Brown Moi Partnership for Biostatistics Training in HIV-NAMBARI

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Project summary The HIV research agenda in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is far-reaching. Much of it has been developed and carried out in partnership with institutions in the United States, Canada, and Europe, leading to gains in local capacity in terms infrastructure and professional development of scientists and physicians. One important domain where capacity building still lags behind is biostatistics and quantitative sciences: African biostatisticians are severely under-represented in international research teams, and many HIV research programs in SSA continue to rely on their partners from the Global North for implementation of advanced methods for design and analysis. Although the past 5 years have seen substantial advances in research and educational capacity, many leading universities in SSA are only beginning to develop graduate-level training in statistics for health research. Statistics training in Kenya has typically been theoretical in nature, with applied work focusing primarily on biometry and agricultural statistics. Moi University, the second largest in Kenya, is typical in this regard. During Phase 1 of this training program, Moi began the process of implementing a graduate biostatistics curriculum. However there are only two faculty at Moi with PhD in biostatistics, highlighting the need for expansion of expertise among current faculty and development of potential new faculty members. At the College of Health Sciences, there continues to be high demand for masters-level statisticians to engage in externally funded research. Finally, the small number of African statisticians with advanced training working in HIV research centers in SSA tend to be geographically isolated from their peers, limiting opportunities for professional development and exchange of ideas. The proposed training program will respond to these needs by launching Phase 2 of a partnership between Moi and Brown Universities. The program will expand research and curricular capacity in HIV-related biostatistics and advanced quantitative methods at Moi and lay the foundation for sustainable growth in this field by accomplishing the following Specific Aims: (1) provide masters-level training at Brown (2 trainees, 2 years each), PhD training in a sandwich program at Moi and Brown (2 trainees, 4 years each), and postdoctoral training at Brown and Moi (2 trainees, 2 years each; (2) facilitate revision and expansion of the biostatistics curriculum at Moi through faculty development and faculty fellowships (4 trainees, 1 year each); (3) continue an annual workshop on advanced biostatistical methods at Moi that will offer short-term training and ongoing professional development activities for faculty members and professionals throughout SSA; and (4) lay the groundwork for a Center for Health Data Science on the campus of Moi University. This proposal builds directly upon the accomplishments and experiences from Phase 1 of the partnership, which provided training to 6 Kenyan statisticians; 4 masters students, 1 faculty fellow and 1 research fellow. Four of the six trainees are working at Moi or AMPATH in Eldoret, and one is pursuing a PhD in biostatistics.