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October 31, 2024
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Towards an alternative framework for the evaluation of translational research initiatives

Publicated to: RESEARCH EVALUATION. 25 (3): 235-243 - 2016-07-01 25(3), DOI: 10.1093/reseval/rvv027

Authors:

Molas-Gallart, J; D'Este, P; Llopis, O; Rafols, I
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Affiliations

Univ Bordeaux, GREThA, CNRS, Ave Leon Duguit - Author
Univ Politecn Valencia, CSIC, INGENIO, Edificio 8E,Camino Vera S-N - Author
Univ Sussex, Sci Policy Res Unit, Jubilee Bldg, Brighton BN1 9SL - Author
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Abstract

The perception that many promising results from basic biomedicine have not systematically contributed to medical treatments and, ultimately, health care improvements, has led to a wide range of publicly funded initiatives aiming at facilitating the 'translation' of scientific discoveries into beneficial applications and practices. Many of these initiatives have been branded as 'Translational Research' (TR), a term widely applied to large research programmes, research activities, and even academic journals. With the popularity of the term, a debate has emerged about the models of research that are to be considered 'translational'. Consequently, the ways in which TR should be analysed and, more specifically, the approaches to the evaluation of TR programmes are also the subject of debate. Given the substantial investments in TR programmes, the definition of TR evaluation strategies and approaches has become an important element of the policy process. In a context of ambiguity about the type of activities to be considered as TR, evaluation approaches and practices can play an important role in determining what actions and outcomes are conceived, in practice, to be relevant and significant, and in doing so, shaping the future nature of TR initiatives. This article discusses the dominant approaches to TR evaluation and proposes an alternative evaluation framework, which would have implications both for TR evaluation processes and for the future shaping of TR programmes.
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Keywords

Biomedical researchContinuumIndustrialInnovationKnowledge translationMedicinePerspectiveProductive interactionsProximities frameworkProximityResearch applicationScienceScientistsTranslational researchTranslational research,proximities framework,biomedical research,research application

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal RESEARCH EVALUATION due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2016, it was in position 19/85, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Information Science & Library Science.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 1.11. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 13, 2025)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 1.5 (source consulted: FECYT Mar 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2026-04-02, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 23
  • Scopus: 27
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Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-04-02:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 124.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 124 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 8.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 3 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/10251/85381
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Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: France; United Kingdom.

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Molas-Gallart, J) and Last Author (Ráfols, I).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Molas-Gallart, J.

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Awards linked to the item

The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the Generalitat Valenciana Prometeo programme, grant number PROMETEO/2012/008, and of the UK Medical Research Council, research grant MR/M00838X/1.
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