Events

Building Global Acute Care Research Capacity | Kigali, Rwanda | October 2025

In October 2025, InFACT, ISARIC, and CIIC-HIN convened the Building Global Acute Care Research Capacity event in Kigali, Rwanda. It built on two earlier international meetings – in Toronto (2023), which focused on lessons from COVID-19, and in Dublin (2024), which explored federating platform trials to strengthen collaboration.

The Kigali meeting brought together 125 researchers from across the world to explore ways to expand acute care research capacity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and to foster partnerships with established trials groups and networks. Over three days of presentations, panel discussions, breakout groups and workshops, participants worked toward the overarching goal of advancing equitable acute care research capacity in LMICs by strengthening local expertise, supporting the growth of regional research networks, and building lasting, collaborative relationships with global research partners.

Global Coordination, Federation and Support of Platform Trials Workshop | Dublin | September 2024

On September 16–17, 2024, InFACT, ISARIC, and ICC-CTN convened a global workshop bringing together leaders of large platform trials in acute care, investigator-led trial groups and networks, public and patient representatives, and funders. The goal: to explore the principles, challenges, and future of platform trials—focusing on their coordination, collaboration, governance, and funding in acute care research.

Our shared vision is a world where patient outcomes are continuously improved through global research collaboration within a learning health system.

Our mission is to build a collaborative, equitable and efficient global research ecosystem based on maximizing innovation amongst federated platform and other clinical trials in acute care and health emergencies.

Lessons of COVID-19 for Global Acute Care Research Collaboration | Toronto | October 2023

The InFACT/ISARIC/Unity Health Toronto Colloquium, held October 4–7, 2023 at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute in Toronto, brought together approximately 120 researchers from 40 countries, along with WHO representatives, to examine lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen global clinical research collaboration for future health emergencies. The event focused on strategic priorities such as embedding equity, fostering well-being in the research community, building patient and community partnerships, integrating advanced analytics, and improving research operations. Discussions covered topics including the successes and challenges of pandemic research, emerging research leadership in the Global South, the role of trial networks, platform trial development, capacity-building, and organizational models for sustainable collaboration. Across plenaries and breakout sessions, attendees worked toward identifying priority themes, shaping proposals for future manuscripts and collaborative activities, and advancing a more equitable and coordinated global research ecosystem.