New medicines must travel a long road from original idea to FDA approval. For the past several years, the scientific community has had an ongoing discussion on how we can smooth that path, so that new treatments reach patients sooner.

Recently, Domenico Fasci and Philip McQuary, two Sanford-Burnham Ph.D. students, entered a week-long intensive training program at the Eureka Institute to earn certifications in translational medicine. The program seeks to help physicians, scientists and business professionals better understand the mechanisms that slow down new medicines and work together to develop innovative solutions.

“The Certificate Program in Translational Medicine addresses the problems the scientific community faces in translating the ideas discovered at the bench side to the cure of diseases,” said Fasci. “During this intense week, we discussed problems and developed strategies to help integrate different scientific fields. This integration is crucial to speed up the development of new cures.”

Dr. Salvatore Albani, a professor in Sanford-Burnham’s Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, sits on the Eureka Institute’s Board of Directors. The program was held in Siracusa, Italy from May 16 to May 22.