Dr Imrul Hasan:

icddr,b is a research institute helping address public health problems, including infectious disease outbreaks and implementing evidence-based solutions at low cost. In Bangladesh it is recognised as a national asset in global health.

I’ve worked at icddr,b for 15 years, and for the past decade I’ve been part of an extraordinary partnership with WEHI. This collaboration is changing the lives of girls and women in Bangladesh.

As an assistant scientist and deputy project coordinator, I work across WEHI and icddr,b to lead studies that tackle critical public health challenges on the ground. One of these is iron deficiency, which is common in Bangladesh and is the leading cause of anaemia.

After conducting iron intervention studies over several years, we are now focusing on heavy menstrual bleeding, another major contributor to anaemia in women of reproductive age. This issue is widespread: 41% of Bangladeshi adolescent girls were recently reported to miss school because of it. It significantly affects quality of life, yet there is currently no standard of care.

For the last three years, I’ve also been completing a PhD under Professor Sant-Rayn Pasricha at WEHI. Prof Pasricha is a world expert in anaemia, iron deficiency and global health.

The partnership began with BRISC (Benefits and Risks of Iron Interventions in Children in Rural Bangladesh), a clinical trial assessing iron syrup and micronutrient supplements on child development.

This was followed by EDIVA (Efficacy and Demonstration of IntraVenous Iron for Anaemia in Pregnancy), which compared intravenous and oral iron treatments for anaemia in pregnant women.

Most recently WEHI and icddr,b received a $4 million grant from the Medical Research Council in the UK to run a clinical trial, testing oral tranexamic acid (TXA), a safe, low-cost medicine that reduces bleeding and improves haemoglobin levels.

The trial aims to show that oral TXA is superior to a placebo in improving haemoglobin concentration and menstrual-related quality of life.

My role is to lead the trial in Bangladesh, which includes ethics approvals, staff recruitment, training, lab setup and community engagement. It’s complex work, but we’ve done it before.

Our team on the ground works closely with Eliza, who brings expertise in trial coordination and keeps everything connected between Dhaka and Melbourne. We are able to learn from each other and deliver outcomes for the community.

Dr Eliza Davidson:

I joined the Pasricha Lab at WEHI prior to launch of the EDIVA trial, which evaluated the efficacy of intravenous iron compared to oral iron to treat anaemia in pregnant women. From the start, I witnessed the power of our partnership with icddr,b.

The icddr,b team are experts in running complex studies in challenging settings, while WEHI brings strengths in trial design, epidemiology and analysis. Together, we achieve what we couldn’t do alone.

Heavy menstrual bleeding has been overlooked in global health research, even though it may affect up to half of all women in low- and middle-income countries. It drives anaemia and disrupts education, especially for young women. TXA offers a culturally appropriate solution because, unlike contraceptives, it reduces bleeding directly without any hormonal effects.

The clinical trial starts in early 2026. Girls aged 15 to 17 with heavy menstrual bleeding will be randomised to TXA or a placebo and followed for 12 months. We’ll measure haemoglobin and quality of life to see if TXA makes a difference.

As a senior research officer, my role is to coordinate between the field team in Bangladesh and our Melbourne researchers, monitoring data and ensuring everything runs smoothly. I work closely with Imrul and our statisticians, managing all the necessary approvals in Australia.

Part of the goal is also for WEHI to strengthen local capacity by delivering training in statistical analysis and research methods.

Our decade-long partnership has taught us so much about resilience and cultural sensitivity. It gives us a shared purpose.

The journey has not been without its challenges – we’ve navigated supply shortages and dengue outbreaks. Yet, together, we’ve always delivered high-quality research.