Translation of the achievements of basic science into everyday clinical practice remains a major issue in contemporary medicine, and is addressed through a new discipline, translational research, which aims to bridge the gap between basic and clinical research. Translational research encompasses laboratory studies, clinical demands, public health and health management, policies and economics; it is crucial in the evolution of contemporary biomedical science; and its interventions follow the political-economic, ethical-social and educational-scientific approaches. Translational research can progress through reorganisation of academic teams in a translational way. New academic posts translationally orientated are urgently needed, particularly in the field of trauma medicine, where lack of awareness of this new evolution is evident.