Bench to Bedside: Where is the Focus on Bedside to Community?

From the first day I stepped into the Jobst Laboratory at the University of Michigan, the idea of discovering causes and cures for diseases intrigued me, and as I matured, I could not imagine a better way to make my contribution to humanity than to be part of this discovery process. I have always been interested in Chemistry. Few years ago I moved to the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy to major in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and when I finally got my hands on this subject, I have naturally wondered "Could we deliver drugs using red blood as a delivery vehicle?" I was inspired by my peers and mentors. I began to imagine a day when my discoveries would sooth the pain of many. But was I too romantic with such imagination? Perhaps.

Few years ago I joined an organization called GlobeMed which is focused on understanding health care disparities. While serving in underprivileged communities as part of this organization, I became aware of the rift between scientific innovations and access to such innovations. In these communities, I came to realize that making novel drugs available does not necessarily mean simply putting these drugs in the hands of people who need them. In the world of translational research, we boast about getting discoveries from bench to bedside, but in the process, what we forget is translating discoveries from the bedside of few to the bedside of all.

Of course, I am undermining the role of investigators and scientific investigations. We should not stop our inquiring mind. I haven't. I still plan to continue my passion for research and am still asking the same questions I asked myself many years ago: "Could we deliver drugs using red blood as a delivery vehicle?" But along with asking this question, I have also managed to ask myself: Will be mother be able to access such a innovation? Hopefully, such questions will enable us to realize that scientific innovation alone is not enough. We need to come out of the constrain of laboratory and to collaborate with other disciplines to make scientific innovation more accessible to people.