Abstract

The College of Medicine University of Lagos (CMUL), the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria LLC (APIN), the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Northwestern University (NU), will continue building the research capacity of the Medical Education Partnership initiative Nigeria (MEPIN) with the Building Research And Innovation in Nigeria’s Science (BRAINS) proposal. BRAINS will develop sustainable curriculum for junior faculty at CMUL, build a sustainable e-learning curriculum and support a robust mentored research program. The BRAINS research themes build on the progress and track record of this decade long research and training collaboration with over 74 publications in the past 5 years.

The research themes include: 1) HIV Outcomes Research which will build on the infrastructure, training and electronic database available for thousands of patients on ART. The research will have significant impact on program implementation and inform Nigeria’s national policy on HIV prevention, treatment and care; 2) Community Medicine is an important public health oriented approach to strengthening healthcare in Nigeria. Significant progress in the development of rotations that incorporate research was initiated through the MEPIN grant, this will be further refined and supported with the BRAINS program; 3) Genomics of Infectious Disease will build upon the infrastructure for genetic sequencing supported by CMUL and Chevron. MEPIN has also supported training in molecular biology and a course on HIV genomics, which will train junior faculty in 2015. The CMUL experience with the recent Ebola outbreak and accentuated the need for sustaining a significant effort in this arena; 4) Innovation in Biomedical Engineering will promote innovations in technologies for relevant Nigerian health problems. The BRAINS program will build upon their research strengths and MEPIN progress as well as leverage support from multiple academic, research, US and Nigerian governments and private partners. This proposal will further develop the Masters of Science in Clinical Investigation program initiated with MEPIN support with the addition of adapted coursework on integrated epidemiology and biostatistics and programs on clinical effectiveness currently provided at HSPH. The curriculum will include courses that were initiated by our US partners and have now been “stepped down” to CMUL including: responsible conduct of research, human ethics training, research methodology, data analysis, manuscript writing, case-based method of teaching, and public health research in infectious diseases. This will be further developed into a sustainable e-learning format again building on infrastructure provided by MEPIN. We will formalize the mentored research program for junior faculty for five junior faculty members every 2 years. Program evaluation will include metrics such as the timely completion of research, publication of research in peer-reviewed literature and submission of proposals for external funding for continued research. Building this capacity of junior faculty in research and innovation will be critical to the country’s advancement of science and improvement in human heath.

Quick Facts

Country:
Nigeria

Partner Institution:
College of Medicine University of Lagos (CMUL), Nigeria

Sponsors:
Office of the Director, National Institutes Of Health (OD)
National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke (NINDS)
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
National Institute On Minority Health And Health Disparities (NIMHD)

NU Principal Investigator:
Robert L. Murphy, MD

Partner Principal Investigator:
Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola, MBChB, PhD

NU Co-Investigators:
Matthew Glucksberg, PhD, MS
Chad Achenbach, MD, MPH
Geoff Eisen, PhD

Abstract

Broad interdisciplinary training programs which address critical needs in low and middle income countries (LMIC) can significantly increase the translation of research findings into realized health benefits. Northwestern University proposes to establish comprehensive training programs in biomedical engineering that includes identification of critical health care needs, product design, delivery, clinical evaluation, scalability and product launch. The theme of our program involves the development of effective, affordable, and easy to use innovative biomedical devices that can advance diagnostics, therapeutic interventions and disease monitoring. Our proposal builds on Northwestern’s successful original Framework Programs for Global Health (Frameworks-1) which supported the development of a multidisciplinary global health curricula and creation of the Center for Global Health in the Feinberg School of Medicine, the Center for Innovation in Global Health Technologies in the McCormick School of Engineering and the Global Health Initiative at the Kellogg School of Management. Frameworks-1 specifically led to the close collaboration of clinical and basic research involving medical, engineering and business schools as well as the establishment of the Northwestern Global Health Foundation, an independent not-for-profit which supports post-university commercial development of new healthcare products. Our LMIC partners include the University of Cape Town in South Africa, the University of Ibadan and Lagos University in Nigeria. These LMIC institutions have many existing relationships with Northwestern including active faculty and student exchange programs, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI), and the AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP), among others.   The overall goal of this proposal is to provide the tools to develop critically needed healthcare technologies in LMICs with a special emphasis on HIV-related diagnostic technologies.

