Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94107, USA.
Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Sep 1;172(5):525-7; discussion 528-9. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwq212. Epub 2010 Aug 5.
Epidemiology is at the center of translational science. Uniquely among biomedical disciplines, the methods and perspective of epidemiology span research from discovery to effective interventions and ultimately to their dissemination and implementation. However, shorthand designations for various phases of translational science, such as "T1, T2, T3, and T4," may be proliferating past the level of their usefulness. It is worthwhile to reflect on the actual nature of the science undertaken by epidemiologists along the continuum of discovery to application. The new challenge for epidemiology is the integration of knowledge and effective interventions into various societal settings working with allied disciplines not necessarily in the biomedical domain to ensure that these interventions have their intended effects on individual and public health.
流行病学处于转化科学的中心位置。在生物医学学科中，流行病学的方法和观点独一无二，涵盖了从发现到有效干预，最终到其传播和实施的研究。然而，转化科学各个阶段的简称，如“T1、T2、T3 和 T4”，可能已经超过了它们的有用性水平。值得反思一下从事从发现到应用这一连续过程的流行病学家所从事的科学的实际性质。流行病学面临的新挑战是将知识和有效干预措施整合到各种社会环境中，并与不一定在生物医学领域的相关学科合作，以确保这些干预措施对个人和公共卫生产生预期效果。
