We introduce translational science, a research discipline from medicine, and show how adapting it for visual analytics can improve the design and evaluation of visual analytics interfaces. Translational science 'translates' knowledge from the lab to the real-world to 'ground truth' by incorporating a 3 phase program of research. Phase 1 & 2 include protocols for research in the lab and field and Phase 3 focuses on dissemination and documentation. We discuss these phases and how they may be applied to visual analytics research.