The specific aims of the proposal are: 1) establish new and enhance existing training programs in biomedical engineering in Africa; 2) train biomedical engineers and medical doctors how to evaluate newly developed HIV-related and other testing and treatment products; and 3) train post graduates from business schools to scale up development and launch new products in LMICs. The healthcare technologies to be developed and employed will include any innovation that improves health outcomes and is cost-effective including novel point-of-care medical diagnostic devices, therapeutic interventions, information systems, and telemedicine diagnostics facilitated through mobile phones. The primary emphasis of our proposal is to develop products related to HIV/AIDS. Our bottom-up approach and emphasis on South-South research training and assessment makes this proposal unique and ground-breaking. The overall result of these efforts is to develop trans-institutional, cross disciplinary and innovative training programs in biomedical engineering starting with needs assessment and product design, continuing to validation, intellectual property protection, production and finally to marketing and distribution in the LMICs.

Quick Facts

Countries:
Nigeria
South Africa

Partner Institutions:
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
University of Lagos, Nigeria
University of Cape Town, South Africa

Sponsor:
Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NU Principal Investigator:
Robert L. Murphy, MD

Partner Principal Investigators:
Akinwale Coker, PhD
Akinniyi Osuntoki, PhD
Tania Douglas, PhD, MBA, MS

Abstract

In Mali and many parts of Africa, the incidence of mycobacterial infection is very high and driven in large part by the overlapping HIV epidemic. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and Mycobacterium africanum (MAF), both closely related members of the M.tuberculosis complex (MTBC), as well as non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) cause human mycobacterial infections and disease in West Africa. MTBC has been widely studied; however, little is known about differences in pathogenesis, genetics, epidemiology, diagnosis, and management between MTB, MAF, and NTM among HIV-infected individuals.

The University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Mali (USTTB; University of Bamako) in collaboration with the Point-G and Gabriel Touré Teaching Hospitals in Bamako, are well equipped to build a translational research-training program in HIV-associated mycobacterial infection. The research team at USTTB has received substantial and continuous support from the NIH starting with its intramural malaria research program in the late 1980s. In 2005, this program was expanded to include HIV and tuberculosis research, which included development of a BSL-3 high containment laboratory capable of testing for mycobacterial drug resistance and testing for Ebola virus. NIAID has continuously supported the HIV and tuberculosis programs since its formation. In 2014, NIAID committed an additional 4 years of development support for the University Clinical Research Center (UCRC) in order to enhance clinical research opportunities.  

In our program, we are continuing to develop HIV and mycobacterial research capacity at USTTB with established collaborators at Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University and NIAID by leveraging ongoing research training efforts at these institutions to address each of the following aims: 1) produce and enhance the careers of Malian researchers capable of performing advanced research on the molecular biology, genetics, immunology, clinical investigation and microbiology of HIV-associated mycobacterial infection; 2) enhance and strengthen the graduate training programs at USTTB which focus on HIV infection and its mycobacterial co-morbidities through faculty enrichment and support of clinical and laboratory scientists; and 3) develop new intensive USTTB Diploma programs in retrovirology, HIV co-morbidities and mycobacteriology which will serve as core training programs for existing faculty and staff locally and from other low- and middle-income institutions throughout the region. Through this program, we will achieve the overall goal of training the next generation of investigators focused on HIV-associated mycobacterial infection who will be able to conduct HIV-related research on the evolving epidemic in Mali. We aspire to take USSTB investigators to the next level of research capacity and to make USSTB a center of excellence in the research and care of HIV and associated mycobacterial infections in West Africa.

Quick Facts

Country:
Mali

Partner Institution:
The University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Mali (USTTB; University of Bamako)

Sponsor:
National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center

Principal Investigator:
Robert L. Murphy, MD

Partner Principal Investigator:
Souleymane Diallo, MD

The purpose of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative in Nigeria (MEPIN) is to enhance medical knowledge and skills at the six leading medical schools in Nigeria. Because these sites have received prior support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), MEPIN will leverage the existing infrastructure and human resources that are already available. The improvements in the medical education will emphasize priority health delivery to the community and will develop clinical and translational research competences of medical students, physician trainees, and public health graduate students to address the effectiveness of health service delivery and inform the prioritization of health programs in Nigeria. The MEPIN consortium will work together to develop education and research programs to be implemented at all six universities by the third year of the program, with the ultimate goal to expand these programs to all federally supported medical schools in Nigeria by the end of the project.

