Table 2.

Enabling team science across disciplines: challenges and solutions

Issue	Solution	National implications
Translational barriers specific to each of the T1–T4 phases of the translational research process	Teams recruit PLs with specific translational expertise/skills; PLs identify collaborators as expert team members	PL roles become a requirement for translational research programs
Investigators/programs may have specific scientific needs but neither can support a full-time PL	Fractional PL support available from a central facilitative hub provides support as needed without extraneous overhead	Development of team science as the norm; acceleration of national translational science agenda
Team science increases complexity and communication requirements of research projects	PL can facilitate collaboration among members with multiple areas of expertise	Helps eliminate cultural/organizational barriers in evolution away from investigator-driven research and toward team science approaches
Investigators often must take on operational oversight and project management roles despite lack of training and skills	PLs are appropriately equipped to serve as operational leaders, so investigators can focus more on the science and research methods	Enhances project efficiency and reduces costs, with benefits to entire research enterprise
Assembling fundable proposals in big science, clinical and translational science	Institutional investment from indirect costs; federal investment specifying explicit PL requirements as part of proposals	Formalization of the role and requirements for project management as part of research
Lack of well-defined roles and funding	Integrate PLs into projects/programs in ways that empower them to contribute effectively, offer career incentives, and have clear lines of funding	Development of PM/PL as a discipline alongside the traditional research disciplines

PL, project leader; PM, project management.