Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
A bench-to-bedside programme funds a translational scientist's work from initial molecular discovery through first-in-human trial.
- Is an instance
A research strategy describes bench-to-bedside translation alongside bedside-to-bench feedback loops.
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
Using 'bench-to-bedside' as a synonym for any biomedical research regardless of translation activity.
- Not an instance
Treating translation as a linear pipeline with no feedback loops or community engagement.
Editorial commentary
The 'bench-to-bedside' metaphor frames translation as a directional pipeline from laboratory science to patient care. It has been criticised for over-simplifying what is in practice an iterative process with frequent feedback (sometimes formalised as 'bedside-to-bench' for clinical observations informing laboratory science) and for under-counting community and population dimensions of translation. The phrase remains common shorthand in biomedical funding programmes and clinical-academic career pathways, though more recent framings (T0-T4) attempt to capture the full translational landscape.
References
- Butler D 'Translational research: Crossing the valley of death' Nature 2008. NIH NCATS documentation.
Also known as
Bench to bedside · B2B (translation)
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
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vocab-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/"
vocab-term="Bench-to-bedside"
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