The Nigerian Teaching Hospitals that are included in the MEPIN award are as follows:

The specific aims of the project are:

1. Evidence-based revision, updating and re-structuring of the current medical (MBBS, BDS, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy, Human Nutrition and BMLS) education programming. MEPIN will further develop electronic teaching methods for problem solving, community-oriented medical education and research capacity building. The current community medicine training in the MBBS (which is the equivalent of an MD) curriculum will be revised and upgraded.
2. Developing a youth health issues training program for pre-medical and health professional students. This course will include a general update on global infectious diseases of public health importance. Content will focus on updating students on the current status of HIV, Malaria, Tuberculosis, modes of transmission and general prevention methods.
3. Develop mentoring, skill-building, and continuous medical education programs for post-graduate students and junior faculty. Three tracks will be developed that include clinical, basic science and program management. An introductory and advanced course on “Research in Public Health” will be developed for post-graduate (MSc, MPH and PhD level) students in the College of Medicine. The advance course will incorporate statistics, epidemiology and research proposal development and a small competitive development seed award program will support outstanding proposals. In addition, short certificated skills workshops will be organized to equip new medical graduates with skills required for independent practice.
4. Enhance the research capacity of postgraduate students and faculty: community medicine and in-service personnel. A series of short courses will be developed for continuing education, skills-building and operational research training, tailored to each cadre of service delivery including doctors, nurses, counselors, pharmacists and laboratory staff. Distance learning platforms, CD-ROMs, Literature, short-courses and annual symposia will be the methods used to promote continuing education.
5. A MEPIN Research Fellowship Program will be developed across all medical school partners to provide full year stipend and research support to residents/postdoctoral fellows with peer-reviewed proposals. A MEPIN Fellowship Committee will develop specific criteria and will advocate for the successful fellows to transition to permanent positions on faculty.
6. A robust monitoring and evaluation plan will be developed to conduct a curriculum needs assessment which will inform the creation and piloting of new curricula, courses and programs. Additionally, the staff will be trained at each of the MEPIN universities to collect necessary evaluation data and to analyze the data for program outcomes and continual improvement.

Tools

Responsible Conduct of Research Training materials, "The Right Choice."

Stories

Center for Global Health hosts Nigerian partners

Quick Facts

Country:
Nigeria

Partner Institutions:
University of Ibadan College of Medicine (Prime Awardee)
Ahmadu Bello University – College of Medicine
AIDS Prevention Initiative Nigeria (APIN), Ltd.
Harvard School of Public Health
University of Jos - College of Medicine
University of Lagos – College of Medicine
University of Maiduguri - College of Medicine
University of Nigeria - College of Medicine

Sponsors:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Administered by:
HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Health Resources and Service Administration
National Institutes of Health/Fogarty International Center

NU Principal Investigator:
Robert L. Murphy, MD
 
Partner Principal Investigator:
David Olufemi Olaleye, DVM, PhD

NU Co-Investigators:
Chad Achenbach, MD, MPH
Paula Carney, PhD, MS
Kristin Darin, PharmD
Shannon Galvin, MD
David Kelso, PhD
Demetrios Kyriacou, MD
Rebecca Wurtz, MD, MPH
Babafemi Taiwo, MBBS

Abstract

Nigeria has the second highest HIV burden and one of the highest rates of perinatal HIV transmission globally. HIV adversely affects the brain across the age spectrum (NeuroAIDS), causing a variety of derangements including neurocognitive, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. These disorders worsen quality of life and drive poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART), thereby increasing the risk of ART failure, morbidity, mortality, and HIV spread. Because relevant research has been neglected, there is no evidence-base to inform clinical practice locally and progress in the field has been limited. We have isolated the omissions in research infrastructure stunting emergence of a versatile NeuroAIDS research team and limiting NeuroAIDS research productivity despite over 20 years of dementia and related research at the University of Ibadan. We propose to capitalize on collaborations between diverse committed scientists and institutions, to address these omissions and develop sustainable NeuroAIDS research capacity at the University of Ibadan.

