| The basic structure of the TBNET network should is composed of primary investigators of studies and sub-investigators as well as a steering committee with 7 members, a secretary and a chair. The role of the chair and secretary is to ensure communication with all the members among the network, to promote the strengthening of the network, to organise the meetings and prepare reports, to ensure connections with professional societies (e.g. ERS, UEMS Section of Infectious Disease) and funding sources, to monitor/follow-up the progress of the on-going projects to coordinate decision processes on proposals for future scientific activities, to promote applications for research funds for the scientific activities of the network, to perform/coordinate "internal" scientific reviews of the research products from ongoing research, to ensure, for the first year, preparation and submission of quality abstracts for international conferences (e.g. ERS conference in Stockholm) and to ensure, for the first year, preparation and submission of quality manuscripts for journal submission. The role of the steering committee is to support the chair and secretary in implementing the TBNET network goals and objectives, to promote research proposals in their field of interest and to coordinate these activities for the network, to identify synergies and potentialities for collaboration among proposed/existing projects, to communicate on the research activities with the other members steering committee and to set standards for clinical studies in their field. In addition to the positions of a chair and a secretary the 6 members in the steering committee are representing the key areas of (i) epidemiology/statistics, (ii) diagnostic tests, (iii) clinical aspects of studies (iv) drug resistance/microbiology, (v) translational research activities, (vi) research in pediatric patients (since 2008), and (vii) research in patients with infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (since 2009). |
