The International Prevention Research Institute - iPRI is an independent research organisation founded by a group of Scientists. iPRI’s Mission is to work towards the improvement of health in populations worldwide by identifying critical issues in disease determination

Screening (medicine)

Screening, in medicine, is a strategy used in a population to detect a disease in individuals without signs or symptoms of that disease. Unlike what generally happens in medicine, screening tests are performed on persons without any clinical sign of disease....

 and prevention

Preventive medicine

Preventive medicine or preventive care refers to measures taken to prevent diseases, rather than curing them or treating their symptoms...

.

Main Research Areas

iPRI’s research focus is on prevention

Preventive medicine

Preventive medicine or preventive care refers to measures taken to prevent diseases, rather than curing them or treating their symptoms...

 of chronic diseases and conditions. The work is done in collaboration with international partners. Education & Training for people from low and medium income countries are a central pillar. Tools used at the Institute are:

• reviews
  Peer review
  Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
  
   and meta-analyses
  Meta-analysis
  In statistics, a meta-analysis combines the results of several studies that address a set of related research hypotheses. In its simplest form, this is normally by identification of a common measure of effect size, for which a weighted average might be the output of a meta-analyses. Here the...
  
  
• secondary analyses of existing data and samples
• collection of new data and biological samples

The Institute’s portfolio includes provision of evidence-based

Evidence-based medicine

Evidence-based medicine or evidence-based practice aims to apply the best available evidence gained from the scientific method to clinical decision making. It seeks to assess the strength of evidence of the risks and benefits of treatments and diagnostic tests...

 epidemiological and prevention information; Health Risk Assessment; systematic reviews; consensus building and technical support to authorities. iPRI is involved in many international academic research projects, e.g. BBMRI, European Code Against Cancer, UV-France, EuroSun.

Education & Training

In low and middle income countries capacity building

Capacity building

Capacity building also referred to as capacity development is a conceptual approach to development that focuses on understanding the obstacles that inhibit people, governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations from realizing their developmental goals while enhancing...

 is an important tool for development cooperation

Development aid

Development aid or development cooperation is aid given by governments and other agencies to support the economic, environmental, social and political development of developing countries.It is distinguished...

. iPRI is developing and holding training programmes in basic epidemiology

Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...

 and biostatistics

Biostatistics

Biostatistics is the application of statistics to a wide range of topics in biology...

 of chronic diseases.

History

In 2009 the Institute was founded as a joint initiative of several internationally renowned scientists. President is the former Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer

International Agency for Research on Cancer

The International Agency for Research on Cancer is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organisation of the United Nations....

, Peter Boyle

Peter Boyle (epidemiologist)

Prof. Peter Boyle, BSc PhD DSc DSc FRSE FFPH FRCPS FRCP FMedSci, is a British epidemiologist. He has done research on globalization of cancer, where he has shown the dramatic increase of cancer in low- and medium income countries.-Biography:Boyle was born in Glasgow, Scotland and studied...

. Since then the following senior researchers have joined or are affiliated to the Institute: Paolo Boffetta

Paolo Boffetta

Paolo Boffetta is an Italian epidemiologist. He is doing research on cancer, where he contributed to the understanding of the role of alcohol and smoking in cancer development.-Biography:...

, Philippe Autier

Philippe Autier

Philippe Autier is an Belgian epidemiologist. He is doing research on cancer, where he contributed to the understanding of the role of UV exposure in cancer development.-Biography:...

, Maria Paula Curado, Carlo La Vecchia

Carlo La Vecchia

Carlo La Vecchia is an Italian epidemiologist. He is doing research on chronic diseases, where he contributed to the understanding of the risks related to diet, tobacco, oral contraceptive use and occupational or environmental exposure to toxic substances in cancer and other chronic diseases...

, Tongzhang Zheng, Lars Vatten

Lars Vatten

Prof. Lars Johan Vatten, MD PhD MPH, is a Norwegian epidemiologist. He has done research on cancer, perinatal and cardiovascular epidemiology.-Biography:...

.

External links

• International Prevention Research Institute - iPRI official website