Domain Expert: Possesses deep disciplinary knowledge and expertise within one or more of the domains of the translational science spectrum ranging from basic to clinical to public health research and domains in between.

While breadth of foundational knowledge across the translational spectrum is critical, one must also possess depth in one or more domains. It is not sufficient to be “a mile wide and an inch deep” as the adage says. A translational scientist should attain expertise in one or ideally more translational domains to be able to contribute novel solutions to complex problems. This is perhaps best modeled by the concept of a “T”-shaped professional, with deep disciplinary knowledge combined with the ability to communicate across disciplines (see Boundary Crosser).(4)

The predominant focus of most graduate-level science and engineering education and training programs is to produce such disciplinary experts with a substantial depth of knowledge within a relatively focused intellectual pursuit. Being a specialist entails intimate understanding of the intricate workings of a specific system, whether it be at the atomic, cellular, organismal, or community level, and drilling down to fully grasp the nuances associated with it. This specialization of scientific research and knowledge generation continues to be instrumental to developing innovative solutions to some of the greatest challenges in biology and medicine.

adMare

EATRIS

FioCruz

NCATS

Therapeutic Innovations Australia