WashU Public Health launches research network to bridge evidence and practice
The Dissemination & Implementation Science Innovation Research Network (DISIRN) aims to speed translation of research into practice
January 17, 2026
Designed to help scientists demonstrate impact, the model was developed by WashU Public Health researchers, others
A collection of articles on the Translational Science Benefits Model — a tool for demonstrating the impact of research — has been published in Frontiers in Public Health, curated by WashU Public Health’s Doug Luke. The model has been widely used, including in a study by SPH secondary faculty member Jacquelyn Benson that showed that connecting family caregivers with trained former caregivers can reduce stress, ease isolation, and improve well-being. (Credit: Getty Images)
A peer-reviewed, expert-curated collection of articles on the Translational Science Benefits Model has been published by the journal Frontiers in Public Health. The model — which was developed by researchers at WashU Public Health’s Center for Public Health Systems Science (CPHSS) in collaboration with colleagues at Becker Medical Library and the WashU Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences — is a framework designed to help public health and clinical scientists demonstrate the impact of their work in the real world. Since it was first described in 2018, the model has been used by scientists from hundreds of research institutions worldwide. The video below, produced by CPHSS, explains more.
The collection was edited by Douglas Luke, MA, PhD, the Distinguished Professor in Public Health Systems Science at WashU Public Health and the director of CPHSS, and coordinated by Anna La Manna, MSW, MPH, the manager of research translation for CPHSS. Such collections, called Research Topics, bring together research communities to write, review and publish new work on important themes in the field, spreading awareness of emerging concepts and stimulating collaboration.
The Research Topic contains 12 articles and is available online as a webpage and an ebook. To date, the page has received nearly 24,000 views. Along with Luke and La Manna, WashU Public Health contributing authors include Todd Combs, MA, PhD, a research assistant professor; Emmanuel Tetteh, MD, a research assistant professor; Sara Malone, MSW, PhD, an assistant professor; and Laura Brossart, the assistant director for communications and dissemination at CPHSS.
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