October 2026
Issue 2
Letter from the JCTS Editor
Back during the pandemic, I found myself reflecting a lot on music, literature, and art, wondering what lessons from history might help us navigate the challenges in front of us. From resilience to the pace of change, there were countless opportunities to borrow from culture to make sense of the journey. Today, the song that comes to mind is R.E.M.’s It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). It’s those last four words that have brought me a sense of peace.
At first glance, the song seems an unlikely sense of calm. The lyrics tumble over themselves in a breathless rush of names, ideas, events, and information. It feels chaotic, overwhelming, impossible to process. Yet there is that curious refrain: “and I feel fine”.
The song captures something about the moment we find ourselves in. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we generate and interpret evidence. Clinical trials are increasingly embedded in routine care. Virtual care, digital health systems, and new forms of community engagement are blurring once fixed boundaries. Even our assumptions about expertise, teamwork, careers, and scientific impact are being challenged. What interests me most is that these changes are not simply helping us do the same science faster. They raise a more profound question: should we be doing science the same way at all?
We have an opportunity to reconsider how evidence is generated, how discoveries move into practice, and how research improves human health. That is exciting. It is also unsettling.
Of course, faster is not always better, innovation is not always progress, and adoption is not proof of benefit. The challenge for translational scientists is to distinguish genuine improvement from attractive promise. That means studying not only diseases and interventions, but also the methods, processes, and systems through which science itself advances. It is a challenge that sits squarely within the mission of JCTS.
I do not know what the research enterprise will look like ten years from now. None of us does. But the opportunities to improve how we conduct science, and ultimately improve human health, are extraordinary. If that means the end of translational science as we have known it, then perhaps that is something to embrace.
It’s the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine.
Chris Lindsell, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Clinical and Translational Science
ACTS Updates
Live Webinar on Wednesday, November 11
ACTS is happy to welcome Geoffrey M. Curran, PhD for our next webinar: "Lessons Learned from a Career Filled with Course Corrections, U-Turns, Flat Tires, and Engine Failures." Dr. Curran will reflect on the common but under-discussed issue of study failure. How do we get out of the ditch? What philosophies and strategies could we deploy to guide us back on the path where we want to be? How do we reduce the likelihood it happens again? Dr. Curran shares insights from a career of many partially-to-completely wrecked studies.
This live webinar will take place on Wednesday, November 11 beginning at 1:30 PM ET. Registration is free for ACTS members and $15 for non-members, discounted to $10 for early-career investigators.
FACTS Nominations Open through November 12
Don't forget that nominations for our next Fellows of ACTS (FACTS) cohort are open! FACTS is a premier tier of membership to recognize those who have made significant contributions to ACTS and the field of clinical and translational science. All ACTS members in good standing with at least 10 years of substantial service in translational science are eligible for nomination. Our nominations portal is open through Thursday, November 12. New recipients will be announced and recognized at Translational Science 2027. Visit our website for more information about nominations.
Translational Science 2027 Award Nominations Now Open
Nominations for the Translational Science 2027 awards are open! Each year, ACTS honors the most outstanding investigators, educators, and trainees from across the CTSA consortium. If you know a colleague whose work merits this kind of recognition, we invite you to nominate them for one of our ten annual award categories. Our nominations portal will be open through Wednesday, November 18. More details about our award categories and full nominations rules are available on our website.
Translational Science 2027 will be held in Washington, DC from April 20-23, 2027. The time to register is coming sooner than you think. Make your plans to join us today!
Partner News
AFMR Southeastern Regional Meeting | April 23, 2027
Abstracts Submission Now Open
Submit an Abstract or Case report to the Southeastern Regional Meetings today!
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday, January 15, 2027
Abstract Submission Guidelines
Stories from our Members
Duke launches national hub to advance trustworthy AI for aging and dementia care
Artificial intelligence (AI) could transform care for older adults and people living with dementia, but few tools have successfully moved from research into routine clinical practice.
A new national initiative at Duke aims to close this gap.
The Duke Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratory for Aging: Governance and Evaluation (Duke AITC-AIGE) is one of five centers in the National Institute on Aging’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories program selected to receive funding to create a national resource for advancing trustworthy AI in aging and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
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Upcoming Events
Lessons Learned from a Career Filled with Course Corrections, U-Turns, Flat Tires, and Engine Failures - Live Webinar
Online | November 11, 2026