Ghana IntegRative Approach to Cancer ResEarch Training: The Grace Program

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Project Summary/Abstract Cancer incidence is significantly increasing in many sub-Saharan Africa countries necessitating a shift in training and research to address this growing problem. Years ago Ghana recognized this problem and identified cancer sites for prioritization for both research and clinical care in their National Cancer Control Plan. These cancers include breast (BCa), cervical (CxCa), head and neck (HNCa) and prostate cancer (PCa). To address the goals set forth in the national cancer plan Moffitt Cancer Center (MCC) faculty have been collaborating with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital within the University of Ghana (UG), and the Ghana College of Physician and Surgeons (GCPS) for the past five years to build collaborative research and cancer clinical care capacity. This work started initially with a focus on PCa and HNCa, two cancers of common concern and interest, as the incidence and mortality associated with these cancers disproportionally affects Ghanaians and US African Americans. Recognizing the need to expand research to BCa and CxCa in Ghana the MCC-Ghana collaboration is poised to expand efforts to these two additional cancers and to expand existing research and training collaborations to create a comprehensive and structured program with greater depth and breadth. We propose to expand the existing list of collaborating institutions in Ghana to include the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS), School of Public Health (UGSPH), and Nursing School. In addition, we plan to adapt a comprehensive cancer research training program developed as part of a completed Fogarty D43 Morocco grant, to accelerate the implementation of cancer research training in Ghana. The overall goal of this proposal is to develop a new generation of multidisciplinary global health cancer researchers at MCC and UG by implementing programs that will strengthen and expand institutional capacity to broadly conduct cancer research - Ghana IntegRative Approach to Cancer ResEarch Training: The GRACE Program. Specifically, we propose the following: 1. Build and implement cancer research training and capacity (Lectures and Workshops and an Applied Research Experience); 2. Fund Team-Science Research, and; 3. Transfer and sustain the Ghana cancer research training program. At the end of five years we will have trained a new generation of fellows and junior faculty (~125-150) and embedded into the Ghana medical education system a sustainable cancer research training program to support continued cancer research growth in Ghana. The proposed training program will advance research among physician scientists practicing oncology and recruit talented professionals from related health fields to conduct cancer research, thereby rapidly expanding cancer research in Ghana. By engaging those from multiple disciplines, the proposed program will strengthen Ghana’s existing national and multidisciplinary cancer-specific research teams. Ultimately, our goal is to have this training program serve as a bridge between academic, policy makers, and public health communities.