Trainees in the proposed Multidisciplinary NeuroAIDS Research Training to Improve HIV Outcomes in Nigeria will acquire skills to address themes such as: i) impact of neurocognitive, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders on adherence, ART success, survival, and HIV spread across the age spectrum; ii) understanding the roles of aging, malnutrition and prevalent infections that may involve the central nervous system such as malaria and tuberculosis; and iii) discovering sustainable diagnostic, prevention and treatment strategies. Acquired skills will be relevant and broadly applicable to the NeuroAIDS field. Using structured mentoring, we will: 1) train and mentor neurologists/psychiatrists to have neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental expertise for NeuroAIDS research; 2) develop clinical research skills and provide didactic training to multidisciplinary investigators manifesting high potential to conduct NeuroAIDS research; 3) conduct short- and medium-term training practicums plus long-term mentoring to develop critical NeuroAIDS research skills in neuropharmacology, neuropsychological data analyses and grant writing; 4) conduct NeuroAIDS research symposia for researchers and intensive skills workshops for research support staff; and 5) establish a multidisciplinary NeuroAIDS research collaborative as an institutionally committed umbrella for sustainable multidisciplinary NeuroAIDS research. We will prepare a cadre of skilled, multidisciplinary researchers and outstanding research support staff, ensuring emergence of broad and integrative NeuroAIDS research expertise at the University of Ibadan. Trained scientists will contribute to discovery of sustainable solutions to NeuroAIDS, which will stimulate local health authorities to allocate more clinical and research resources to NeuroAIDS. A solid platform will emerge to support the next-level of grant applications such as the NIH Brain Disorders in Developing World: Research Across the Lifespan. Aggregated expertise will feed into University of Ibadan’s long-term goal of developing a PhD Program in Neurosciences.

Quick Facts

Country:
Nigeria

Partner Institution: 
University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Sponsor:
Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NU Principal Investigator:
Babafemi Taiwo, MBBS

Partner Principal Investigator:
Adesola Ogunniyi, MBChC

Abstract

AIDS malignancies are a serious problem in sub-Saharan Africa because of the widespread HIV epidemic and a high burden of oncogenic viral co-infections. Antiretroviral treatment programs put into place by PEPFAR, the Global Fund and others, have resulted in a remarkable decrease in HIV-related morbidity and mortality, however, the rate of malignancies and other non-communicable diseases is rising while at the same time, the population is aging. Most medical and research institutions in Africa are ill prepared to deal with these emerging health challenges.

The University of Jos and Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) HIV Care and Treatment Program, established in 2002, currently provides care, treatment and support to over 20,000 HIV-infected adults and children. This university-based center is one of the largest providers of HIV care in Africa. In an effort to improve the management of AIDS-associated malignancies in West Africa and the continent, University of Jos/JUTH in conjunction with Northwestern University, proposes to build a multidisciplinary research-training program, which will build upon collaborations and enhance capacity in Nigeria by developing research teams focused on innovative collaborative endeavors in AIDS-defining malignancies (cervical cancer, Kaposi sarcoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma). Our primary hypothesis is that building capacity in cancer epidemiology, clinical trials, translational, and laboratory research on AIDS-defining malignancies will lead to a significant reduction in incidence and related morbidity and mortality. We will build on existing in-country training capacity provided by the United States President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Northwestern University AIDS International Training and Research Program (Northwestern-AITRP), and Medical Education Partnership Initiative Nigeria (MEPIN) to achieve our objectives in this important health priority area.

The specific aims of this proposal are: 1) advance training of HIV clinician-investigators capable of performing translational research on the pathogenesis, epidemiology, and prevention of AIDS-defining malignancies; 2) initiate training of oncology clinician-investigators capable of performing clinical trial research on novel interventions for the treatment and prevention of AIDS-defining malignancies; 3) develop training of pathology and virology scientists to perform research on oncogenic mechanisms and pathogenesis; 4) create a multidisciplinary research team capable of performing advanced in-country research on AIDS-defining malignancies in Jos, Nigeria. We will accomplish our training goals through strong mentorship and a combination of long-term master’s and PhD degree granting programs, medium-term research project-driven training experiences, short-term in-country workshops, and innovative distance learning approaches. At the end of this project, we aspire to make the University of Jos a center of excellence in the research and care of AIDS malignancies in Nigeria and West Africa.

Quick Facts

Country:
Nigeria

Partner Institution:
University of Jos, Nigeria

Sponsors:
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

NU Principal Investigators:
Robert L. Murphy, MD
Lifang Hou, MD, PhD

Partner Principal Investigator:
Atiene Solomon Sagay, MBChB

Abstract

The University of Jos, its Nigerian partner Ahmadu Bello University and their United States partners, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Northwestern University (NU), propose the continuation of research capacity building of the Medical Education Partnership initiative Nigeria (MEPIN) with the Support of Training and Mentoring in Nigeria for Academics (STAMINA) proposal. STAMINA will support and energize research training programs for junior faculty at the University of Jos and Ahmadu Bello University by increasing their capacity to participate in and carry out locally relevant research that contributes to improved human health and to foster the next generation of faculty researchers in Nigeria.

