is essential to form a solution that aligns with the team’s vision and mission. Designing a flow chart/framework is part of the connecting arrow sub-process. Once they fit their research work (past, present, or future) into the basic fit translation model, the delivery of their work to the target audience and its impact need to be explored. The delivery design framework [Table 4] helps to achieve the same.

Table 4.

Delivery design framework

Delivery design framework

1. Identify the category of research 2. Identify its place in the basic-fit translational model 3. Identify the end-users/beneficiaries 4. Identify the geographical boundary involving both the researcher and end-user 5. Identify the type/mode of translation required 6. Identify the intermediary people/stakeholders involved 7. Estimate a timeline for a complete translation 8. Design a plan to execute/analyze (include process and sub-process) 9. Involve end-users’ feedback and stakeholders as needed from the beginning 10. Once the research results are translated, recheck the extent of reach and emerging difficulties. 11. Repeat the same framework to change, adapt, and evolve.

Delivery design framework

The delivery design framework [Figure 2] is a set of 11 sample questions that aid researchers in developing a new research approach for complete translation or analyzing their previous work to gauge the extent of translation.

Figure 2.

Schematic representation of the delivery design framework

This is a framework, not a flow chart. The user has the choice to jumble or simultaneously work on several steps. Users can customize the framework according to their needs and create numerous workflows. This framework helps identify the baseline of work stance in the translational continuum and translational en route (navigable pathways) to reach the end-users/beneficiaries.

Once a research framework is custom-designed, [Table 5] it is the choice of the researcher to travel along the navigable pathways to check the results of the end-user’s utility of research outcomes or transfer the project to other domain people to complete the translational process. The researchers, the end-users in this article, can run many processes simultaneously to reduce the time of translation and collaborate with others to yield the necessary results. Involving multiple end-user feedback loops technically strengthens the research results and reduces the chance of adaptation difficulties during the implementation stage. Any research, past, present, or futuristic, can be viewed under this design framework. If it is pioneering work, the researcher devises a plan to create navigable pathways or adapt the existing routine according to the need.

Table 5.

Template for framework usage

Types of the category of research     Qualitative: surveys, interviews, and quantitative     Theoretical/applied     Retrospective/prospective     Observational/experimental     Estimation research: prevalence and risk     Hypothesis testing research: clinical trials and RCTs, implementation research, and improvisation research     Cross-adaptation research across geographical boundaries     Designing research: methodology design, plan design, descriptive, discovery, development, and delivery research     Open forum – to include as the need arises

Types of users     Population inside geographical boundaries: institutional/country/global     Population with invisible boundaries: people who are interested in music/reading/listening/art     Students, classroom members, and friends     Specific – target groups and focused groups: children under a certain age group     Teams including research teams

Types of intermediaries/stakeholders     Policymakers, funding agencies, and institutional administrators     Approving authorities – product testing – for example, food and drug authorities     Mass media, book printers/publishers, and product developers     Co-researchers

Forms of translation modes     Language: poetry, literature, questionnaire translation into the local language     Knowledge: guidelines, course work, design thinking methods, storytelling, interviews, posters, advertisements, government policies and regulations, seminars, conferences, and publications; personal experience narration; posters; one-to-one talk     Idea: discovery of processes. Invention of new tools, designing a new product, improving the old product, new technique – new anything. Protect existing knowledge, reach the mass user, and create navigable pathways     Skill: educational institutes, workshops, training centers, art classes including dance and music, clinical practice, individual communication, and collaboration     Action: community service, patient education, lifestyle modifications, behavior changes, body language, and emotions

RCT=Randomized controlled trial

A researcher can be a knowledge translator in one research project, a part of the administrative team in another, and a specialist leading the way in their work of passion. In such cases, running this framework multiple times from different perspectives helps identify the roles that they play in each project. This provides clarity while communicating their work to other researchers and administrative professionals. In addition, it brings out the multitalented role of a researcher. Understanding the different roles played by the researcher in detail paves the way for creating a conducive environment to conduct research peacefully and in harmony.

Application of delivery design framework with examples from published articles

Bagavandas M., Development of multifactor index for assessing the quality of life of a tribal population of India: multilevel analysis approach. BMC Public Health. 2021 Feb 18;21(1):383.[27]

Category of research: Assessment of causal factors to develop index

Place in the basic-fit translational science model: From observe to form solution

Geographical boundary involving end-user: Data collected from the tribal population

End-users/beneficiaries: Policymakers via funding government agency

Type of translation required: Identified causal factors and their translation to policymakers

Intermediary people/stakeholders involved: Government funding agency

Estimate a timeline for complete translation: Unknown

Check the extent of reach: The target is to submit the report to the funding agency. In turn, the reports will be submitted to policymakers and help develop multi-level policies to address the target population’s needs.

Design a plan to execute/analyze

As of now, the author’s work is complete with the submission of work to the intermediate funding agency. There is no further step explained in the publication regarding the inclusion of the author’s participation in policy-making strategies.

Future research on the same target population after several years will reveal the impact of the research and policies based on it.

Does this article have a complete translation: Translation to intermediary – yes; complete – unknown

Whether the translated knowledge showed result impact: Retest report unavailable

For this study: Researcher-centered delivery design framework in social impact analysis based on a basic-fit translational science model.

Category of research: Model development

Place in the basic-fit translational science model: The thought process connecting “identifying the problem to framing a solution”

End-users/beneficiaries: Researchers of all domains

Geographical boundary involving end-user: Planetary

Type of translation required: Application action

Intermediary people/stakeholders involved: Journal publication

Estimate a timeline for complete translation: Vary depending upon the impact of the article

Design a plan to execute: First step – publication

Second step – Lectures/conference participation in propagating this idea to reach the end-users

Third step – To test the impact of the model

Fourth step – Publishing a book based on all the user experiences

Check the extent of reach: At the first step

CONCLUSION

The translation is always a two-way street, which includes the translator and receiver, knowledge translation and acquiring knowledge, listening to the content and understanding the context, idea generation, and the timely need.

A well-thought design in the initial stages of a research project helps to visualize the navigable pathways necessary to reach the end-users, including the collaborative needs and process timeline. Tagging the researchers based on the type and number of translational cycles completed, such as institutional-level translation researcher and city council-level (twice), translational researcher is recommended.

Hope this generalization creates a new baseline with a wider population usage. Moreover, from there spring up new thought processes and paradigm shifts that could lead to disruption of the usual flow. A common ground such as this one will be a stepping stone toward disruptive science.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Funding Statement

Nil.