Who We Are
Here to Do
To improve community health and develop exceptional healthcare leaders by generating impactful, problem-solving research and fostering compassionate, system-oriented community service.
Headed
To be a nationally recognized model of excellence in ethical medical research and education, directly contributing to the advancement of health and well-being of the Ethiopian people.
Strategic Focus Areas
Our research targets the most pressing health challenges facing Addis Ababa and beyond.
Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health
Focused on reducing maternal and child mortality and morbidity rates through targeted research into antenatal care, safe delivery practices, neonatal outcomes, and child nutrition, directly addressing one of the most critical public health priorities in Ethiopia.
Chronic Disease Prevention & Management
Investigating the rising burden of non-communicable diseases including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Our research aims to develop context-specific prevention strategies and improve long-term management protocols.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
Dedicated to reducing the treatment gap for mental health conditions by studying prevalence, risk factors, and effective community-based interventions, with a focus on integrating mental health services into the primary healthcare system.
Health Systems Strengthening
Examining how to improve the quality, efficiency, equity, and resilience of the healthcare system—covering health financing, human resource management, supply chain logistics, and community health worker performance.
Infectious Diseases and Public Health
Addressing both emerging and persistent infectious threats such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and antimicrobial resistance. Our work supports surveillance, prevention, and evidence-based treatment approaches at the community level.
Women's Health and Occupational Safety
Promoting the holistic health and safety of women across all life stages and working environments. This includes research on reproductive health, gender-based violence, occupational hazards in healthcare settings, and gender equity in health outcomes.
Drugs and Pharmaceuticals
Ensuring rational drug use, pharmacovigilance, quality assurance, and improved access to essential health products. Research in this area informs drug policy and supports safe, effective, and evidence-based prescribing practices.
Cross-Cutting Issues
Recognizing that health is shaped by a complex web of interdisciplinary factors, this area encompasses One Health approaches, digital health and mHealth innovations, environmental health, nutrition, disaster and emergency health preparedness, and the health impacts of climate change.
Functions & Major Activities
Core Functions
Research Administration & Policy
Formulating and implementing research policies, managing the full research lifecycle from proposal to dissemination, coordinating the Research, Development, and Extension Review Committee (RDERC), and actively seeking and securing external research funding.
Ethics & Research Integrity
Overseeing the College's Institutional Research Ethics Review Committee (IRERC), ensuring all research upholds the highest standards of scientific integrity, protecting the rights and welfare of research participants, and investigating any concerns of misconduct.
Publication & Intellectual Property
Developing and enforcing guidelines for scholarly publications in the college's own research journal, managing intellectual property rights for inventions and discoveries arising from college-funded research, and supporting staff and students in publishing their findings.
Community Service Coordination
Planning, coordinating, and monitoring all community-based service activities. This includes outreach clinics, health education campaigns, and engagement with community health facilities in the college's designated catchment areas.
External Projects & Consultancy
Identifying, negotiating, and managing externally funded research projects and consultancy contracts. The Directorate serves as the institutional liaison with international funding bodies, government agencies, and industry partners.
Operational Activities
Proposal & Grant Management
Receiving, reviewing, and endorsing research proposals; managing disbursement and accountability of research grants.
Research Dissemination
Organizing annual research symposia, inter-departmental seminars, national conferences, and public lectures to share research findings.
Capacity Building
Conducting regular training workshops on research methodology, biostatistics, scientific writing, and grant proposal development.
Partnership & Linkage
Forging and maintaining strategic partnerships with government health bureaus, international NGOs, research universities, and industry stakeholders.
Monitoring & Reporting
Tracking the progress of all active research projects, conducting periodic reviews, and consolidating annual performance reports for the College leadership.
Outreach & Community Programs
Coordinating health service delivery campaigns, free medical screenings, health education initiatives, and student community service placements.
Quality Assurance & Review
Conducting comprehensive assessments of research quality and community service impact every three years to ensure continuous improvement.
Research Funding & Grants
We operate a competitive internal grant system to catalyze innovative health research at all levels. Click any grant to explore details and eligibility.
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Large-scale, high-impact studies designed to investigate complex, multi-factorial public health problems. Grand projects are multidisciplinary in nature, involving professionals from at least three departments within the college and key external stakeholders. They are expected to produce findings with direct policy implications at the regional or national level.
Who Can ApplyMust address a national, regional, or community-level problem from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Research projects focusing on MIIMHSC areas of excellence are given priority. Principal investigators must hold a PhD or equivalent qualification.
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Designed to support focused, timely, and operationally feasible clinical or community-based research that can generate quick, actionable evidence. These grants are ideal for testing new ideas, conducting pilot studies, or replicating important findings within the local context.
Who Can ApplyRequires a minimum of two research or teaching staff members. The project must be completed within one budget year. Research topics must align with the already identified thematic areas of MIIMHSC.
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A dedicated funding stream to champion gender equity within the institution's research enterprise. This category actively promotes the leadership and scientific contributions of female researchers, addressing the systemic barriers that often limit women's participation in academic research.
Who Can ApplyOpen to female teaching or research staff holding a Master's degree or above. Projects must be initiated and led by two or more female researchers. Priority is given to studies that address women's health or gender-specific health disparities.
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Investing in the next generation of scientific leaders, this grant provides early-career researchers with the resources, mentorship, and experience needed to launch successful research careers. It is a cornerstone of the Directorate's commitment to building long-term research capacity.
Who Can ApplyAvailable to graduate assistants, assistant lecturers, and competitively selected self-sponsored master's students. Also open to PhD students sponsored by the college, whether conducting their dissertation research in Ethiopia or abroad.
Governance & Accountability
The Research Director is directly accountable to the Chief Research, Clinical and Community Service Director (CRCCSD). The Directorate works in close coordination with the Research, Development, and Extension Review Committee (RDERC), School Deans, Department Heads, and the Institutional Research Ethics Review Committee (IRERC) to ensure transparent, accountable, and high-quality research governance across the institution.