Our project on malaria includes parasitologist, immunologists, epidemiologists, molecular biologists, immunogeneticists, demographers, and clinicians. This multidisciplinary composition provides a special opportunity for collaboration and training. The Visiting Scientist Exchange program will allow us to 1) have other collaborators participate in the project, ii) encourage young U.S. scientists to conduct research in a developing country, and iii) help train young Cameroonian researchers in immunologic and molecular biological techniques. To recruit qualified individual, we will publish a description of our project and availability of funds in the newsletters of relevant US and West African societies and write to academic colleagues in these countries. We are especially interested in identifying PHD candidates, post-doctoral fellows, and residents/interns to participate, but senior scientists with on-going projects are also encouraged. Interested individuals will be asked to submit a 3-4 page summary of their research plan. A Scientific Advisory Board will be established in the U.S. with Dr. Quakyi as chair, and an Advisory Committee chaired by Dr. Same-Ekobo (Chair, Dept. Parasitology) will be set-up in Yaounde. The charge of the committees will be to i) help identify qualified collaborators, ii) review proposals that are submitted, and iii) provide advice, especially if problems develop with one of the projects. Funds will also be used to provide advanced training in immunology or molecular biology for Camerounian scientists who are actively involved in the project. They too will submit a brief letter of explanation concerning the nature and need for the training they which to receive. If the necessity should arise, the funds may also be used to support travel of US and Camerounian scientists to international meetings or training programs project. The Visiting Scientist Exchange Program will allow more individuals to participate in the project, increasing its overall scientific productivity.
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