Even though numerous tools and technologies have been developed to meet this need with various degrees of success, a conceptual framework is needed to fully realize the value of those tools and technologies. The authors propose Complex System (CS) to be the logical foundation of such a framework. Since translational research is a spiral and dynamic process. With the CS mindset, they designed a multi-layer architecture called HyGen (Hypotheses Generation Framework) to address the challenges faced by translational researchers. In order to evaluate the framework, the authors carried out heuristic and quantitative tests in Colorectal Cancer disease area. The results demonstrate the potential of this hybrid approach to bridge silos and to identify hidden links among clinical observations, drugs, genes and diseases, which may eventually lead to the discovery of novel disease targets, biomarkers and therapies.
Special Issue on Basic and Translational Research in Colorectal Cancer