Dear Colleague,

The UCSD Clinical and Translational Research Institute (CTRI) and Nature Medicine would like to invite you to attend the 4th Annual Frontiers of Clinical Investigation Symposium on October 8-10, 2009. The theme for the meeting is "Metabolism 2009," which will explore innovative approaches to bridge laboratory investigation and clinical research in metabolism. The topic stands at the cross roads of many disciplines, including endocrinology, cardiology, musculoskeletal diseases, and gastroenterology. Multi-disciplinary sessions will include basic, translational, and clinical presentations on cutting edge research to provide an integrated approach to understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of metabolic diseases. This symposium will provide unique insights and tools for optimizing and streamlining clinical investigation from discovery to drug development.

We look forward to seeing you,

Drs. Gary S. Firestein and Juan Carlos Lopez

Objectives

• Describe emerging concepts in clinical investigation and translational research
• Define areas of controversy and provide best evidence for each approach
• Describe innovative approaches to bridge bench to bedside and enhance clinical investigation
• Acquire tools for optimizing and streamlining clinical investigation from discovery to development to application

Target Audience

• Early stage researchers that will benefit from the knowledge and experience of senior scientists, and directly establish contacts
• Experienced researchers and scientists that will find a stimulating environment for discussing achievements, in the perspective of an interdisciplinary approach
• Pharmaceutical industry scientists that will collaborate with others interested in decreasing the gap from bench to bedside
• Health professionals that are interested in translational research
• Fellows, post docs, trainees and residents that are interested in the transfer of knowledge from expert scientists to early stage researchers

Needs Assessment

One of the pressing needs for the development of new biomarkers and new therapies is the translation of basic science discoveries into clinical medicine. The National Institutes of Health has identified this issue as one of the key problems facing biomedical research today. In response, the agency has issued a recent program to fund infrastructures that can bring multi-disciplinary groups of scientists together to enhance translational research. One of the main obstacles faced by this initiative is the wide divide between laboratory and clinical researchers that has resulted from separate training and educational programs.