Peters, A., Carver, S., Skerratt, L. F., Meredith, A., & Woods, R. (2019). A solutions-focused translational research framework for wildlife health. BioScience, 69(12), 1019-1027.

Abstract:

Wildlife health is of emerging relevance for conservation, human health, and domestic animal health. Increased research on wildlife health problems has not been accompanied by a relative increase in effective solutions. Translational research was developed in human health to overcome blocks impeding the development of solutions out of basic research, and a translational research framework is proposed to overcome the same barriers in wildlife health. This framework has four translational phases: problem definition, potential solution development, efficacious solution development, and effective solution development. Implementation of translational research will require a restructuring of the wildlife health research enterprise with a shift, supported by funding sources and journals, to solutions-focused research including later translational phases, the creation of more deeply integrated multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams incorporating better representation from human social sciences, and the inclusion of end user and stakeholder participation in all phases of research.

Key Takeaways: A solutions-focused approach to research on priority wildlife health problems is needed and translational research offers a framework to move knowledge from problem identification through to tangible benefits. The successful implementation of translational research will require a restructuring of the wildlife health research enterprise. This restructuring mirrors experience in human health by bringing together broad multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary expertise as well as meaningful participation of end users and stakeholders in all phases of research.