Most universities in Africa are limited by the lack of resources and expertise for conducting, promoting and building capacity in research to address the above health challenges. The very few available qualified academic professionals have teaching and clinical obligations with little or no protected time for research. In addition, promising researchers who travel overseas for further training rarely return home due to the lack of well-established academic career paths, and the limited number of available local mentors, especially in the emerging field of HIV-comorbidities.The overall objective of our proposed training program is to build a critical mass of the next generation of top South African HIV co-morbidities researchers who can independently conduct, and promote the use of, locally relevant research, become independent and successful investigators.
The Specific Aims are to equip junior faculty and post-doctoral students: 1) to gain knowledge in research methodology, research ethics and responsible conduct of research: 2) to conduct locally driven research that addresses locally relevant research questions in HIV-associated Cardio-Vascular Disease, Neuropsychiatry, and Chronic Kidney Disease; 3) to gain skills in scientific presentations and writing, grantsmanship, mentoring and research management; 4) to develop close engagement with the public, policymakers and stakeholders in order to translate research findings into clinical practice and public health policies. We will achieve these aims through a well-coordinated and comprehensive training program at Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa, to enhance research capacity in HIV comorbidities, including co-mentoring and short-term training in partnering institutions (University of Cape Town, Johns Hopkins University, Pittsburgh University and Harvard School of Public Health. The strategies utilized to build and enhance research capacity will include: didactic coursework, mentored high-quality research, experiential learning, pilot research grants, workshops/conferences, seminars, HIV comorbidities journal clubs, and website resources. Both face-to-face and distance learning techniques will be used. An Executive Committee (EC), after consultation with a Training Advisory Committee (TAC), will approve the recruitment, research, monitoring and evaluation of at least 6 high quality trainees, who will each be provided a developmental pilot research grant and 25% to 50% of protected research time for 5 years. Each trainee will have an individualized career development plan that will be monitored and tracked throughout their tenure and after completion of the program. Trainees will develop this plan in conjunction with their mentor(s).
Career tracks for health researchers are lacking at African universities. Pitt- SU AICoTRP aims to build career opportunities for promising junior South African faculties to prevent the 'brain drain' and increase the number and quality of the next generation of independent investigators focused on 3 HIV comorbidities in South Africa; taking advantage of the combined outstanding intellectual resources and research infrastructures at Stellenbosch University and collaborating institutions. Given the current lack of expertise in the chosen scientific area, we anticipate that this program will have a high impact and contribute further to decreasing morbidity, mortality and societal costs associated with these major public health threats in South Africa and the African continent.
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| Nachega, Jean B; Uthman, Olalekan A; Mofenson, Lynne M et al. (2017) Safety of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate-Based Antiretroviral Therapy Regimens in Pregnancy for HIV-Infected Women and Their Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 76:1-12 |
