Building a Bridge from Clinical Practice to Basic Research

Over the past 16 years since founding my clinic, I have engaged in daily conversations with patients as a cardiologist — not only about cardiovascular symptoms but also about a wide range of concerns including physical ailments, living environments, and interpersonal relationships.

Through this accumulation of clinical encounters, I began to notice the potential impact of environmental factors on cardiovascular conditions and their interrelation with dysfunctions in other organs or systems. These observations led me to consider whether insights gained from clinical practice could be validated through basic medical research.

In response, we launched the Liamics Research Association with the mission of building a bi-directional bridge between clinical practice and basic science. The name "Liamics" is derived from liaison — signifying connection or bridge — and omics, which refers to comprehensive biological molecular analysis.

The Liamics Research Association aims to build a two-way bridge between clinical practice and basic research, with a special emphasis on reverse translational bridging — bringing insights from the clinic back into the research lab. By applying omics analysis to clinical data gathered in real-world settings, we seek to validate findings from a scientific perspective and foster a cycle of practical, evidence-based medical innovation and drug discovery.

We are also mindful of the challenges posed by increasing specialization in medicine, which often limits access to knowledge beyond one’s field. To address this, we aim to build translational bridges across specialties, encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration.

Recent studies have drawn attention to the critical role that impaired intercellular communication — what might be called "biological traffic"— plays in the progression of various diseases. We believe the same can be said for the medical and research communities. To address this, we are committed to establishing an interactive and translational platform that facilitates greater information flow between individuals and across disciplines.

The Liamics Research Association is now actively seeking members who share our vision. Let us work together to transcend the boundaries between clinical care and scientific inquiry — and open new frontiers in medicine.