About CReDO

CReDO is an intensive oncology research protocol development workshop modeled on similar workshops held in the United States (the AACR/ASCO Workshop on Methods in Clinical Cancer Research, Vail), Europe (AACR-EORTC-ESMO Workshop on Methods in Clinical Cancer Research) and Australia (the ACORD Protocol Development Workshop). The format of the workshop is a combination of protocol development group sessions, didactic talks, small-group breakaway sessions, office-hours (one-to-one direct consultation with experts) and “homework”. The faculty will consist of international and national experts with extensive experience in oncology research and training in research methodology workshops. There will be a mix of clinician-researchers, trialists and statisticians. At the end of the workshop, the researcher would have converted a one-page research concept into a full-fledged research protocol, ready for submission to the Ethics Committee. Some of the topics which will be covered during the workshop include study designs, early phase trials, clinical trials, the drug development process, biomarker research, protocol writing, ethics in research, biostatistics and issues specific to cancer research.

Our Objectives

The objective of this workshop is to train researchers in oncology in various aspects of clinical trial design and to help them to develop a research idea into a structured protocol. Participation is open to researchers with training in surgical, medical or radiation oncology or any branch related to oncology. Preference will be given to early and middle-level researchers working in an academic setting who can demonstrate commitment to continuing research in oncology.

Our Vision

Biomedical research is the backbone of any healthcare enterprise and is crucial for progress in the way we treat human disease. Advances in treatment of many deadly diseases afflicting mankind have stemmed from painstaking research as much as from strokes of genius.
Innovations in medical treatment of disease go through a rigorous and systematic method of evaluation to ensure that these are genuine breakthroughs and not merely due to chance. The key to cutting-edge medical research is a combination of an curious and enquiring mind, the ability to transform a unique research idea or hypothesis into an answerable question, the drive to build and motivate a research team, develop an appropriate study design and methodology, conduct the trial, analyze the results and finally publish them regardless of whether the hypothesis was proved or disproved. Clearly, a number of unique, yet diverse skills are required to create an academic clinical researcher.
The International Collaboration for Research Methods Development in Oncology, or CReDO workshop, is designed to take participants through this fascinating journey of clinical research. Over six days, this workshop will shape and transform the germs of several ideas into full-fledged research protocols. Unique to CReDO is the fact that at least five of the protocols developed during the workshop will be “adopted” as National Cancer Grid (NCG) trials and shortlisted for funding and conducted under the auspices of the NCG. Also unique to CReDO is the opportunity for established researchers to further refine protocols developed prior and submitted to the NCG for funding while simultaneously generating multicentric participation from other NCG centres.
“Credo”, which literally translates from Latin to “I believe”, is certain to cement participants’ self-belief as high-quality researchers and transform their academic careers.