Under a cooperative agreement with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) and its partner, KLE University?s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), have the long-term objective of continued participation in the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research and continued collaboration in the operation of the TJU-JNMC Women?s and Children?s Health Research Unit. As a member of a multicenter international research network, the TJU-JNMC Research Unit will participate in the design and implementation of research addressing gaps in scientific knowledge associated with disease processes and treatment strategies that can affect health outcomes of mothers and infants globally, but especially in low and lower-middle income countries. A goal of the Global Network is ?to conduct cost-effective, high impact, multi-center, large scale clinical studies targeted at understanding the best method to reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity among global populations with the highest burden of death and disability? (RFA-HD-18-009).
Specific aims of the TJU-JNMC Research Unit to achieve the goal during the next five-year cycle include: ? To ensure continued growth, development and sustainability of the TJU-JNMC Research Unit, which oversees the program of women's and children's health research based at JNMC in Belagavi, Karnataka, India; and to build research capacity within new areas of Karnataka State to facilitate study participation among targeted populations that have especially high prevalence of poor pregnancy outcomes, ? To function as a member of the Global Network collaborative group, fostering communication, innovation and research excellence and thereby strengthening the Network?s role in global health research and ensuring a significant Global Network research agenda and the conduct of multiple, common research protocols that address the major causes of morbidity and mortality in women and their infants and young children in low-resource settings, ? To identify and address gaps in maternal and child health research and utilize a team-based approach to collaboratively design, develop, implement and evaluate promising health interventions?especially those directed at reducing preterm birth, and to conduct formative, translational and implementation research, and ? To disseminate research findings and promote progress toward Sustainable Development Goal targets for maternal, newborn and under-5 mortality and influence health policy and health system changes based upon research evidence generated in India and other low- and lower middle-income countries.
Continued participation in the Global Network will strengthen the research capabilities of the Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) - Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) Women?s and Children?s Health Research Unit, facilitate additional meritorious research, and lead to formulation of policy and programs in India and elsewhere that will improve maternal, neonatal, infant and early childhood health status. The TJU-JNMC Research Unit has been heralded as a highly productive partnership, and it will be a source of future Global Network strength and credibility. The Research Unit is committed to expanding scientific knowledge and implementing cost- effective, high-impact, large scale, multi-site clinical trials that will lead to reduction of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity among global populations with the highest burden of death and disability.
