Expanding the pool of Independent Investigators in Implementation Science in Nigeria throug h HIV research training (EXPAND)

项目总结/摘要： 15年多来，尼日利亚人类病毒学研究所（IHV-尼日利亚或IHVN）与 马里兰州巴尔的摩大学人类病毒学研究所（IHV-UMB）培训尼日利亚 研究人员在当地和美国。这导致51名硕士和博士持有人从事艾滋病毒 在IHVN的国际卓越研究中心（IRCE）和在 在整个尼日利亚的合作大学和机构。IRCE成立于2015年，旨在推动IHV- 尼日利亚的研究使命：提高尼日利亚和西方国家研究的数量、质量和能力。 非洲为了利用他们之前的培训并以指数方式增加他们的影响力，必须使这些技能成熟起来。 早期（受过培训的）调查员转变为独立（熟练）调查员。此外，这对尼日利亚人来说也很重要 公共卫生计划的实施者和决策者有互补的计划评估， 知识转化技能，以解决艾滋病毒和其他卫生优先事项和差距。本次提交的重点 是通过解决研究领导力的差距，扩大当地应对尼日利亚艾滋病毒流行的专业知识 调查人员之间，以及实施者之间的方案评估和知识转化差距， 政策制定者。 拟议扩大尼日利亚执行科学独立调查员人才库 通过艾滋病毒研究培训（EXPAND尼日利亚），有四个具体目标。具体目标1：启动12- 一个月，在IRCE实施科学设计综合艾滋病毒研究培训课程， 混合虚拟和面对面平台。具体目标2：指导和发展一批五名早期职业 MD和/或PhD持有科学家接受Aim 1课程培训，以竞争独立研究 资助与尼日利亚有关的艾滋病毒研究优先事项。具体目标3：尽早实现熟练过渡 从Aim 2的职业调查员到IRCE的积极和富有成效的研究职位， 学术和公共卫生机构在尼日利亚。具体目标4：使用模块的硬技能子集 从目标1课程中，为40名多学科人员提供为期6个月的短期培训 计划实施者和政策制定者，设计和进行优先艾滋病毒计划评估， 将调查结果转化为政策和实践。 该建议的成果包括一个可扩展的培训课程，涉及当地的研究能力和技能 差距;在支持性环境中的熟练研究人员，启动并保持他们在研究轨道上; 和机构研究领导成功地从IHV-UMB过渡到IHV-Nigeria， 作为长期的研究和培训合作伙伴。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: For more than 15 years, the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHV-Nigeria or IHVN) has partnered with the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland Baltimore (IHV-UMB) to train Nigerian researchers both locally and in the US. This has resulted in 51 Masters and PhD-holders engaged in HIV research and leadership careers at IHVN’s International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) and at collaborating universities and institutions throughout Nigeria. IRCE was established in 2015 to drive IHV- Nigeria’s research mission: to increase the volume, quality, and capacity for research in Nigeria and West Africa. To harness their prior training and exponentially increase their impact, it is imperative to mature these early (trained) investigators into independent (skilled) investigators. In addition, it is important for Nigerian public health programs that implementers and policymakers have complementary program evaluation and knowledge translation skills, to address HIV and other health priorities and gaps. The focus of this submission is to expand local expertise in responding to Nigeria’s HIV epidemic by addressing research leadership gaps among investigators, and program evaluation and knowledge translation gaps among implementers and policymakers. The proposed Expanding the Pool of Independent Investigators in Implementation Science in Nigeria through HIV research training (EXPAND Nigeria) has four specific aims. Specific Aim 1: To launch a 12- month, implementation science design-integrated HIV research training curriculum at IRCE, delivered on a hybrid virtual and in-person platform. Specific Aim 2: To mentor and develop a cohort of five early career MD and/or PhD-holding scientists trained with the Aim 1 curriculum, to compete for independent research funding that addresses HIV research priorities relevant to Nigeria. Specific Aim 3: To transition skilled early career investigators from Aim 2 into active and productive research positions at IRCE and collaborating academic and public health institutions in Nigeria. Specific Aim 4: Using the hard skills subset of modules from the Aim 1 curriculum, to provide short-term, six-month training for a multidisciplinary cohort of 40 program implementers and policymakers, to design and conduct priority HIV program evaluations and translate findings into policy and practice. Outcomes of the proposal include a scalable training curriculum addressing local research capacity and skills gaps; skilled researchers in a supportive environment that launches and keeps them in a research trajectory; and institutional research leadership successfully transitioned from IHV-UMB to IHV-Nigeria, with IHV-UMB remaining as a long-term training and research partner.