Our ten-year vision is to have local, regional and global impact on health by leading a locally driven research programme on infectious diseases in Southeast Asia.
DART (Dengue Advanced Readiness Tools) is one of 24 newly-funded…
DART (Dengue Advanced Readiness Tools) is one of 24 newly-funded projects that will use climate data and other types of data to better predict and prepare for infectious disease outbreaks.…
OUCRU is committed to delivering the highest quality training for our resident and expatriate scientists and clinicians. Together with our partners in national universities and hospitals; we understand that investment in holistic and skill-specific training is key to development of the individual, the team and to the improvement of medical scientific capacity in Vietnam, Indonesia and Nepal.
In order to achieve this we offer a range of training opportunities including, research and skills-specific courses, clinical elective placements and undergraduate BSc and MSc projects. We also offer internationally registered PhD fellowships and are proud to have seen UK PhDs and DPhils awarded to more than 40 of our resident scientists and clinicians.
For more information contact: training@oucru.org.
Oxford University Clinical Research Unit is at the leading edge of applied clinical research. Along with the development of sciences and technologies in the region, there is an urgent need for a better understanding and communication of science and health issues in the social, cultural and historical context of our research communities in Vietnam, Nepal and regionally. In this light, the OUCRU Public Engagement team works to strength research partnerships by bringing communities and scientists together.
Our aims are twofold: firstly to involve the local communities in our research to generate dialogue between researchers and the public, and to improve our understanding of their motivations and perceptions. Secondly to develop initiatives which will bring science to the forefront of people minds in an engaging and entertaining way, such as through science theatre productions, lively debate and informed media writing.
Sharing knowledge will help to develop an understanding of the value and need for scientific research, encouraging young people to pursue careers in science and enabling people to observe the world in a different light. The engagement activities are supported by Wellcome Trust International Engagement Awards, but we have also received generous corporate funding from companies based in HCMC. We partner with the local government Department of Health Education and Communication (T4G) for each project, and receive support from The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, HCMC.
The Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) was established in Ho Chi Minh City in 1991. It is hosted by the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD), originally founded in 1862. HTD is the referral hospital for infectious diseases for all of southern Viet Nam. Our strategic aim is to have a positive and significant impact on global health and, in particular, the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. This is being achieved via an integrated long-term research programme, contributions to training, the scientific literature, national and international meetings and membership of national and international committees.
OUCRU HCMC not only works with HTD, but also a significant number of other hospitals and clinics across southern Viet Nam. All work is intended to benefit the patients seen daily at HTD, and also to help improve patient care throughout the country. OUCRU is one of five Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programmes.
OUCRU-NP is hosted by Patan Hospital and the Patan Academy of Health Sciences in Kathmandu, Nepal and works in close collaboration with the Nepal Health Research Council at the Nepalese Ministry of Health and Population. Our mission is to build a strong critical mass of young Nepalese clinicians and scientists who can help build the scientific and clinical future of Nepal.
Since 2003, the research collaboration has evolved and OUCRU-NP has become a respected and integral part of not just the hospital l but also of the surrounding population of the hospital where most of the research and public health initiatives are undertaken. Their main research focus has been on the most common infectious diseases affecting patients presenting to Patan Hospital from the surrounding areas of Lalitpur within the Kathmandu valley. They have a major focus on enteric fever (Typhoid and Paratyphoid) and other causes of febrile illness including typhus, infections of the central nervous system and Hepatitis E. Their plan in the future is to expand this work to include Tuberculosis, viral causes of pneumonia, emerging illnesses and other public health priorities in Nepal.