Our Story

• Founding and Purpose: The Clinical Research Unit was originally established as part of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) at the University of Calgary. HBI, founded in the early 2000's, focused on advancing neurological and mental health research. The CRU was designed to support clinical research by providing infrastructure, expertise, and services to researchers in the field of neuroscience.
• Role in Neuroscience Research: At HBI, the CRU played a pivotal role in facilitating clinical trials, observational studies, and other research initiatives aimed at understanding and treating neurological conditions. It provided essential services such as study design, data management, and regulatory support, helping to bridge the gap between laboratory research and clinical application.

• Expansion and Integration: As the scope of clinical research at the University of Calgary expanded beyond neuroscience, the CRU transitioned from being a part of the HBI to becoming a broader entity within the Cumming School of Medicine. This move reflected the growing need for clinical research support across various medical disciplines.
• Broadened Focus: Under the Cumming School of Medicine, the CRU expanded its services to support a wider range of medical research areas, including cardiology, oncology, and infectious diseases, among others. The unit continued to offer its expertise in clinical trial management, regulatory affairs, biostatistics, and research ethics, contributing to the university's overall research output.

• Organizational collaboration: The Cumming School of Medicine's Clinical Research Unit and Centre for Health Informatics are joining forces to harness the power of data-driven research, fostering a collaborative environment that accelerates the development of innovative healthcare solutions. By combining CRU's clinical research expertise with CHI's health informatics capabilities, this partnership will drive evidence-based decision-making and improve healthcare outcomes.
• Integration of services: By integrating services across software development, analytics, data management, and web solutions, clinical research organizations can optimize their research ecosystem, accelerate discovery, and improve patient outcomes. This integrated framework enables seamless data flow, streamlined workflows, and informed decision-making, driving cutting-edge research and translational medicine.

Today, the CRU is a central resource for clinical researchers at the University of Calgary. It collaborates with various departments and institutes within the Cumming School of Medicine to advance medical research and improve patient care. The unit continues to evolve, adapting to new challenges and opportunities in the rapidly changing field of clinical research.