About CBHRI

What is CBHRI?

Curaçao Biomedical & Health Research Foundation (CBHRI) is a non-profit institute dedicated to understanding, treating, and preventing human ailments through biomedical research. CBHRI seeks to serve science and medicine, and to participate fully in the global fight against communicable and non-communicable diseases through its commitment to the true integration of biology, medicine, and informatics.

The primary focus of CBHRI is on diseases prevalent in Curaçao, the Caribbean region and Latin America. Diseases that pose a risk to the region are also targeted, the so-called emerging and re-emerging diseases.

CBHRI focuses on five main areas of research, represented by the respective departments:

  1. Immunology
  2. Epidemiology
  3. Social sciences
  4. Virology
  5. Oncology

The department Capital management is responsible for grant acquisition and project management.

What is the vision?

The vision of CBHRI is to become an institute of academic excellence where basic research and clinical application can come together to better serve human life. CBHRI will establish an infrastructure where rigorous research is performed that will receive international recognition and will attract generous funds from competitive research grants.

What is the mission?

CBHRI aims to perform applied interdisciplinary research on infectious diseases and cancer in order to improve human health in the Caribbean and Latin America. To accomplish this mission, the Department assumes six major responsibilities:
– To provide high quality, multidisciplinary research capacity and infrastructure dedicated to human health research in Curaçao and the region.
– To address unexplained or ill-understood health risks and diseases with relevance to Caribbean and Latin American public health.
– To develop adequate and timely prevention and response measures to emerging health threats.
– To educate biomedical and public health professionals in the field of infectious diseases and cancer.
– To promote and conduct research to broaden epidemiological and biomedical knowledge.
– To serve the biomedical and health care communities by participating in relevant professional societies, editorial boards, and continuing education programs.

These responsibilities involve the active collaboration of the institute with other laboratories, hospitals, universities and research organizations. CBHRI will perform its mission by collaborating with international partners, participating in grants, exchanging students, and making preparedness plans (e.g., for emerging infections).

The key is cross-funtional teamwork

In our model of translational research, the patient is central and the research focuses on a landscape of multiple diseases. Therefore, we have to be a highly collaborative organization.

Translating Biology into Medicine

Each department operates from a Translation Medicine Philosophy. Every project is made up of cross-functional teams, including scientists, Ph.D. students, technicians, and clinicians with a strong background in both biology research and clinical practice. The team forms the crucial bridge between biomedical research and the clinic. It is the “One Health” approach that has become a part of our research culture

Scientific Misconduct

As an organization dedicated to biomedical research in the public interest, CBHRI expects that its scientists will conduct research in accordance with the highest scientific and ethical standards. The scientists of CBHRI pledged themselves to integrity, responsibility, and accountability.

Structure of the CBHRI

The CBHRI funds leading-edge scientific research, driving faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the public and creating the best possible conditions for inward investment by the life-sciences sector. It works in partnership with many sectors including other Government funders, academia, charities, and industry.

The CBHRI manages its health research activities through four main work strands:

• Infrastructure: providing the facilities and people for a thriving research environment

• Faculty: supporting the individuals carrying out and participating in research

• Research: commissioning and funding research

• Systems: creating unified, streamlined and simple systems for managing research and its outputs.

Our Approach

A close connection between research and the clinic

• CBHRI takes a unique approach to research. At the earliest stages, research priorities are determined by patient need and disease understanding.

• At CBHRI, physician-scientists work together to determine research priorities for Curacao. Research focusing on diseases of the Caribbean and Latin American importance are determined in close collaboration with collaborating partners.

• We believe we can contribute significantly to health by keeping our sights on both the science and the patient.

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