Research Management in Outbreaks Preparedness and Response
Ref. 210001
This MOOC explores the roles of Research Managers in outbreak preparedness and response, with a focus on key legal, ethical, logistical, communication, technology transfer, and equity considerations.
- Duration: 8 weeks
- Effort: 25 hours
- Pace: Self paced
- Languages: English and french
What you will learn
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the role of Research Managers in outbreak preparedness and response, including how they support rapid, coordinated, and responsible research under emergency conditions.
- Identify the key stakeholders involved in research during an outbreak and understand how to communicate effectively with them.
- Understand the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern research in epidemic situations.
- Recognize the ethical and equity-related considerations essential to conducting research.
- Become familiar with essential preparatory tools, including logistical elements, legal documentation, and operational procedures, to support effective and coordinated responses with other stakeholders.
Description
Research Management plays a pivotal role in the research and development ecosystem, yet it remains frequently misunderstood or undervalued. During outbreaks, research must be rapidly mobilized to develop medical countermeasures, as well as to generate essential knowledge on pathogen circulation, evolution, and population-level threat analysis. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how unprepared many organizations were to respond effectively to such a global health crisis.
This MOOC offers a unique opportunity to explore the critical functions of Research Managers in outbreak preparedness and response. It will provide practical insights into the regulatory, legal, logistical, and organizational tools that support efficient research workflows and accelerate the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Furthermore, the course will clarify the roles and responsibilities of various actors involved in research and research management during outbreaks, with a focus on effective communication and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that responses are not only efficient but also equitable.
Format
This MOOC is structured into 8 chapters with 3 to 4 sessions of about 10 minutes each.
Each session is followed by two multiple-choice quizzes (MCQs) to help learners test their understanding of the content. At the end of each chapter, a set of additional MCQs is provided.
The videos are in English, with subtitles available in French and English.
Prerequisites
This course is designed for all professionals involved in research management. It will be particularly relevant for those working closely with researchers or involved in legal, ethical, logistical, or programmatic aspects of research operations. Researchers themselves are also encouraged to take part, as the course offers valuable insights into the broader ecosystem they operate within, especially during times of crisis.
The concepts covered are intentionally non-technical, ensuring that anyone working in the research and development environment can fully engage with and understand the content.
Required Equipment
A computer, tablet, or smartphone with an up-to-date web browser is required to access the MOOC platform. A stable internet connection is recommended to stream the video sessions and complete the quizzes. Audio output (speakers or headphones) is necessary to follow the video lectures.
Assessment and certification
Learners can test their understanding through multiple-choice quizzes (MCQs) provided after each session, as well as additional quizzes at the end of each chapter.
The course is free of charge and open to all participants. No paid certificate is required to complete the MOOC.
Participants who complete the course and achieve a score of at least 65% will be awarded a digital badge of achievement. This badge attests to their engagement and the successful validation of the knowledge acquired throughout the course.
Accessibility
The course is designed to be accessible to a wide audience.
All videos are in English with English and French subtitles available.
Learners can pause, replay, or adjust the playback speed of the videos at any time.
PDF versions of the course materials are provided for each session, allowing participants to review the content offline or in case of limited internet connectivity.
The course is fully self-paced, so participants can progress according to their own schedule during the course availability period.
DURABLE is co-funded by European Union’s EU4Health programme (grant number 101102733).
The views and opinions expressed via this website are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the EU4Health programme. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Course plan
- 1.1 Marion Koopmans (ERASMUS-MC): Key questions for spillover events, essential studies, and the role of preparedness protocols
- 1.2 Christian Drosten (Charité): Deployment of diagnostic tools in an emerging diseases context
- 1.3 Emmanuel André (KU-Leuven): Balancing disease control with essential research during public health emergencies.
- 1.4 Rebecca Grais (Pasteur Network): Research Management in Outbreak Settings: When Everything Happens at Once
- 2.1 Garry Aslanyan (TDR For research on diseases of poverty): The Evolution of Research Management and Administration: Increasing Professionalization
- 2.2 Kathleen Victoir (Pasteur Network): Research Management During Outbreaks: Key Competences
- 2.3 Kathleen Victoir (Pasteur Network): Research Management During Outbreaks: Applications of Key Competences
- 3.1 Raquel Salviati (Fiocruz): Mapping the Stakeholder Ecosystem
- 3.2 Roberta de Freitas (Fiocruz): Multisectoral collaborations in times of pandemic: Building bridges between science, politics and society
- 3.3 Hichem Ben Hassine (Pasteur Network): Communicating in a Crisis: Transparency, uncertainty and speed of messaging
- 3.4 Sitraka Andrinivo (Pasteur Network, Factivistes): Misinformation and Trust: Managing information disorders, Combating conspiracy theories and building local alliances.
- 4.1 Rebecca Grais (Pasteur Network): The Global Imbalance: Historical origins of inequities in research systems.
- 4.2 Rebecca Grais (Pasteur Network): Equitable Partnerships: Principles of fairness, shared ownership, and mutual benefit.
- 4.3 Rebecca Grais (Pasteur Network): Research Agendas and Global Interests: Whose questions get funded and answered?
- 4.4 Renaud Vatrinet (Pasteur Network): Operationalizing Equity
- 5.1 Anne Laure Morin & Julie Allouche (Institut Pasteur): Compliance with international binding standards
- 5.2 Anne Laure Morin & Julie Allouche (Institut Pasteur): Compliance with national binding standards and our own norms
- 5.3 Anne Laure Morin & Julie Allouche (Institut Pasteur): Contractual procedures
- 5.4 Anne Laure Morin & Julie Allouche (Institut Pasteur): Benefit sharing and protection of intellectual property rights
- 6.1 Martijn de Vlaming (ERASMUS): What is Technology Transfer?: Overview and relevance to public health innovation.
- 6.2 Martijn de Vlaming (ERASMUS): IP Rights vs Global Access: Patents, trade secrets, and public-good licensing strategies
- 6.3 Cheikh Tidiane Diagne (Institut Pasteur de Dakar): Global Inequities in Health Innovation: A Case Study of Diagnostic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa
- 7.1 Fanny Momboisse (Institut Pasteur): Research ethics involving human beings during outbreaks
- 7.2 Marion Bérard (Institut Pasteur): Ethical aspects regarding animal-based research
- 7.3 Fanny Momboisse (Institut Pasteur): Dual-use research of concern
- 8.1 Guillaume Noailly (Bioport): Logistics insights for Research Managers
- 8.2 Guillaume Noailly (Bioport): Transporting Research Material
- 8.3 Guillaume Noailly (Bioport): Using logistics to enhance Research
Course team
Oriana ROSSI
Categories
MOOC Coordinator - Senior International Project Manager at the Institut Pasteur
Organizations
Social Networks
License
License for the course content
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
- NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
License for the content created by course participants
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
- NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.