Following TechniquesEthnographic explorations of the

translation process in health research

Dr Shirlene Badger and Dr Richard MilneCIPH/PHGF

BACKGROUND

We know little about how particular technologies emerge or are identified as appropriate for clinical implementation or how people work together to make implementation happen.

Similarly, we have scant understanding of the environment, practices and conditions by which implementation of novel techniques are enabled or blocked.

BACKGROUND

The Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)• Established in 2007 by the NIHR• “outstanding NHS and University partnerships in the

country”• Remit is to lead the way in translating basic science as

early adoptors of new insights in techniques for improving health

• In 2012, the SAB heralded the Cambridge BRC as a national example for its achievements in translational research

OBJECTIVES

- To map the historical, geographical and scientific spaces that have allowed for the particular conceptualisation of implementation across biomedical case studies.- To explore how particular practices are constituted across different research contexts and are brought together in order to create and support the possibility of translational research and implementation.- To unravel the boundaries of the translational research enterprise and translational tensions.- To explore the common and unique social and ethical issues within the process of translation.

METHODOLOGICAL COMPONENTS

Component One: examine the historical possibilities that have allowed for the conceptual application of a technique in a particular context

Component Two: Detailed observational work. “Ethnographies have a key role in creating a more efficient, more effective, more equitable and more humane health care system, particularly in illuminating the organizational and interactional processes through which health care is delivered” (Murphy and Dingwall, 2007). Our focus here is on ‘technique watching’ and the mapping tools of Situational Analysis.

Component Three: Interview studies to support the prior two components.

WHAT ARE WE DOING?

Ethnographic case studies: • whole genome sequencing for the real time

identification of infectious disease and mapping of outbreaks;

• exome sequencing for stream-lining the process of diagnosis of rare diseases for which the gene is known;

• development of cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases;

• the translational work of platform development and infrastructure and the ‘re-purposing’ of dementia research participation.