The medical challenges facing Africa are among the most extreme in the world. The diseases faced by Africa are of direct concern to the global community, since most of Africa's health burden is infectious in nature. South Africa is facing one of the worst tuberculosis epidemics in the world, with disease rates more than double those observed in other developing countries, and up to 60 times higher than those currently seen in the USA or Western Europe. Focused and sustainable clinical research is critical if the situation is to improve, and South Africa must possess the capacity to conduct large community trials in infectious diseases. Unfortunately, this is not presently the state of affairs in this country. Programs supported from different U.S. and international sponsors have assisted by providing courses in research ethics, encouraging the pursuit of graduate certificates or advanced degrees in the basic sciences and/or public health, providing mentors to assist young scientists upon return to their home countries, developing networks for communication and support, and offering specialized training in the performance of techniques necessary to perform diagnostic and molecular biology procedures. However, these are mostly geared to senior researchers and often require investigators to attend training in other countries. In addition, few formal training options are available for other members of the clinical research team, and these individuals usually have little opportunity and resources to pursue professional development, either in-country or at international offerings. The goal of the South Africa Infectious Disease Clinical Research Training Program (SAIDCRTP) is to build sustainable research capacity firstly within the total clinical research teams at the University of Cape Town (UCT), and other institutions affiliated with UCT, in the execution of large community-based clinical research related to infectious diseases, and in particular tuberculosis, in South Africa. ? ?
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