About us

The IDRN has put together a report summarising our activity and output to date, which has initially been sent to our funder, the Department of Health. Click below for the report, published January 2009

Infectious Disease Research Network- A summary of activity and outcomes

Infections are an important and growing concern for many clinical specialties across the NHS. High quality infectious disease research often requires effective multidisciplinary collaborations involving clinicians in several centres, laboratory scientists, epidemiologists, economists, mathematical modellers and others. The Infectious Disease Research Network (IDRN) aims to promote such collaborations, provide multidisciplinary training opportunities, and act as a forum for encouraging high quality infectious disease research. Our focus is on UK-based research, although we welcome international members and collaborators.

The London IDRN was established in 2002, and refunded in 2006 to engage with researchers nationally. The Department of Health have now extended our funding until 2012.

Amongst our activities have been the organisation of research strategy workshops and training events, the designing and hosting study webpages and surveys, the comprehensive funding and training bulletins,and the online researchers database. The IDRN has had an input into infectious disease research strategy, and has provided academic and administrative support for grants and fellowships. We've also provide support for small groups of researchers to meet (e.g. co-ordinating diaries, booking and paying for the meeting room, taking minutes etc).

We have been involved in targetting many different topics area, including both broad and specific subjects. Examples include: -

• Acinetobacter
• Antibiotic prescribing
• Antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infection
• Antivirals
• Bacteriology
• Behavioural sciences
• Bioterrorism
• Decontamination
• Diagnostics
• Extended-spectrum ß-lactamases
• Food safety
• Gastrointestinal infection
  GIS and mapping
• Health Protection
• Health Survey for England
• Hepatitis
• HIV
• Immunology
• Infection control
• Influenza
• Lymphocyte kinetics
• Measles, Mumps & Rubella
• Molecular Microbiology
• Mycoses
• Outbreaks
• Prison health
• Probiotics
• Research governance
• Research methodology
• Scabies
• Sequencing
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Staphylococcal infection
• Tuberculosis
• Zoonoses