What Must the (Abdominal) Surgeon Know about Experimental Medicine (?) - Translational Research in General (Abdominal) Surgery

Experimental medicine has evolved tremendously in the last few years. In particular, the introduction of novel techniques, in-vitro models, knock-out/transgenic animals and high-through put analytical methodologies have resulted in a deeper understanding of cellular pathophysiology and diseases. The daily clinical management has benefited by the introduction of biomarkers and targeted therapies. This development has been accompanied by increasing specialisation across all fields of research and medicine. Therefore, clinical-translational research requires a team of competent partners nowadays. The visceral surgeon can contribute significantly to these projects. The present review highlights several aspects of translational research and put chances and potential pitfalls into perspective in context with the work of the visceral surgeon.