Clinical Research Unit (CRU) RIPAS Hospital

Current CRU members

Dr Vui Heng CHONG

Mr Chee Fui CHONG

Dr Ketan Pande

Dr Muhd Syafiq ABDULLAH

Dr Ahmad Yazid ABDUL WAHAB

Pg Khairul Asmee PG SABTU

Clinical Research Unit (CRU) will provide essential infrastructure to support not-for-profit public-sector research to the established international standards. CRU will help to provide necessary support in terms of designing good clinical studies, writing proposals and structuring clinical studies which are of high scientific value and have the potential to influence clinical practice locally, if not internationally.

Currently, the possible researches that can be done in Brunei Darussalam are: -

a.    Patient-oriented research (this area of research includes mechanisms of human disease and therapeutic interventions);

b.    Epidemiological and behavioral research;

c.    Evidence-based medicine research;

d.    Outcomes research; and

e.    Health services research.

Hopefully, as CRU progresses, it will be able to conduct clinical trial (therapeutic trial) independently or as part of a multicentre international clinical trial.

In the meantime, CRU will function in providing and sharing expertise/ knowledge in areas such as: -

i.          Literature and systematic reviews;

ii.         Study design;

iii.        Project management;

iv.       Data management;

v.        Statistical analysis;

vi.       Reporting;

vii.      Presentation of research papers in local, regional and international meetings; and

viii.     Publication of research papers in local, regional and international peer-reviewed journals.

In addition, the Unit will also undertake a variety of other responsibilities including teaching and training, conducting statistical clinics, helping to develop clinical research guidelines which will be relevant to Brunei Darussalam (as stated earlier), as well as contributing to various research and professional committees.

Our collaborators will comprise mainly clinical researchers from various departments of the Ministry of Health and other government institutions such as Institute of Medicine Univeristi Brunei Darussalam (UBD) as well as Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Rashidah Saadatul Bolkiah Nursing College. UBD has annual Scientific Session which will allow our researchers to present their work if not present internationally. We are also open to working with the private sectors.

Aims of CRU RIPAS Hospital

          The Clinical Research Unit’s main aim is to help in coordinating and supporting clinical research that will improve the effectiveness and quality of health care services in Brunei Darussalam.

          It also aims to foster an easier and a more conducive environment for conducting clinical research in Brunei Darussalam. Therefore, this will help to nurture the research capabilities of our researchers and promote collaborations with other agencies both locally and internationally.

Objectives

1. To promote, support and inculcate a vibrant research culture at all levels;

2. To share the knowledge and learn more about clinical research and medical statistics to and from other researchers;

3. To assist other researchers in designing and conducting their study, analyzing of their data as well as presentation of their findings (verbally or in written form);

4. To supervise and give administrative support for researchers in following the proper research ethics;

5. To establish if studies are feasible or not;

6. To provide training and mentoring by conducting research development programmes for investigators through talks, seminars and workshops;

7. To coordinate clinical activities such as research projects;

8. To build up key clinical research areas;

9. The CRU is now in charge of the Brunei International Medical Journal (BIMJ)

10. To collaborate closely with the Research Ethics Committee and the Institute of Medicine UBD

11. To encourage, facilitate and strengthen productive collaborations with other healthcare institutions, tertiary education institutions, government organizations, private and professional groups to improve health care services in Brunei Darussalam.