icddr,b Knowledge Repository icddr,b

Overview

The icddr,b Knowledge Repository is the public-facing web portal through which icddr,b (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh) disseminates its institutional knowledge and research outputs to global audiences. Accessible via the icddr,b website, the Knowledge Repository complements the institution's DSpace-based Institutional Knowledge Repository by providing a curated entry point to icddr,b's publications, data, and resources.

History and Institutional Background

icddr,b was established in 1960 as the SEATO Cholera Research Laboratory and was formally constituted in its current form by an ordinance of the Government of Bangladesh in 1979. Headquartered in Dhaka's Mohakhali district, the institute has grown into one of the world's premier international health research organizations, conducting research across diarrhoeal disease, nutrition, maternal and child health, infectious diseases, and health systems. The Knowledge Repository represents the institutional commitment to open access and knowledge sharing that has been central to icddr,b's global health mission.

Collections and Holdings

The Knowledge Repository provides access to icddr,b's broad range of publication types, including peer-reviewed scientific articles, annual reports, health science bulletins, policy briefs, and training materials. The collections span icddr,b's principal research areas: diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory illnesses, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, maternal and neonatal health, vaccine sciences, and environmental health. Longitudinal research from the Matlab demographic surveillance site—one of the longest-running health surveillance datasets in the developing world covering over 200,000 people across four decades—is a particularly significant component of the repository's holdings.

Access and Usage

The Knowledge Repository is accessible online at www.icddrb.org/knowledge-repository. The portal is available in multiple languages and is designed for use by researchers, policymakers, health practitioners, and students. Full-text access to some scientific publications may require registration. The portal is periodically updated to improve functionality.

Significance for Health Research

As an organization responsible for approximately 18 percent of Bangladesh's indexed scientific output, icddr,b's Knowledge Repository is a critical resource for global public health research. The institute has contributed to landmark discoveries including the development and dissemination of oral rehydration therapy, estimated to have saved over 50 million lives worldwide. The Knowledge Repository ensures these and subsequent research outputs remain accessible to researchers in low- and middle-income countries.