Translational research is a buzzword which dominates discussions about the quality, the utilization, and the benefits of (bio)medical research. Yet, although translational research has become a prominent topic, no commonly agreed definition of this terminology exists. Instead, experts from different contexts such as biomedical research, clinical practice or nursing discuss translational research in multiple ways depending on how they define the problem that translational research is supposed to be the solution to. In this paper, we do not seek to find a ‘correct’ definition of translational research, but instead ask how actors using this terminology for describing their own research make sense of it. To do so, we asked three questions: Which actors are engaged in the debate about translational research? What kind of different meanings of translational research exist? And, which actors refer to which meaning of translational research when using the term? In answering these questions, we highlight the role this terminology plays in defining what medical science is about today.

中文翻译：

---

翻译研究在（生物）医学研究中的多重含义。

转化研究是一个时髦的词，它主导了有关（生物）医学研究的质量，利用和益处的讨论。然而，尽管翻译研究已成为一个突出的话题，但尚无对此术语的普遍认可的定义。取而代之的是，来自不同背景的专家（例如生物医学研究，临床实践或护理）将以多种方式讨论转化研究，具体取决于他们如何定义转化研究应该解决的问题。在本文中，我们并未寻求找到翻译研究的“正确”定义，而是询问演员使用此术语描述自己的研究如何使之有意义。为此，我们提出了三个问题：哪些参与者参与了有关翻译研究的辩论？翻译研究存在什么样的不同含义？并且，哪些参与者在使用术语时指的是翻译研究的含义？在回答这些问题时，我们强调了该术语在定义当今医学领域中所起的作用。