NIH defines Clinical Research as:
- Patient-oriented research. Research conducted with human subjects(or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator (or colleague) directly interacts with human subjects. Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues that cannot be linked to a living individual. Patient-oriented research includes:
* mechanisms of human disease,
* therapeutic interventions,
* clinical trials, or
* development of new technologies.
- Epidemiologic and behavioral studies.
- Outcomes research and health services research.
Translational research includes two areas of translation. One is the process of applying discoveries generated during research in the laboratory, and in preclinical studies, to the development of trials and studies in humans. The second area of translation concerns research aimed at enhancing the adoption of best practices in the community. Cost-effectiveness of prevention and treatment strategies is also an important part of translational science.