Next week will mark the launch of the European Infrastructure for Translational Medicine (EATRIS; see go.nature.com/3li8fs). EATRIS aims to help clients (industry, small enterprises, funding organizations and academic institutions) to translate their biomedical discoveries efficiently into preventive, diagnostic or therapeutic products up to the point of clinical proof of concept.

More than 60 leading translational-research centres will make their facilities and expertise available to researchers and industry across Europe, through a single point of entry, bringing together basic scientists and clinicians, as well as public and private partners. These centres may be specialists in, for example, advanced therapies, imaging or biomarkers.

EATRIS will minimize development costs and risks by matching expertise and optimizing the use of academic know-how, infrastructure and patient groups. Quality control, intellectual property and legal frameworks will all be standardized. Rapidly assembled multidisciplinary teams will address each project's specific regulatory and clinical needs.

These measures should also attract much-needed attention to rare and orphan diseases.