Generating favourable contexts for translational research through the incorporation of basic researchers into hospitals: The FIS/Miguel Servet Research Contract Programme

The incorporation of full-time researchers into hospitals has been identified as one of the strategies to bridge the so-called bed--bench gap and foster translational research. This paper explores the extent to which the incorporation of researchers into Spanish public hospitals helped to foster translational research. We examine the FIS (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria [Health Research Fund])/Miguel Servet Programme's contribution to the three factors that characterize translational research: first, the relationship between clinical and basic researchers; secondly, the transfer of scientific knowledge from basic research to clinical practice; and thirdly, the generation of biomedical research questions based on clinical practice. Data were obtained through a survey of researchers, research group leaders, and heads of departments and centres where these researchers worked. The results show how public policy actions to provide human resources in R&D, which are specifically targeted to incorporate basic researchers within the essentially clinical hospital environment, may play a valuable role in promoting translational research. Copyright The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com, Oxford University Press.