Broadly Engaged Team Science in Clinical and Translational Research

Despite the large U.S. investment in health science, and the vast and growing body of peer-reviewed research findings it has produced, a compelling body of evidence suggests that research too often has been slow, inefficient, and fallen short of desired impacts on health. A key question is how research might be changed to be more innovative, less wasteful, and more responsive to unmet health needs. 

 

One emerging response within clinical and translational science is to advance an approach that attempts to close the gap between research scientists and key stakeholders; the individuals and groups responsible for or affected by health-related decisions. Broadly engaged team science promises to support this aim by transforming the gold standard, multi-disciplinary team science, to include key stakeholders in activities across the research spectrum. These new roles and responsibilities range from generating research questions to implementing research projects,to aiding in the translation of discoveries from the laboratory to the community. A transition to broadly engaged team science reflects the idea that inclusivity and a diversity of perspectives are necessary to achieving progress in addressing complex health issues while representing a new benchmark for ethical research practice. 

 

This is one of the first collections of papers describing how clinical and translational science researchers are defining and implementing new research practices, and the successes and challenges involved. This book represents a first and critical step towards organizing knowledge of broadly engaged team science and advancing the development of evidence-based practices. Written in an accessible style, this book is intended to highlight the breadth of broadly engaged team science within one community, motivate researchers and stakeholders to build inclusive teams, bring rigor to often informal stakeholder engagement research practices and encourage people to think more broadly about the development of scientific knowledge. It includes examples of multi-disciplinary, broadly engaged team science projects, the perspectives of academic leaders about the changes needed to encourage scientists to conduct broadly engaged team science, and a resource directory.

Debra Lerner, MSc, PhD, is Associate Director of Organizational Impact for Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), Director and founder of the Program on Health, Work and Productivity at Tufts Medical Center, and Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry of Tufts School of Medicine and Tufts Graduate School of Biomedical Science. She has dedicated her career to reducing the human and economic burden of illness and disability and translating research results into evidence-based workplace policies and practices that enable all adults to remain productive throughout their lives. She is a national thought leader on health and work productivity improvement as well as workplace mental health. She is an expert survey researcher whose questionnaires, including the Work Limitations Questionnaire, are used worldwide.
Dr. Lerner has authored over 80 peer reviewed publications, is the recipient of numerous research grants and contracts, and received the prestigious Mark Dundon Research Award from the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) and President’s Award from the Institute of Health and Productivity Management (IHPM). She has consulted on employee health and productivity improvement for many organizations, including the US Veterans Benefits Administration, Social Security Administration Disability Programs, the Assistant Secretary’s Office for Planning and Evaluation within the Department of Health and Human Services, One Mind, the World Economic Forum, and many private-sector health insurers and employers. Dr. Lerner serves on the board of directors of The Health Project, which awards the prestigious C. Everett Koop award to employers that have demonstrated excellence in employee health promotion and disease prevention and is Board Chair of the Center for Workforce Health and Performance.