Three Questions for Prof. Dr. Christopher Baum
Photo: © BIH/Thomas Rafalzyk
Since 2025, the TMF has welcomed the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), one of Germany’s leading institutions for translational medicine, into its network. In this interview, Prof. Dr. Christopher Baum, Scientific Managing Director of the BIH, explains the reasons behind the collaboration with the TMF.
Professor Baum, the BIH has been a member of the TMF since 2025. What motivated you to become part of this network?
The decision to join the TMF grew out of the BIH’s commitment to systematically strengthening translational research. This requires reliable structures for handling health data, shared standards, and opportunities to exchange knowledge and experience with stakeholders facing similar challenges.
The TMF provides an established forum for jointly addressing methodological, regulatory and infrastructural issues. For the BIH, the exchange of experience is particularly valuable. Membership allows us to contribute our own perspectives while also benefiting from tried-and-tested approaches and solutions.
The BIH aims to accelerate the translation of medical innovations into clinical practice. What role do data, research infrastructures and collaborative networks play in achieving this goal?
Data is the backbone of all medical innovation. At the BIH, we consistently apply the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) to make clinical, genomic and imaging data usable. What matters is not just the availability of data, but also its quality, standardisation and responsible use. Research infrastructures provide the framework within which these data can be collected, linked and analysed – ranging from clinical trial platforms and registries to data integration environments.
At the same time, translation is a collaborative process. Close networking between basic research, clinical research, healthcare and other partners is essential to bringing innovations into practice. The BIH sees itself as a connecting force, actively shaping and strengthening these interfaces.
Where do you see the most important points of connection between BIH and TMF?
The greatest areas of overlap lie in advancing the framework conditions for data-driven research. BIH contributes its experience in developing translational and innovative structures, while TMF serves as a platform for bringing together different perspectives and developing consensus-based solutions. A coordinated approach is particularly important when addressing complex issues such as the harmonization of standards and the implementation of regulatory requirements.
BIH particularly hopes that the collaboration will generate momentum for scalable and transferable solutions that have an impact beyond individual institutions. The aim is not merely to accelerate translation in isolated cases, but to improve it structurally – thereby contributing to a more sustainable and effective data-driven health research ecosystem.
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