Clinical Research Centre (CRC), CRC Tawau Hospital have been established since May 2017 and have been officiated on 24 October 2018 by Dr. Abd Kahar Bin Abd Asis (Deputy State Health Director) on behalf of Datuk Dr. Christina Rundi (State Health Director). The establishment of Clinical Research Unit is one of the initiatives to promote research activity in the hospital staff and to improve the service through application of Evidence Based Practice. Hospital Tawau strive to provide excellence service to the patients thus to achieve that, investment into research played an important role.

The establishment of clinical research unit aim to enhance clinical research activity by nurturing conducive environment and provide support to the researchers in Ministry of Health especially in Hospital Tawau. Hospital Tawau currently have 1562 staffs and consist of 31 specialists from multiple clinical areas . Considering Hospital Tawau also is the lead hospital for Cluster Hospital Tawau which consisted of Hospital Lahad Datu, Hospital Semporna and Hospital Kunak thus the establishment of Clinical Research Centre is very strategic in terms of geographically location for East Coast Sabah.