Africa faces unprecedented growth in cancer burden and is inadequately prepared to meet this public health crisis. The challenges posed by increased cancer burden in East Africa demand development of research skills and capacity to establish cancer control plans. Research will play a pivotal role in cancer control by addressing the etiology of cancers unique to the region and leading to development of locally appropriate strategies for prevention and early detection. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) is uniquely positioned to play a major role in building capacity for cancer research in Tanzania and the East African region at large. However, research training programs must be sufficiently coordinated with clinical training and specialized to equip trainees with the skills to conceptualize, design and undertake high-quality cancer research. We will build upon existing collaborations between MUHAS and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), founded upon our shared commitment to improving research training in Tanzania. Our overarching goal is to develop a plan to train and mentor a cadre of investigators in Tanzania who are capable of conceptualizing, achieving funding for, implementing, analyzing, and publishing original research focused on cancer. Our hypothesis is that Tanzanian principal investigators can operate effectively if proper attention is given to selection, provision of high-quality foundational didactic training to learn the theory and implementation of research, and development of a conducive, mentoring environment. The immediate objectives of the proposed planning period are to: (1) perform an assessment of training needs and establish a set of competencies that must be achieved; (2) create an inventory of training and mentoring resources in Tanzania; (3) select a training model and develop a curriculum to support scholars in achieving competencies; (4) identify and develop mentorship resources; and (5) develop strategies for scholar retention. These findings will inform our submission of a D43 application to establish a Cancer Research Training Program in Tanzania (CRTP-TZ).
East African countries are among the developing countries with the highest current and projected rates of non- communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer. The challenges posed by the increasing cancer burden in East Africa demand development of research skills and capacity to establish cancer control plans. The overarching aim of our proposed Cancer Research Training Program in Tanzania (CRTP-TZ) is to enhance capacity for cancer research through development of training and mentoring resources that will foster the future success of independent researchers focused on cancer in Tanzania and the broader East African region.
