Horizontal Anchor Project – Translational Research

The concept of translational research refers to the process of converting scientific discoveries - from the laboratory, clinical, or population context — into products or processes aimed at the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, or prevention of diseases, injuries, or disabilities, thereby directly benefiting human health. Or, as a widely used expression puts it, it is about conducting research “from bedside to bench and back again”.

In recent years, translational research has been recognised in the U.S. and several European countries as a priority investment area, both to improve population health and to generate economic value.

The “Horizontal Anchor Project – Translational Research”, promoted by Health Cluster Portugal (HCP) and supported by QREN, aimed to make a decisive contribution to the creation of an enabling environment in Portugal for the emergence and development of translational research projects, as well as for the subsequent exploitation and valorisation of their outputs.

To achieve this, the project implemented actions focused on:

- Raising awareness, providing information, and offering training on translational research to the various actors along the national health value chain (scientific and technological institutions, companies, healthcare providers, etc.) and to policy-makers and legislators.

- Enhancing networking among actors in the national health value chain and integrating them into leading European networks.

- Defining guidelines, recommendations, and best practices, based on international success stories, applicable to the practice of translational research in Portugal.

- Mapping the national scientific and technological offer in the health sector and promoting it globally.