Research Training in Data Science for Health in Rwanda

项目总结/摘要 U2 R研究培训计划（RTP）为DS-I非洲倡议（RFA-RM-20-016）提供资助申请， 3个合作机构的伙伴关系：圣路易斯华盛顿大学、卢旺达大学 (UR)和非洲数学科学研究所（AIMS），都在卢旺达基加利。首要目标 U2 R RTP的目标是激励和催化卢旺达健康数据科学（DS）的创新。高 传染病流行，加上非传染性疾病迅速蔓延， 非传染性疾病（NCDs），预测卢旺达将发生一场完美的公共卫生风暴，为利用 DS解决医疗保健差距。一个结构化的程序设计将有助于发展实习生的研究生涯， DS特别关注与卢旺达有关的卫生保健主题，包括传染病（即，艾滋病毒， 疟疾、COVID-19等）和慢性NCD（即，高血压、心脏病、糖尿病等）。我们建议 扩展现有的模式课程，用于创新和跨学科的DS健康研究培训和实践 通过在三个主要科学领域确定额外的能力：1）计算机科学和信息学; 2） 统计学与数学; 3）生物医学科学与公共卫生。U2 R RTP将：a）提供支持 24名受训人员：硕士（n=14），博士（n=6）;博士后（n=2）;初级教员（n =2）; 每个学员根据个人需求接受1-2年的培训; B）培养创新团队科学 跨学科的研究方法;以及c）在乌拉圭回合和大西洋、印度洋、地中海和南海区域建立机构能力，以支持长期的 项目的可持续性。预期的结果是：1）培养下一代数据科学家 这将有必要的专业知识，以解决具有挑战性的问题所提出的负担， 和慢性非传染性疾病在卢旺达;和2）完成一个完整的U2 R方案的领导和教师和机构 在U2 R计划结束时，从美国-卢旺达共同领导过渡到完全由卢旺达领导。学员将参加 在为期数周强制性“靴子训练营”（每年两次）、每月网络研讨会和年中MTG中，重点是教学培训 在高度相关的数据科学和医疗保健主题的职业建议，研究和学术进步 (i.e.,数据管理、生物信息学、统计学、流行病学、传染病、NCD、环境 曝光，传播和实施等）;密集的赠款和手稿写作技巧培训 面向开发竞争性赠款提案（“小型研究项目，SRP”）的计划， 学员准备，提交和指导下进行的多学科指导小组，从学术和 政府机构。在靴子训练营期间，通过学员“集体头脑风暴”进行有效指导 他们在”会议“上介绍他们正在制定的简化报告程序，以获得反馈。广泛的计划评估， 学员及教职员亦会提供意见，以助改善。U2 R RTP将建立和培养一个 培训、研究、指导和职业发展可持续计划，将UR和AIMS定位 作为国家和区域非洲领导人以及卢旺达健康数据科学的全球中心。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT U2R Research Training Program (RTP) grant application for DS-I Africa initiative (RFA-RM-20-016) is a partnership of 3 collaborating institutions: Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), University of Rwanda (UR) and African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), both in Kigali, Rwanda. The overarching objective of U2R RTP is to stimulate and catalyze innovation of Data Science (DS) for Health in Rwanda. A high prevalence of communicable diseases, coupled with a rapidly expanding epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), forecasts a perfect public health storm in Rwanda, providing impetus and rationale to leverage DS to address health care gaps. A structured program design will help develop trainee research careers in DS with particular focus on health care topics relevant to Rwanda, including communicable (i.e., HIV, malaria, COVID-19, etc) and chronic NCDs (i.e., hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, etc). We propose to expand existing model curriculum for innovative and interdisciplinary DS for Health research training and practice by identifying additional competencies in three major scientific areas: 1) computer science & informatics; 2) statistics & mathematics; and 3) biomedical sciences & public health. U2R RTP will: a) provide support (tuition, stipend, research funds) for 24 trainees: MS (n=14), PhD (n=6); post-doc (n=2); junior faculty (n=2); each trainee receives training for 1-2 years based on individual needs; b) foster an innovative team science transdisciplinary approach to research; and c) build institutional capacity at UR and AIMS to support the long- term sustainability of the program. The intended outcomes are to: 1) train next generation of data scientists that will have the necessary expertise to solve challenging problems presented by the burden of communicable and chronic NCDs in Rwanda; and 2) complete a full U2R program leadership and faculty and institutional transition from US-Rwanda co-led to fully Rwandan-led by the end of the U2R program. Trainees will participate in mandatory week long “boot camps” (twice/yr), monthly webinars and mid-yr mtg with didactic training focused on career advice, research and academic advancement in highly-relevant Data Science and health care topics (i.e., data management, bioinformatics, statistics, epidemiology, communicable diseases, NCDs, environmental exposure, dissemination and implementation, etc); intense Grant & Manuscript Writing Skills Training Program geared towards development of competitive grant proposals (“Small Research Projects, SRP)” that trainees prepare, submit and conduct under direction of a multidisciplinary mentoring team from academic and governmental institutions. Effective mentoring during boot camp occurs through trainee “Group Brainstorming Sessions” where they present their developing SRPs to obtain feedback. An extensive program evaluation by trainees and faculty will also provide feedback for improvement. The U2R RTP will establish and cultivate a sustainable program for training, research, mentoring and career development that will position UR and AIMS as national and regional African leaders and a global hub for Data Science for Health in Rwanda.