About the Institute for Translational Research
Translating Discovery Into Health Impact
The Institute for Translational Research (ITR) is an interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to accelerating the conversion of scientific discovery into measurable improvements in human health. We operate at the interface of experimental biology, clinical investigation, data science, and population medicine, focusing on the major health challenges of aging societies. Our work spans cardiovascular and neurovascular disease, aging biology, cancer survival, and prevention science. Rather than treating these as isolated disciplines, ITR integrates them within a unified translational framework designed to move knowledge rapidly from mechanism to intervention and implementation. The institute was founded on a simple principle: scientific excellence achieves its full value only when it improves real lives. Every research program is therefore structured with a clear pathway toward clinical relevance, prevention strategy, or policy impact.
A Translational Ecosystem
ITR functions as a coordinated ecosystem rather than a collection of independent laboratories. Mechanistic insights generated in experimental systems are continuously tested in human cohorts, analyzed through advanced bioinformatics and AI-driven modeling, and translated into scalable intervention frameworks. This closed-loop model allows rapid iteration:
Discovery → Validation → Implementation
Laboratory findings inform clinical studies. Clinical observations generate new mechanistic hypotheses. Population data refine intervention priorities. The result is a dynamic research environment designed for real-world application.
Our shared infrastructure — multi-omics analytics, epidemiological platforms, and implementation science — connects programs and accelerates progress across disciplines.
Research With Societal Relevance
Europe faces unprecedented demographic aging accompanied by rising burdens of cardiovascular disease, dementia, metabolic disorders, and cancer survivorship. These challenges cannot be solved by isolated research efforts. They require integrated strategies linking biological understanding with prevention and health system transformation. ITR designs research from the outset to address:
- determinants of healthy aging
- early detection and biomarker development
- scalable prevention strategies
- precision intervention frameworks
- translation of evidence into policy
We collaborate with universities, public health agencies, healthcare systems, and industry partners to build research platforms capable of generating both scientific breakthroughs and measurable societal benefit.
International Collaboration
The institute actively coordinates and participates in multi-country research consortia. Our role within these partnerships is to provide translational architecture: connecting mechanistic science, clinical frameworks, and population-level implementation. By combining methodological rigor with implementation expertise, ITR helps transform research programs into durable infrastructures that outlast individual projects.
Publishing and Scientific Leadership
We are developing new publishing initiatives focused on healthy aging and prevention science, strengthening the international research community working at the intersection of preventive medicine and public health.