Africa Centre for Biostatical Excellence: Biostatistics Capacity for HIV

描述（由申请人提供）：LMIC：南非机构：Stellenbosch大学，开普敦非洲卓越生物统计中心：为艾滋病毒/艾滋病研究建立生物统计能力。该申请是对FOA“有限竞争”的回应：D71赠款机制（FOA PAR-13-214）下的“面向低收入和中等收入国家机构的福格蒂艾滋病毒研究培训项目规划赠款”，并要求提供两年的支持，以规划和开发在南非斯坦伦博斯大学建立非洲生物统计卓越中心（ACBE）的申请。在撒哈拉以南非洲（SSA）建立一个可持续的多学科卫生研究企业对于改善该区域的健康、促进发展和推进科学至关重要。艾滋病毒/艾滋病和结核病研究活动的增长产生了对训练有素的方法学家的需求，这些方法学家可以为研究的设计、实施、分析和报告做出贡献，并为下一代研究人员提供指导和培训。许多非洲国家现在都有当地训练的方法学家，包括流行病学家、社会科学家和（在较小程度上）卫生经济学家。然而，在SSA方面仍然严重缺乏生物统计学专业知识。生物统计学家是研究团队不可或缺的成员，因为他们的技能要求他们撰写竞争性拨款、执行统计程序、进行高级数据分析、在高知名度期刊上发表文章以及在研究生阶段教授生物统计学。为了满足对生物统计专家的需求，我们建议在Stellenbosch大学建立一个ACBE，其任务是在撒哈拉以南非洲建立生物统计能力并推进艾滋病和结核病研究的方法学研究。本申请的目的是为建立这样一个卓越中心所需的初步工作筹集资金。该申请的具体目标是：(1)为Stellenbosch大学的卓越生物统计中心建立一个组织框架；(2)与机构艾滋病和结核病研究项目建立合作；(3)建立协作

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): LMIC: South Africa Institution: Stellenbosch University, Cape Town Africa Center for Biostatistical Excellence: Building Biostatistics Capacity for HIV/AIDS Research This application is in response to the FOA "Limited Competition: Planning Grant for Fogarty HIV Research Training Program for Low- and Middle-Income Country Institutions" under the D71 grant mechanism (FOA PAR-13-214) and requests 2 years of support to plan and develop an application for establishing an Africa Center for Biostatistical Excellence (ACBE) at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. The creation of a sustainable, multidisciplinary health research enterprise in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is of paramount importance for improving health, promoting development and advancing science in the region. The growth in HIV/AIDS and TB research activities has created a demand for well-trained methodologists who can contribute to the design, conduct, analysis and reporting of research studies and provide mentoring and training of the next generation of researchers. Locally trained methodologists, including epidemiologists, social scientists and (to a lesser extent) health economists are now available in many African countries. However, there remains a critical shortage of biostatistics expertise in SSA. Biostatisticians are integral members of research teams required for their skills in writing competitive grants, executing statistical procedures, conducting advanced data analysis, publishing in high profile journals and teaching biostatistics at the postgraduate level. To meet the demand for biostatistical experts, we propose to setup an ACBE at Stellenbosch University with a mission to build biostatistical capacity and advance methodological research in HIV/AIDS and TB research in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this application is to source funding for the preliminary work needed to establish such a center of excellence. The specific aims of this application are: (1) to develop an organizational framework for a Biostatistical Center of Excellence at Stellenbosch University; (2) to build collaborations with institutional HIV/AIDS and TB research projects; (3) to establish collaborative links with international, national, and regional institutions; (4) to develop preliminary biostatisics curricula for a Masters degree program and short courses and identify staff development needs; (5) to identify a pool of potential trainees and develop a recruitment plan; and (6) to organize and submit an application in response to the D43 FOA. We will use consultative meetings with stakeholders, experts and site visits to achieve our objectives. An Africa Center for Biostatistica Excellence is a direct response to one of Fogarty's strategic plan of building sustainable research environments through centers of research excellence. These research "hubs" are a way to enrich and sustain the research capacity of an institution by linking it to other sites withn a country and across a region. Our proposed Center for Biostatistical Excellence will complement training efforts in other areas of HIV/AIDS and TB research across the SSA region.