The four STAMINA research themes build on the progress and track record of the Nigerian partners: 1) HIV Outcomes Research has been a natural extension of the work emanating from PEPFAR support and the need for robust program evaluation and implementation science research to improve programs and guide national policy; 2) Reproductive Health is a second research theme that reflects the junior faculty pool and senior faculty expertise; 3) Chronic Disease of Interest will focus primarily on breast and prostate cancers, two cancers with high disease burden in Nigeria; and 4) Bioinformatics and Genomics research which will build upon the infrastructure for genetic sequencing at the University of Jos supported by the PEPFAR program. The STAMINA program will strategically allow for the support of mentored research for this important skill set applicable to many areas of research. This proposal will further develop the Masters of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI) program initiated with MEPIN support with the addition of adapted coursework on integrated epidemiology and biostatistics and clinical effectiveness. The curriculum will be required for all junior faculty members and include courses that were initiated by our US partners and have now been “stepped down” to the University of Jos including: responsible conduct of research, human ethics training, research methodology, data analysis, manuscript writing, mentorship, case-based method of teaching, and public health research in infectious diseases. The STAMINA program will leverage the infrastructure developed with PEPFAR, MEPIN and Fogarty programs from NU and HSPH as well as the seed research award program initiated through the MEPIN program which have provided much of the necessary foundation for junior faculty as they initiate their research careers. We propose to formalize the mentored research program for junior faculty with STAMINAmentored research for five junior faculty members every 2 years; upon selection of STAMINA trainees, mentors will be assigned. Milestones for progress will include the timely completion of research, publication of research in peer-reviewed literature and submission of proposals for external funding for continued research. This new generation of research faculty will provide solutions to global health needs through high quality, competitive research designed, carried out and implemented in Nigeria.

Quick Facts

Country:
Nigeria

Partner Institutions:
University of Jos, Nigeria
Ahmadu Bello University
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Sponsors:
Office of the Director, National Institutes Of Health (OD)
National Institute Of Nursing Research (NINR)
National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke (NINDS)
Fogarty International Center (FIC)

NU Prinicipal Investigator:
Robert L. Murphy, MD

Partner Principal Investigator:
Atiene Solomon Sagay, MBChB

NU Co-Investigators:  
Melissa Simon, MD
William Gradishar, MD
Adam Murphy, MD
Claudia Hawkins, MD, MPH
Chad Achenbach, MD, MPH
Geoff Eisen, PhD

Abstract

The University of Ibadan and its United States partner institutions, Harvard School of Public Health and Northwestern University, propose the continuation of research capacity building of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative Nigeria (MEPIN) with the “University of Ibadan MEPI Junior Faculty Research Training Program (UI-MEPI-J)”. This program is designed to increase the capacity to participate in and carry out locally relevant research that contributes to improved human health and to foster the next generation of faculty researchers in Nigeria. Junior faculty members will gain enhanced capabilities in research methodology, research management, bioethics training, mentorship, scientific publication productivity and grant writing. The goal essentially is to enhance individual research capacity through structured training and mentored research programs for junior faculty from three scientific areas that address priority health needs of Nigeria while at the same time build upon the existing research strengths of the University of Ibadan.

These three areas include: 1) laboratory and clinical investigation of HIV and its long-term complications; 2) genomics of infectious diseases; and 3) neurologic diseases with an emphasis on stroke and seizure disorders. The objectives will be accomplished by institutional level research training for junior faculty through courses and workshops, mentored research training experiences with dual Nigeria and United States mentors, short term focused research training experiences in the United States partner institutions, participation in international scientific meetings and conferences. At least 10 junior faculty will receive intensive training under this program over the duration of the funding period. Additionally, the overall research culture will be expanded and strengthened by development of training programs that will prepare faculty and postgraduate students in the roles and responsibilities of being a researcher and leading critical research projects and proposals throughout the grant process. The outcome will be improved knowledge and skills performance of the next generation of research faculty in high quality biomedical, clinical, behavioral, epidemiologic and prevention research as well as appropriate career development for junior faculty to become the next generation of leaders in health research in Nigeria. This new generation of research faculty will be globally competitive and will be trained to provide solutions to global health needs through high quality research designed, carried out and implemented in Nigeria.

Quick Facts

Country:
Nigeria

Partner Institution:
University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Sponsors:
Office of the Director, National Institutes Of Health (OD)
National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke (NINDS)
Fogarty International Center (FIC)

NU Prinicipal Investigator:
Robert L. Murphy, MD

Partner Principal Investigators:
Isaac Adewole, MBBS, Minister of Health for Nigeria
David Olufemi Olaleye, DVM, PhD

NU Co-Investigators:
Demetrios Kyriacou, MD
Claudia Hawkins, MD, MPH
Babafemi Taiwo, MBBS