Proposed is a framework for developing a multidisciplinary Global Health program representing a partnership between the University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, UCSD School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS) and the San Diego State University (SDSU) Graduate School of Public Health. The US-Mexico border region is a nexus for other health problems caused by air, water and other environmental contaminants, drug abuse and prostitution which has spawned a large number of research projects on these topics. The region is home to a large number of migrants from Mexico and South America. For these reasons, our team is uniquely positioned to offer a Global Health research and training program that is focused on border health and Latin America. Our participating faculty has expertise spanning a broad range of disciplines in Global Health, including epidemiology, public health, health promotion, behavioral science, bioterrorism, anthropology, economics, political science, geography, sociology, toxicology, virology, parasitology and molecular biology. Teams of researchers at our universities have a history of working together.
Our specific aims are: 1) To establish an infrastructure for maintaining research, teaching and outreach activities as part of a Global Health Program at UCSD and SDSU, with a thematic emphasis on border health; 2) To encourage new investigators from diverse faculties and disciplines at UCSD and SDSU to pursue careers in Global Health by creating global health tracks within the UCSD/SDSU joint doctoral programs in public health, MPH program and preventive medicine residency program; 3) To develop educational and outreach opportunities that will engage the next generation of scientists and health workers to consider careers in Global Health, by facilitating internships in developing country settings for undergraduates, graduate students, fellows, medical students and residents; 4) To increase interactions and joint activities among investigators already engaged in Global Health teaching and research within and between UCSD and SDSU through the establishment of a Visiting Scholars program, Leadership Seminar Series in Global Health, faculty exchanges and recruitment of faculty with expertise in areas of global health significance. If granted, this award would foster opportunities for new collaborations in global health research for faculty at our universities, create and expand upon partnerships with institutions in Latin America, Asia and Africa, and would create opportunities for students and fellows to be exposed to research, clinical practice and public health in low and middle-income countries. ? ? ?
