GCRF-Crick African Network

撒哈拉以南非洲许多人面临的极端贫困导致传染病以及与之相关的慢性病的发病率非常高。需要科学研究来应对这些挑战，然而，非洲还面临着知识、技能和研究设施的短缺，这使问题更加复杂。我们解决这一问题的战略是确定一批已经拥有博士学位并表现出杰出才能的非洲科学家，并通过有针对性的高水平培训和指导来深入发展他们的职业生涯。这个想法是为了培养下一代的领导在关键的非洲研究机构，有能力推动非洲大陆的科学。最终目标是改善非洲及其他地区人民的健康。为了实现这一目标，我们将建立一个新的倡议，即“克里克非洲网络”（CAN），该网络涉及英国和非洲之间的合作。该网络的目标将是帮助非洲各机构建立能力，以便对发生在贫困地区的传染病进行研究。该网络将正式连接英国的弗朗西斯克里克研究所（克里克）与一组选定的非洲研究组织，即：南非斯泰伦博斯大学和开普敦大学、MRC乌干达病毒研究所、加纳大学和西非全球卫生联盟，其中包括MRC冈比亚大学和Chelsea Anta Diop大学，这些合作伙伴将共同提供一个“非洲职业加速器”方案，为有才华的非洲科学家提供高水平培训。该计划将提供有竞争力的奖学金，使科学家能够在英国克里克度过一段时间，接受高级培训，获得最先进的科学技术平台（STP）设施和专业知识。然后，它将帮助他们在非洲机构重新建立他们的研究组合。我们设想与这些未来的研究领导者进行持续的指导和合作，以鼓励持久，互利的科学伙伴关系。与此同时，该网络将在非洲主要地点举办介绍性讲习班，为这些地区的传染病研究人员提供信息和启发。它还将在该计划的四年期间举行年度科学会议，以鼓励交流科学知识，加强合作，并与相关卫生部门利益攸关方进行接触。通过大力培养这一精选的后起之秀研究人员，将他们与国际联系起来，支持他们与世界-一流的专业知识，并将他们安置在强大的非洲机构中，这些机构可以成为非洲大陆科学卓越的中心，我们希望他们将成为一个强大的国际联系研究专业人员的骨干，拥有应对非洲传染病挑战所需的专业知识和经验。所建立的联合王国-非洲网络也将有能力通过生物医学研究，对影响非洲福利和经济发展的与贫穷有关的迫切保健需要作出反应。

The extreme poverty faced by many people in Sub-Saharan Africa contributes to very high rates of infectious diseases, as well as to chronic diseases linked to these. Scientific research is needed to address these challenges, however, Africa also faces a shortage of knowledge, skills and research facilities, which compounds the problem. Our strategy to tackle this problem is to identify a group of African scientists who already have PhDs and show outstanding talent, and intensively develop their careers via targeted, high-level training and mentorship. The idea is to foster the next generation of leadership at key African research institutions that are well-positioned to advance science on the continent. The ultimate aim is to improve the health of the people of Africa and beyond.To achieve this, we will establish a new initiative, the 'Crick African Network' (CAN), which involves collaboration between the UK and Africa. The network's goal will be to help build capacity in African institutions to conduct research into infectious diseases that occur in poverty-stricken areas. The network will formally link the Francis Crick Institute (Crick) in the UK with a select group of African-based research organisations, namely: the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town, South Africa, MRC Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), the University of Ghana, and the West African Global Health Alliance (WAGHA) that includes MRC Gambia and University Cheikh Anta Diop, Sénégal.These partners will together provide an 'African Career Accelerator' programme that provides high-level training for talented African scientists. The programme will offer competitive fellowships that allow the scientists to spend time at Crick in the UK, receiving advanced training, with access to state-of-the-art Science Technology Platform (STP) facilities and expertise. It will then help them to re-establish their research portfolios back at their African institutions. We envisage ongoing mentorship of, and collaboration with, these future research leaders to encourage lasting, mutually beneficial, scientific partnerships. In conjunction with this, the network will host introductory workshops in key African locations, to inform and inspire infectious diseases researchers from those regions. It will also hold annual scientific meetings for the four-year duration of the programme to encourage exchange of scientific learning, grow collaborations and engage with relevant health sector stakeholders.By intensively developing this select group of up-and-coming researchers, connecting them internationally, supporting them with world-class expertise and positioning them in strong African institutions that can serve as hubs of scientific excellence within the continent, we hope they will become a powerful cadre of internationally connected research professionals with the expertise and experience needed to tackle Africa's infectious disease challenges. The UK-African network formed will also be well positioned to respond, through biomedical research, to pressing poverty-related health needs affecting the welfare and economic development of Africa.