The establishment of Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD) -Universitas Airlangga was commenced in 1991. It was marked by the research collaboration between several universities in Japan and Universitas Airlangga in the field of tropical disease. Based on the Decree of the Rector of Universitas Airlangga No. 4580/PT03.H/N/1991, ITD was the organization named Tropical Disease Research Center (TDRC). The first chairman of TDRC was Prof. IGN Gede Ranuh, dr., SpA. At that time, the activities in TDRC were undertaken at Faculty of Medicine – Universitas Airlangga within the main research focused on the field of hepatitis, malaria, chronic diarrhea and perinatalogy.

Since 1995, the TDRC status was enhanced to the university level and occupied a new building at Campus C – Universitas Airlangga, which was built by the funds from BAPPENAS (Indonesian Goverment). In 1995, the leadership was handed over to Prof. Dr. Yoes Prijatna Dachlan, dr, MSc. At that moment, TDRC did not only carry out research focused on the field of hepatitis, malaria, chronic diarrhea and perinatalogy, but also augmented its research activities in the field of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.

On February 16th, 1998, TDRC transformed into Tropical Disease Center (TDC) and its alteration was denoted by the recognition of Grant Aid from JICA in the form of buildings construction such as administration room, laboratories, and laboratories equipment. Along with the change of its name, the activity of TDC was not emphasized only on research, but also the activities in the field of training for health personnel, seminars and counseling or enlightenment.

In accordance with the status transformation of Universitas Airlangga as a State Owned Legal Entity (BHMN), Tropical Disease Center (TDC) was set to be the Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD) to expand the performance in tropical disease research, on January 14th, 2008.1t was anchored in the decree of the Rector of Universitas Airlangga No. 922/J03/0T/2008. Starting on January 16th, 2008, Institute ofTropical Disease was chaired by Prof. Dr. Nasronudin, dr., SpPD, K-PTI as Chairman of the Institute, and Prof. Maria Inge Lusida, dr., M.Kes., Ph.D., Sp.MK., as Secretary of the Institute. Currently, ITD is chaired by Prof. Maria Inge Lusida, Kes., Ph.D., Sp.MK., while Dr. Achmad Fuad Hafidz, Apt., MS is Secretary of ITD.

The main activity of Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD) -Universitas Airlangga is research that implements bio-health, and social-science; includes basic and applied research as well as innovative research primarily on the prevention of tropical diseases, molecular biology, and genetics. Bio-product is the ITD featured intent to meet growing needs in the community, government programs and the development in the global era, whereas, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) is a scientific target of the ITD products. Moreover, on the aspect of training and education, ITD provides seminars and symposia which are the designated events based on etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment of various types of tropical diseases based on molecular biology. Meanwhile, as the form of concern for public and laboratory diagnostic reference centers utilizing modern and advanced technology, ITD offered tropical disease diagnostic service center (TDDC).TDDC activity is possible to be carried out at ITD because of the presence of both national and international cooperation.