Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) rests largely on information flowing smoothly at multiple levels, in multiple directions, across multiple locations. Biomedical Informatics (BI) is seen as a backbone that helps to manage information flows for the translation of knowledge generated and stored in silos of basic science into bedside applications; however, improved communications among investigators have not been exploited to its full potential. Recognizing the needs for articulating CTS, its objectives and barriers, and identifying an architecture that harmonize the use of technology in CTS, a three-level design is proposed in this manuscript under a service oriented architecture perspective, based on the literature reviewed. In order to articulate the concepts and validate the proposition a total of 20 interviews were conducted with key informants. During the interviews a set of exercises aiming to validate the proposed CTS-BI platform architecture were conducted.

The manuscript proposes a definition of CTS that reflects the complexity of the translational process. It also identifies the objectives and barriers perceived by participants, and reports results and difficulties found in validating the architecture proposed. Overall, the partial validation of the CTS-BI platform design reflects the contribution of this work in the strategic alignment of technology to the core business of CTS Centers, while the concept of structuring functional blocks to describe the BI platform resulted difficult to validate.

The data revealed needs to further research and understand the cultural and legal incentives that today prevent the sharing of data and resources. Additionally, agents other than Academia, Healthcare Industry and Government were identified as key actors for the process of translation. Finally, respondents' opinions reflected the importance of understanding and communicating the scope of CTS, as well as testing methodologies for systematic architecture design.