Trials & Triumph: Clinical Research Chronicles

PRISMA Retreat 2026: Strengthening Collaboration and Direction

From 9th – 13th February 2026, CCTRIS hosted a three-day PRISMA Project Retreat at the Radisson Blu Hotel, bringing together project teams and international collaborators for focused planning and alignment.

We were pleased to welcome Prof. Emily Smith and Christopher Mores, who joined in person to support discussions, strategy refinement, and collaborative learning sessions.

The retreat provided an important opportunity to:

• Review project progress and milestones
• Strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration
• Align implementation strategies
• Define priorities for the next phase of the PRISMA project for Nigeria

Capacity Building in Action: LVASA-SRS Phase 2 Training

CCTRIS successfully commenced Phase 2 of the LVASA-SRS project from 25th – 27th February 2026, delivering a three-day intensive training programme for Community Health Practitioners (CHPs).

The training focused on strengthening frontline capacity through practical learning, knowledge exchange, and implementation-focused skill development; ensuring research evidence translates into real-world health impact within communities as we move to the sustainability stage where CHPs identify maternal deaths and still births at the LGA level within Lagos but most importantly find out the reason behind those deaths using the verbal and social autopsy tools adapted from WHO.

This phase marks another important step toward sustainable, community-centered healthcare delivery.

Research Impact: New Publications and Scientific Dissemination

February also saw significant academic milestones, with multiple research outputs from completed projects reaching global audiences.

Newly published works included papers from:

AZIN-V Trial

• https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-110719

IVON Trial

• https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/1672
• https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0324578&type=printable
• https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0337162

IVON Implementation Science Study (IVON-IS)

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214109X25004553

Global Representation: CCTRIS at the US–Africa Frontiers Symposium

CCTRIS Director, Prof. Bosede B. Afolabi, represented the Centre at the US–Africa Frontiers Symposium in Dakar, presenting CCTRIS' work and strengthening international research partnerships.

The symposium provided a platform for cross-continental collaboration, innovation exchange, and discussions on advancing science and health research across Africa and the United States.

Leadership Recognition: Celebrating Excellence

We are proud to share that Prof. Bosede B. Afolabi was recently spotlighted by ARISE News as one of the 100 Influential Women, recognizing her leadership, research excellence, and contributions to advancing maternal and child health and clinical research in Nigeria.

This recognition reflects not only individual achievement but the collective impact of the CCTRIS community.

We Are Hiring: Research Nurse (PRISMA Project)

Upcoming Event: Register for the CCTRIS Webinar

Upcoming Webinar

Join CCTRIS for an upcoming webinar exploring how implementation science can be strengthened through meaningful community co-design.

🧩 Transforming Implementation Science Practice by Co-designing With and For Communities

🎤 Speaker: Chisom Obi-Jeff (CEO, Brooks Insights)

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Date: March 26, 2026

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Time: 12:00 – 2:00 PM (WAT)

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Platform: Zoom Webinar

Implementation science works best when communities are not just participants, but partners. This webinar explores how co-design approaches can strengthen research relevance, adoption, and long-term impact.

🔗 REGISTER HERE

🔔 Registration is now open — secure your spot and join the conversation shaping the future of implementation science.

Thank you for being part of the CCTRIS community. Stay connected for more updates as we continue to advance clinical research and implementation science in 2026.