Doing translational research is interdisciplinary in nature. But have you ever stopped to think about what interdisciplinarity really is? What exactly does that mean? How is it defined?

This past fall I took a course on interdisciplinary methodologies. Contrary to the name of the course, interdisciplinary research has no official formula or protocol. Rather, it is a collaborative process that varies according to the particular goal one is trying to achieve. It incorporates experts from varying fields and often uses new or hybrid methodologies.

However, an article published by the professor of the course, Dr. Kristine Gebbie, and her colleges attempted to define interdisciplinary research.

Interdisciplinary research is any study or group of studies undertaken by scholars from two or more distinct scientific disciplines. The research is based upon a conceptual model that links or integrates theoretical frameworks from those disciplines, uses study design and methodology that is not limited to any one field, and requires the use of perspectives and skills of the involved disciplines throughout multiple phases of the research process.

So next time you delve into a translational research project, take a minute to think about exactly what goes into a successful interdisciplinary collaboration.