Training and Research on Severe Malarial Anemia

该提案是我们全球传染病培训补助金（D43 TW005884）的第三次更新，题为“严重疟疾性贫血（SMA）的培训和研究”。我们的国际疟疾培训和研究计划（IMTRP）成立于2002年（PD/PI， D. Perkins）。在目前的供资周期内，受训者在编写同行评议的手稿和在国际会议上发言方面非常多产。根据肯尼亚目前确定的科学培训需求，我们将重点关注专题目标领域：(1)基因组学/生物信息学(2)药物/疫苗发现和(3)生物统计学和流行病学/数学建模。战略培训方法是基于过去和现在的学员的成功，他们确定了介导SMA发展的遗传途径，从而为发现新的治疗方案提供了基础。由于SMA的治疗和管理取得的成功非常有限，因此在支持改进治疗方案的有针对性的重点领域让受训者参与是在适当的时候。下一阶段的活动将继续新墨西哥大学与我们的肯尼亚合作者（肯雅塔大学和马塞诺大学以及肯尼亚医学研究所）之间的长期伙伴关系，以及一个新的学术网站（马辛德穆利罗科技大学）。我们还包括来自洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室（Los Alamos National Laboratory， LANL）的合作伙伴，以及加纳大学新成立的西非感染性病原体细胞生物学中心（WACCBIP）。WACCBIP的成立是基于最近两笔能力建设赠款（1590万美元），这笔赠款授予了IMTRP的一名前博士实习生。由于WACCBIP的培训任务包括指导肯尼亚科学家，我们将提供联合培训并协同开展我们的活动。展望未来，我们建议对在读博士生（2名）和即将转读博士的硕士生（2名）进行培训。通过与WACCBIP分摊费用，我们还将共同培养博士研究生（4-6人），每年2名博士后（共10人）。长期培训（12名/年）：在新墨大和（或）国家生物医学研究所进行专业培训1名/年；中期培训（6 - 9名/年）：2 - 3名/年。我们还将在每年的资助期内培训初级教师（1-2人），并提供有竞争力的再入职补助金，以支持他们过渡到独立研究者的身份（每年1人）。还将通过在肯尼亚举行的年度讲习班提供重点领域的短期深入培训。整个培训模式将促进在肯尼亚持续建立独立的研究人员。我们非常成功的培训计划在下一阶段的扩展是基于超过1.2亿美元的年度资金，用于组建多学科团队。总的来说，培训平台还将提供必要的技术转让和能力建设，以建立一支关键的肯尼亚科学家队伍，以解决其社会面临的具有挑战性的公共卫生问题。

This proposal is the third renewal of our Global Infectious Disease training grant (D43 TW005884) entitled, Training and Research in Severe Malarial Anemia (SMA). Our International Malaria Training and Research Program (IMTRP) was established in 2002 (PD/PI, D. Perkins). During the current funding cycle, trainees were highly prolific in generating peer-reviewed manuscripts and presenting at international meetings. Based on current scientific training needs identified in Kenya, we will focus on thematic target areas: (1) genomics/bioinformatics (2) drug/vaccine discovery and (3) biostatistics and epidemiological/mathematical modeling. The strategic training approach is based on success by past and current trainees who identified genetic pathways that mediate development of SMA, thereby, providing the foundation for discovery of novel treatment options. Engagement of trainees in targeted focus areas that support improved therapeutic options comes at an opportune time since treatment and management of SMA has been met with very limited success. The next phase of activities will continue long-standing partnerships between the University of New Mexico (UNM) and our Kenyan collaborators (Kenyatta and Maseno Universities and Kenya Medical Research Institute), and a new academic site (Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology). We have also included our collaborative partners from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), along with the newly established West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana. Formation of WACCBIP is based on two recent capacity-building grants ($15.9M) awarded to a former PhD trainee in the IMTRP. Since the training mission for WACCBIP includes mentoring Kenyan scientists, we will provide joint training and synergize our activities. Moving forward, we propose training for current doctoral students (2) and MSc students (2) who will transition to PhD studies. Through cost-sharing with WACCBIP, we will also jointly train additional doctoral candidates (4-6), and two postdoctoral fellows per year (10 total). Long- term training (12 mos.) will be offered for specialized training at UNM and/or LANL for one postdoctoral fellow/year, and for medium-term training (6 to 9 mos.) of two to three scientists/year. We will also train junior faculty (1-2) in each year of the grant and offer competitively awarded re-entry grants to support transitioning to independent investigator status (1 per year). Short-term, in-depth training in the focus areas will also be offered through annual workshops in Kenya. The overall training paradigm will foster sustained establishment of independent researchers in Kenya. Expansion of our highly successful training program in the next phase is based on over $120M in annual funding for the multidisciplinary team assembled. Collectively, the training platform will also provide the technology transfer and capacity-building required for establishing a critical mass of Kenyan scientists to address the challenging public health problems facing their society.