Vanderbilt-Zambia Cancer Research Training Program (VZCARE)

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ABSTRACT The cancer burden in Zambia is increasing, making it one of the leading non-communicable causes of disability and premature death. This trend will continue and accelerate. However, cancer research in Zambia, particularly population-based research, is limited, primarily due to a lack of well-trained investigators, supportive research infrastructure, and adequate funding. Currently, Zambia has no cancer-specific research training programs to address the workforce gap. Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the University of Zambia (UNZA) are expanding their longstanding research training partnership to establish a new cancer epidemiology training program, the Vanderbilt-Zambia Cancer Research Training Program (VZCARE). The overall goal of VZCARE is to develop a cadre of researchers and educators equipped with modern knowledge and expertise to lead cancer epidemiology research and training in Zambia, to encourage US- based researchers to engage in cancer research in low- and middle-income countries, and to ensure long-term program impacts and sustainability. Specifically, VZCARE seeks to: 1. Train a cadre of researchers and educators (trainers) to conduct multidisciplinary cancer epidemiology research and build training capacity in Zambia, targeting faculty members and researchers from UNZA, University Teaching Hospital, Cancer Diseases Hospital, and the Zambia Ministry of Health. This will be accomplished via an intensive 3- month Visiting Faculty Scholars program at Vanderbilt, Zambia-based epidemiology workshops, and augmenting the UNZA PhD program with advanced cancer epidemiological curricula. 2. Train scientists and future leaders in cancer epidemiology research in Zambia. This will include US- and Zambia-based “sandwich” training and dual-mentored research for two Zambian PhD students and three Zambian postdoctoral trainees, and field research experience in Zambia for two US postdoctoral trainees. 3. Ensure and document VZCARE’s long-term impact. In addition to documenting the career development and research accomplishments of our trainees, we will provide continued support for their career development and foster collaborations beyond their supported training periods. With a very successful 23-year UNZA-Vanderbilt Training Partnership on HIV-related research and education, and Vanderbilt’s substantial global cancer epidemiology research and training programs, we are well positioned to launch this new training program with a focus on building world-class cancer epidemiology research and training in Zambia and promoting US investigators to engage in global cancer research.