Abstract
Medical advances have failed to arrest the growing morbidity and mortality from lung diseases. COPD, lung cancer and pulmonary infections remain leading causes of death. More than any other time in human history, we need high quality, translatable, patient-focussed respiratory research that will improve clinical practice. Close teamwork of scientists and clinicians are essential. The results of these work need to be disseminated quickly and widely. The creation of an open access journal, such as Translational Respiratory Medicine, dedicated to translational respiratory research can help foster progress.