The ISM's translational concept describes an approach to biomedical research that involves the collaboration of academic, research, and clinical capabilities to move Ideas to Innovations to Patient Applications. In this environment expertise from academic, research, clinical organizations, and industry come together to translate an idea into innovative therapeutics and technologies that can then be applied in the clinical setting to patients and eventually through commercial applications. Given the rising cost of health care and the increased complexity of research, a translational approach to research is especially desirable because it focuses on patient outcomes, ensuring that the research dollars and resources spent are focused on a clear value proposition for health care and patients. The translational continuum also works in the other direction as problems in the clinic can give rise to questions in the laboratory.

The ISM's basic science efforts will be oriented around and provide discoveries that can be applied to key diseases, which will help give structure to the application of ISMs scientific research, connect to the strengths of the clinical partners, and provide targeted benefits to the community in the form of new diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Potential target diseases include heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes, among others. In addition, Eastern Washington has a disproportionately high occurrence of some diseases as compared to the national averages, especially with debilitating diseases such as multiple sclerosis.