Building Sustainable Research Capacity at Mansoura Egypt

描述(由申请人提供)：这项申请的目的有三个：(1)通过与曼苏拉大学医院的合作，在埃及曼苏拉建立研究基础设施；(2)开展一个重点研究项目，调查精神分裂症患者的父母与未受影响的对照组的父母相比，其血缘关系是否更密切这一假设；以及(3)收集数据，以便将来获得R01拨款。该项目将通过匹兹堡大学和曼苏拉大学医院的讲习班和教学，对三名埃及精神病学家进行临床评估技术培训。另一名个人将接受基本分子遗传技术培训，并将购买相关设备，以便在曼苏拉大学医院启动遗传分子研究。所有学员都将学习数据管理和数据分析技术。受训者将通过参与一个重点研究项目体验动手学习，该项目调查被诊断为精神分裂症的埃及患者(n=100)与社会经济地位、年龄和性别分布与患者相似的对照组(n=100)的父母血缘关系比率。初步研究表明，精神分裂症患者的父母血缘比例高于对照组，这项研究将进一步调查这一假设。对照(n=100)和对照的父母(n=200)已经通过先前资助的FIRCA研究招募。埃及受训人员将确定精神分裂症患者(n=100)及其父母(n=200)。精神分裂症是一种常见的终生致残性疾病，在发展中国家相对较少受到关注。对埃及精神分裂症流行病学的研究很少，这证明了这一领域被忽视的状态。正在进行的绘制精神分裂症易感基因图谱的努力表明，几个遗传和环境因素之间存在复杂的相互作用。大多数这样的研究都是在高加索人中进行的。对其他种族群体的互补性调查可能会产生有用的见解，特别是如果观察到不寻常的遗传模式的话。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The aim of this application is threefold: (1) to build research infrastructure in Mansoura, Egypt through collaboration with Mansoura University Hospital; (2) to conduct a focused research project investigating the hypothesis that there is increased consanguinity among parents of patients with schizophrenia as compared to parents of unaffected controls; and (3) to collect data that will enable a future R01 grant. This project will enable training for three Egyptian psychiatrists in clinical evaluation techniques through workshops and teaching at the University of Pittsburgh and Mansoura University Hospital. One other individual will be trained in basic molecular genetic techniques, and relevant equipment will be purchased in order to initiate genetic molecular research at Mansoura University Hospital. All the trainees will learn data management and data analysis techniques. Trainees will experience hands-on learning through participation in a focused research project investigating the rate of parental consanguinity among Egyptian patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n=100) compared with a group of controls (n=100) who have a similar distribution of socio-economic status, age and gender as the patients. Preliminary studies have suggested higher rates of parental consanguinity among patients with schizophrenia than among controls, and this study will further investigate this hypothesis. Controls (n=100) and parents of controls (n=200) are already being recruited through a previously funded FIRCA study. Patients with schizophrenia (n=100) and their parents (n=200) will be ascertained by the Egyptian trainees. Schizophrenia is a common, lifelong, disabling illness which receives relatively little attention in developing countries. Research into the epidemiology of schizophrenia in Egypt is sparse and testifies to the neglected state of this field. Ongoing efforts to map susceptibility genes for schizophrenia have suggested complex interactions between several genetic and environmental factors. Most such studies have been conducted among Caucasians. Complementary investigations of other ethnic groups may yield useful insights, especially if unusual patterns of inheritance are observed.