How can interdisciplinary research foster innovation and creativity?

I would add that interdisciplinary research is an excellent opportunity for learning. Each researcher not only brings their unique strengths to the table, but they have the opportunity to build on that strength and add layers of nuance that wouldn’t necessarily be possible in their own silo. This research also helps researchers to identify new strengths and new areas for improvement. It can be a great tool for finding new paths.

Interdisciplinary research is pivotal in fostering innovation in medicine. It merges methods from various fields, enabling innovative study designs like mixed methods. These blend quantitative, measurable changes with qualitative insights into patients' experiences. With advanced analytics and big data, we can uncover complex patterns often hidden in smaller datasets. This research approach helps us see health from a systems perspective. By integrating insights from diverse disciplines such as ecology and economics, we understand how various factors like environment and socioeconomic status affect health outcomes. Interdisciplinary research drives innovation and reframes our understanding of health, promoting a holistic approach.

Neurophysiology, Biohacking, Neurostimulation is the cross-section of disciplines in my new book called Neuro Alchemy which contains over 90 peer-reviewed studies and stories . I hope this can be a good mixed discipline reading for all! https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08CWPRDBR&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_112HBNMMDXB6D5M8GKCM

Interdisciplinary collaboration helps to connect the dots and cover blind spots. Unique perspectives brought forward by various specialists help to develop the bigger picture. Interestingly, specialists and subject matter experts might also miss out certain perspectives as they maybe so deep and even biased by what they already know.

While interdisciplinary research offers excellent opportunities to find creative and efficient solutions, it can also raise insecurity within teams. That is, each member is equipped with a specific skill set and at different moments throughout the process these skills come into play. It’s important that each member feel valued for their skill set, and it’s important that when that team member’s skill set or expertise is needed, they have the freedom to express and to do. Human nature might also make us envious of other people’s skills. It’s important to remember that each person contributes something unique, and this is an opportunity to learn from team mates with skills we admire.

Having some team members who are cross-trained to translate can substantially facilitate the conversation, even if they are not the most senior experts. Case and point: life science finance. It is not uncommon to have an analyst with both a finance and science background as well as both field’s MDs (managing directors and medical doctors). This way, the expert with the deepest knowledge in one vertical can explain it to someone more junior in one field yet understands the other. Further, the more knowledgeable this bridge person in both fields, the easier the collaboration.

It also helps to have a moderator or lead who can be called upon. They don’t need to be involved in every meeting or at every stage of the process. However, having this neutral third party can help resolve conflict, aid in the decision making process, and ensure that learnings from the interdisciplinary research are well communicated and effectively passed on to/ actioned by the rest of the organization.

Science is interdisciplinary by nature. For example, any clinical research involves a whole slew of different subjects to truly reach a definite conclusion. A clinical research team may need biologists/chemists who've mastered the details of the science at hand, clinical psychologists or sociologists to employ research methods assessing lifestyle variables, computer scientists to build effective data collection methods, and statisticians to analyze and format the data. Sometimes, you've got to learn how to be all four.

Almost all science and technology finance requires this. Femtech/women’s health, biotechnology and other highly technical verticals require experts from technology, business, economics, marketing, and various types of science. The last point is broad enough to be its own category—neurogenomicists are not theoretical physicists, yet scientists of varying fields frequently come together to publish hybridized work. The infusion of AI into daily life and parlance is increasingly another example of the integration of multiple disparate disciplines. Finally, public health straddles multiple areas, especially FemTech, which has a biotech- and medtech-intervention focus.

Have a strong expertise with a healthy hunger to learn more. Not only will this approach make life more interesting, but it will ensure that you have a strong skill set to add to any team while bringing the necessary openness to engage with others.

In order to sustain innovation and progress, society needs to continue to push students to study totally unrelated topics. The greatest insights are not just when people from different fields are in the same room, but rather when a group who understands a variety of verticals and paradigms come together to determine best practices. If everyone has two fields of understand, a group’s collective intelligence is exponentially expanded. Thus, the future is in encouraging students and young professionals to study things outside of their traditional domain. The downstream effects are staggering.