Letter from the JCTS Editor

It has been an exceptionally productive period for our community. Translational Science 2026 was, by any reasonable standard, a huge success—high engagement, substantive discourse, and a level of energy that reflects a field not just growing, but maturing. What stood out was not just the quality of the science, but the clarity of purpose. The momentum is real. The question, as always, is how we sustain and direct it. Our mission at the journal is to help do just that.

Over the coming weeks, we will be expanding opportunities to engage with us. We will be issuing a call for editors and invite those interested in shaping scientific dialogue to step forward. We will also continue to build on our Assistant Editor program, which has been running for some time and has proven to be an effective pathway for developing editorial expertise. For junior faculty and scholars looking to understand and contribute to the editorial process in a structured way, this program is not an experiment—it is a working model. If you are considering deeper engagement with the journal, this is a good place to start.

At Translational Science, we also advanced our efforts in training editors and reviewers. Our initial session was necessarily designed based on anticipated needs and to offer an introduction to your journal. Now that you have seen what could be possible, we want to hear from you—what would make you more effective, more confident, and more engaged as a reviewer, author, or editor? If we are serious about improving the system, we need to design it with you, not for you.

We are also pleased to formally announce the introduction of Translational Design Studies. This initiative reflects a deliberate shift: the study becomes the unit of learning. These manuscripts are intended to provide clear, evidence-based insights into how studies are designed, executed, and improved. If we want a system that learns, then our reporting must make that learning explicit and transferable. That is the standard we are setting.

Our thematic issue on the use of artificial intelligence in clinical research has now been open for several months and continues to attract strong interest. As submissions develop, we are seeing early signals of what matters—and what does not—when AI is applied to real research settings. In early summer, we will be opening a new thematic issue focused on team data science. If AI changes how we generate insight, team data science determines whether those insights are actually integrated, trusted, and used. Both require evidence, not assertion.

All of this activity comes with a cost—borne largely by our reviewers. The demand continues to increase, and the burden is real. If you are not currently reviewing for the journal, this is the moment to engage. We will support you, connect you, and develop you. A strong reviewer community is not a convenience; it is the mechanism by which we maintain trust in what we publish.

There is a great deal underway. More importantly, there is a clear direction. If we remain disciplined—focused on evidence, committed to learning, and willing to engage as a community—we will not just keep pace with change. We will shape it.

Chris Lindsell, PhD

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Clinical and Translational Science

ACTS Updates

Translational Science 2026 in Review

Another Translational Science is in the books. Last week, almost 1,100 people travelled to Milwaukee, WI to hear from over 180 speakers across 50 educational sessions, view over 520 posters, and connect with colleagues through the many networking events taking place. We also got to celebrate a new group of ACTS Award recipients, and honor the inaugural cohort of the Fellows of ACTS (FACTS).

ACTS would like to extend a special thanks to this year's sponsors and partners: The Alzheimer's Association, STATA, StudyPages, Bluesky Statistics, MedTech International, Dartmouth Journal of Healthcare Delivery Service, and SciSpace. We also thank Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS and Michelle A. Williams, ScD for their inspiring keynotes, the Translational Science 2026 Planning Committee for their work on the educational program, and the team at the Baird Center who went above and beyond to help put on a successful meeting.

And finally, thank you to everyone who attended. Whether this was your first year at Translational Science or you've been coming since the start, your presence is what makes the annual meeting special each and every year. Be sure to mark your calendars for our return to DC. Translational Science 2027 will take place April 20-23, 2027!

JCTS Call for Papers: Artificial Intelligence in Action

The Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (JCTS) is still seeking manuscripts for a new thematic issue, "Artificial Intelligence in Action: Tested and Proven Approaches to Transforming Clinical and Translational Science." The issue will highlight rigorous studies that measure how AI is advancing clinical and translational research and transforming the broader clinical and translational science enterprise. Authors collecting data around the effectiveness of AI in clinical research are highly encouraged to submit for this issue. Accepted manuscript types and additional requirements can be found on the JCTS website. Submissions for this thematic issue are being accepted until July 16, 2026.

Have an exiting idea for a manuscript outside of this issue? Learn how you can submit your research year-round and gain visibility through one of science's fastest growing open access journals!

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Partner News

News from the Hill

At the start of April, the administration released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Request to Congress. The nonbinding annual document provides a blueprint to lawmakers on administration priorities and traditionally starts the annual appropriations process. This year though, the House and Senate were both well on their way to crafting the FY 2027 spending bills before the administration even provided its requested budget.

The Trump administration has systematically called on Congress to provide deep funding cuts and consolidation for medical research and public health programs. Congress has routinely resisted these proposals (including for FY 2026) and opted to maintain the status quo, even providing modest increases for research while level-funding for public health. The FY 2027 request repeats these calls, but in a notably toned-down fashion with smaller cuts for NIH and more modest reorganization proposals.

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"News from the Hill" briefings are generously provided by our advocacy partners from the Health and Medicine Counsel

Stories from our Members

Drug lifts ‘brain fog’ from lupus patients: Clinical trial

Nicole Keepers is an expert on systemic lupus erythematosus (“lupus”). For years she has endured debilitating consequences of this autoimmune disease, which attacks tissues throughout the body, including the brain.

While immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs lessen some of her symptoms, including fatigue, vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels), and abnormal heart rhythms, they do not relieve the difficulty she has with memory and concentration.

An estimated 200,000 people in the United States have lupus. About 80% of them experience “brain fog,” cognitive problems that impair learning, memory and attention.

But there is hope. On April 20, researchers at Vanderbilt Health and Evergreen Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company based in Bethesda, Maryland, reported that EG501, a small-molecule oral tablet developed by the company, improved objectively measured cognitive function in a small group of people with lupus.

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Share your Stories

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for outstanding or groundbreaking work? Is your institution embarking on an exciting project? Send ACTS your story using this form to be highlighted in future issues of the ACTS Connection.

Professional Development

ACTS offers multiple tools to aid in your professional development. Check out past webinars and Translational Science sessions in the Learning Library, or apply to earn one of our new Digital Badges!