About the Clinical Trial and Research Unit
The Clinical Trial and Research Unit (CTRU) facilitates a diverse range of human research projects, categorised into three primary areas:
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Biospecimen and laboratory studies: Collection of blood and other biospecimens from human donors for use in animal models, in vitro (test tube or cell culture) models, or other ex vivo (outside the body) studies.
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Observational and cohort research: Cross-sectional or cohort studies where clinical data and biospecimens are gathered from participants who are going about their normal lives—meaning they have not been assigned to a specific new intervention or treatment.
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Interventional clinical trials: Studies where participants are actively assigned to a specific treatment, intervention, or test to evaluate its effect on health or behavioural outcomes.
What is a clinical trial?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a clinical trial as "Any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes."
