We are delighted to announce the launch of the new Cochrane Thematic Group in Infectious Diseases.
The group brings together expertise from institutions including the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the National Institute of Health of Peru (NIH Peru), and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), reflecting a strong and globally distributed collaboration.
Infectious diseases are one of the four priority research areas in Cochrane’s scientific strategy, reflecting urgent global health needs, from longstanding infectious disease burdens to emerging illnesses and antimicrobial resistance. This new Thematic Group will bring together cross-disciplinary expertise to identify priority topics, engage key stakeholders, and support the development and dissemination of high-quality evidence syntheses that respond to global infectious disease challenges.
Commenting on the launch, Cochrane's Acting Editor-in-Chief, Toby Lasserson, said:
"I am thrilled to welcome the new Thematic Group in Infectious Diseases to our community in Cochrane. The team has significant experience as well as excellent topic and methods expertise. Infectious disease continues to be a major burden of disease in many parts of the world; the team has the experience and knowledge to address the questions that many interest holders need answers for."
We look forward to the important contributions this group will make to Cochrane’s mission of producing trusted evidence for better health outcomes worldwide.
Barbara Miheso and Lilian Mayieka from Cochrane Kenya and KEMRI, commented: “Infectious diseases continue to disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries. Through this Thematic Group, Cochrane Kenya and KEMRI are committed to advancing context-relevant, high-quality evidence syntheses and ensuring their meaningful uptake in policy and practice. Strengthening knowledge translation mechanisms will be central to maximizing the impact of Cochrane reviews on global infectious disease control.”
Lesly Chávez from NIH Peru said: “Cochrane Peru – National Institute of Health is pleased to contribute to this thematic group, promoting patient and public involvement in systematic reviews and decision-making processes, in line with the principles of Cochrane. Integrating the perspectives and needs of affected communities strengthens the relevance, equity and applicability of evidence in infectious diseases. In this context, we foster collaboration between researchers and communities to ensure that priorities and recommendations are appropriately contextualized and responsive to global health challenges.”
And finally, Tilly Fox from LSTM: “LSTM feels privileged to be a part of this important group. Ensuring that Cochrane is aligned with global health needs is a priority and requires collective effort. We invite global collaborators to join our priority-setting efforts to ensure Cochrane is preparing for and responding to the most critical areas of infectious disease.”
