The Clinical Research During Outbreaks (CREDO) Course is an initiative of ISARIC aimed at equipping healthcare and research professionals with the critical knowledge and skills needed to lead and conduct high-quality research during infectious disease outbreaks. As part of ISARIC’s commitment to strengthening outbreak preparedness and research capacity, the Tropical Disease Foundation, Inc. (TDF), serving as the ISARIC Southeast Asia Hub, is implementing CREDO courses for research teams across Southeast Asia over a five-year period that commenced in 2025.
The second CREDO cohort officially began on 12 February 2026 and brought together 17 scholars representing four multidisciplinary research teams from Southeast Asia:
- Capitol University Medical Center, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
- Petridish Research Group / University of Indonesia / Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Philippine General Hospital, Metro Manila, Philippines
- TB-HIV Innovative and Clinical Research Foundation (THINCR), Silang, Cavite, Philippines
The participants came from diverse professional backgrounds and were primarily employed in hospitals and healthcare institutions. The cohort included infectious disease physicians, infection prevention and control officers, nurses, pharmacists, data managers, and microbiologists, fostering a multidisciplinary learning environment essential for outbreak research.
The course commenced with a self-paced online learning phase consisting of ten modules covering key concepts in clinical research during outbreaks. To reinforce learning and encourage discussion, each module was complemented by weekly facilitated learning sessions led by experienced mentors and facilitators.
Following the online component, participants attended an intensive face-to-face workshop held from 27–30 April 2026 at Valero Suites Hotel in Makati City, Philippines. Through a series of interactive exercises, simulations, and group activities, the teams worked collaboratively to develop a research plan in response to a fictitious outbreak scenario. The workshop provided participants with practical experience in study design, protocol development, research ethics, data management, and outbreak response research planning
The culmination of the course was the development and presentation of team research plans before a panel of experts in June 2026. Through this process, participants demonstrated their ability to apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program to design robust and feasible outbreak research studies.
The 2025–2026 CREDO cohort represents another important milestone in strengthening research capacity and fostering regional collaboration across Southeast Asia. By bringing together multidisciplinary teams and providing hands-on training in outbreak research, the program continues to contribute to the development of a skilled workforce capable of generating timely, high-quality evidence to inform public health responses during future disease outbreaks.
