Acknowledgements

To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive and detailed book devoted to the topic of translational research. The 32 chapters have been written by 85 authors drawn from throughout the world. They have covered material related to preclinical and clinical research, regulatory affairs, finance, and industry. We are indebted to those authors who have contributed material that is uniquely focused upon translational research. Without the international effort and international expertise from basic science to clinical application this book would not have been possible.

We would especially like to recognize and thank Dr. Daniel Burkhoff for his extraordinary contribution to the book. He was responsible for adapting the material into electronic formats so as to make this e-book available on
iPad, android and the web, thereby facilitating access for the readers. His insights and suggestions have been of seminal importance in creating this finished work.

We would also like to thank Amanda Milgram and Ronald Anson who coordinated many of the administrative and imaging aspects of the book. They tirelessly worked to communicate with the authors and to insure that ISCTR received copyright to all materials. Behind the scenes, DeAnn Dana was the coordinator who brought everything together and made the book a reality with her tireless enthusiasm.

The support of Professor Stuart Flynn, Dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, was of inestimable value in creating this text. His wisdom and experience helped to guide numerous decisions. He encouraged us to draw a broader mission to establish a curriculum in translational research to prepare for a Master of Science degree and certification in translational research pathways. We hope to bring this vision to reality in the next few years. Finally, we wish to thank members of the Executives of Dignity Health, including Linda Hunt, Patty White, Laurie Harting and Tim Bricker, whose support allowed us to move forward to complete this book.

The opportunity to be the four editors of the book has been a special experience for us. Each of us brought a unique perspective to the work. We all learned much more than we contributed, and benefitted by working with the talented team of authors. We have perceived a need for more formulated education in the full spectrum of translational research, and hope that the e-book will serve to stimulate more efforts in that direction.
It is our view that the time to read this book and consider a curriculum devoted to translational research has never been better.