Connecting expertise.
Building capacity.
Advancing clinical research.

A network founded by EDCTP Senior Fellows, dedicated to strengthening clinical research across Africa and beyond.

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About Us

An idea sparked by connection. A vision united by purpose. A network built to strengthen clinical research.

The Clinical Research and Training Network (CRTN) emerged from a defining encounter at the 8th EDCTP Forum in Portugal, where five Senior Fellows of the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), brought together by shared experiences and a commitment to advancing clinical research, envisioned a collaborative platform that could extend the impact of their fellowship beyond individual achievement.

Recognizing the need to bridge gaps in research training, mentorship, collaboration, and institutional capacity, we transformed this shared vision into a collective commitment to nurturing research talent and strengthening clinical research ecosystems.

CRTN represents our conviction that sustainable research excellence is built not in isolation, but through shared knowledge, purposeful partnerships, and investment in people.

The five founding EDCTP Senior Fellows at the 8th EDCTP Forum, Portugal
The founding EDCTP Senior Fellows at the EDCTP Forum, Lisbon, Portugal

Our Mission

To strengthen clinical research capacity through high-quality training, mentorship, knowledge exchange, and strategic partnerships that empower researchers and institutions to conduct ethical, rigorous, and impactful research.

Our Goals

  • Develop the next generation of clinical research leaders
  • Expand access to practical training and mentorship
  • Foster multidisciplinary and cross-country collaborations
  • Promote research excellence, integrity, and innovation
  • Support evidence generation that informs health policy and advances health outcomes in underserved settings

Our Vision

A future in which researchers and institutions have the skills, partnerships, and opportunities to generate robust evidence that improves health outcomes and informs policy and practice, particularly in developing countries.

Our Principles

  • Research integrity
  • Equitable partnerships
  • Inclusive participation
  • Responsible data sharing
  • Local research leadership
  • Sustainable capacity development

Research Collaboration

CRTN invites universities, hospitals, research centres, clinical trial units, professional associations, funders, and global health organisations to explore collaboration, joint training, mentorship, and capacity-building opportunities.

Academic Institutions

Joint research programmes, curriculum development, and student exchanges.

Clinical Facilities

Site strengthening, GCP training, and clinical trial capacity building.

Funders & Partners

Co-funded initiatives, grant development support, and strategic alliances.

Global Health Orgs

Policy-relevant research, cross-country collaborations, and knowledge sharing.

Our Founders & Leadership

CRTN was founded by five EDCTP Senior Fellows with multidisciplinary expertise across clinical research, spanning multiple African countries.

Dr. Obinna Ekwunife

PhD, MPharm, BPharm

Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Health Economics · Implementation Science · Economic Evaluation

A health economist and implementation scientist whose research focuses on developing and evaluating cost-effective interventions to reduce health inequities, particularly among low-income and underserved populations. He holds a PhD in Health Economics from the University of Nigeria and has completed fellowships at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Leibniz Institute of Preventive Research and Epidemiology, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. His international research spans chronic disease prevention, health services research, and HIV prevention in Nigeria.

Dr. Atinuke Olaleye

MBBS, FWACS, MPH

Director, Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Biotechnology (CAMRAB), Babcock University, Nigeria

Clinical Trials · Infectious Diseases · Maternal & Child Health

A physician, specialist obstetrician-gynaecologist, and clinical researcher with expertise in vaccine development and clinical trial implementation. She completed the TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowship at GlaxoSmithKline's research centre in Belgium and received an EDCTP Career Development Fellowship to investigate parasite resistance in malaria chemoprevention during pregnancy. She is committed to clinical research capacity strengthening and mentorship for early-career researchers.

Dr. Babatunde Ayodeji Adeagbo

PhD, MSc, BSc

Senior Lecturer, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Clinical Pharmacology · Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacogenomics · Pharmacometrics

A WHO/TDR Fellow and EDCTP Career Development Fellow whose research focuses on pharmacokinetic modelling and simulation to optimize medication dosing and reduce adverse drug reactions. He addresses vulnerable populations including neonates, children, and pregnant women, and has contributed to vaccine development for HIV and tuberculosis. With more than 25 peer-reviewed publications, he brings strong scientific expertise to CRTN's capacity-building mission.

Dr. Chukwuanugo Ogbuagu

BSc, MBBS, MSc, PhD, MWACP

Physician-Scientist · Global Medical Monitor, Pfizer R&D · Founder, African Neuroscience Exchange (ANEX)

Cognitive Aging · Dementia Prevention · Clinical Trials · Global Brain Health

A physician-scientist and public health epidemiologist whose work spans academic medicine, global health, neuroscience, and biopharmaceutical research. An EDCTP Fellow, Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Global Brain Health, and Alzheimer's Association ISTAART Ascent Fellow. He has championed culturally adapted digital cognitive assessment in Nigeria and contributed to more than 50 scientific publications. He founded the African Neuroscience Exchange (ANEX) to promote neuroscience collaboration and research capacity building.

Join the Network

Whether you are a researcher, trainee, institution, or potential partner — we welcome you. Express your interest, subscribe to updates, or propose a collaborative activity.

Contact Us

  • infocratn@gmail.com
  • +234 (0)803 552 1954
  • Medical Microbiology & Parasitology Department,
    Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences,
    Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus,
    Anambra State, Nigeria

"Connecting expertise. Building capacity. Advancing clinical research."