A regional leader in clinical research, the Clinical Research Centre (CRC) is a longtime collaborator with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR). The Centre is dedicated to generating the knowledge necessary to develop innovative solutions to medical challenges and providing a conducive environment for the training of future generations of scientists.
The mission of the CRC is to conduct high quality clinical research to support the development of countermeasures against emerging infectious disease threats of public health importance. The Centre has past experience with and is currently participating in clinical and epidemiological research related to several endemic and emerging infectious diseases, including:
- COVID-19
- Lassa fever
- Mpox
- Ebola
- HIV
For more information on the CRC's past and ongoing research, download the factsheet.
A History of Collaboration
The CRC was established in 2014 through a United States-Nigeria military-to-military partnership. The Centre has over 20 staff, an on-site clinical laboratory and receives additional support from the Defence Reference Laboratory (ISO 15189 American Association for Laboratory Accreditation). Activities include clinical trials, cohort studies, and public health intervention programs, with capacity to enroll 20 vaccine trial participants per day.
The Centre works in collaboration with a number of international collaborators including the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) and its Emerging Infectious Diseases Branch and U.S. Military HIV Research Program. The CRC is supported by HJFMRI and the Nigerian Ministry of Defence (NMOD). It is also a member of the Leap for West Africa (LEAP4WA) consortium launched by IAVI, CEPI and EDCTP. The CRC has been selected as a National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Unit.
Community Engagement
The CRC community engagement team helps ensure successful implementation of studies and enables excellent participant retention rate (~ 94.5%). Community Advisory Board (CAB) activities include:
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Study-specific stakeholders’ meetings
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Tiered introductions of new research studies
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Study-specific CAB constitution and board empowerment to function autonomously
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Coordinated research community meetings with the gatekeepers, community chiefs, and council
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Periodic check-ins and outreach to communities
For more information on the CRC's CABs, click here.