Creating an independent scientist requires extensive training within an enriching academic environment as well as adequate salary and research support for the trainee. The period that follows didactic graduate training is particularly vulnerable in East Africa, which is also true in sub-Saharan Africa as a whole. While funding streams exist for graduate training, the region lacks comprehensive mechanisms to support junior investigators as they transition towards research independence. In the U.S., post-graduate training is often facilitated by NIH K Award programs at both the individual and institutional level. NIH K Awards had been unavailable to African scientists but this recently changed with the creation of the K43 Emerging Global Leader Award. Yet, there still remains a substantial challenge preparing both trainees and their home institutions to compete for a K43 Award or other career development awards. To address the need for career development in the post-graduate period, the Developmental Core of the USEAHAMRC will:
Aim 1. Bolster the overall environment for career development in clinical, epidemiologic and translational research at the East African institutions of our United States-East Africa HIV- Associated Malignancy Research Center (USEAHAMRC).
Aim 2. Mentor and provide protected time for our emerging African and U.S. junior scientists working in the field of HIV-associated malignancies as they develop their academic and leadership portfolio and mature towards independence.
Aim 3. Award funding for pilot research projects to be conducted by emerging African or U.S scientists. Modeled on institutional K Award programs in the U.S., we will create a semi-monthly Career Development Seminar featuring emphasis on scientific writing, mentorship skills, and foundational methodologic training for all interested scholars at our participating institutions (Aim 1). By drawing upon lessons learned from K Award funding in the U.S., four emerging Ugandan principal investigators will have a substantial portion of their time supported for the conduct of research in area of HIV-associated malignancies and will be mentored to compete for funding that will propel them to the next stage of their careers (Aim 2). With the assistance from substantial institutional commitment from UCSF, we will award two or three Pilot Project Awards annually over the 5-year funding cycle for research related to the USEAHAMRC research themes, which will help us identify and mentor the next cohort of junior investigators.
In East Africa, as is the case in most of sub-Saharan Africa, junior scientists need substantial support following graduate training in order to become productive and independent scientists. In this project, we will create an academic environment for our emerging East African and U.S. junior scientists studying HIV- associated cancers that will help them improve their scientific productivity, scientific leadership, and administrative skills. We will also administer small research grants to identify the next group of junior scientists interested in studying HIV-related cancers.
