Training and Research on Severe Malarial Anemia

该提案是我们的全球传染病培训补助金（D43 TW 005884）的第三次更新，题为“严重疟疾贫血（SMA）的培训和研究”。我们的国际疟疾培训和研究计划（IMTRP）成立于2002年（PD/PI，D。Perkins）。在本供资周期，受训人员大量撰写经同行审查的文稿，并在国际会议上发言。根据肯尼亚目前确定的科学培训需求，我们将侧重于以下专题目标领域：（1）基因组学/生物信息学;（2）药物/疫苗发现;（3）生物统计学和流行病学/数学建模。战略培训方法基于过去和当前学员的成功，他们确定了介导SMA发展的遗传途径，从而为发现新的治疗方案提供了基础。由于SMA的治疗和管理取得的成功非常有限，因此培训人员参与支持改善治疗选择的目标重点领域是一个合适的时机。下一阶段的活动将继续新墨西哥州大学（UNM）和我们的肯尼亚合作者（肯雅塔大学和Maseno大学以及肯尼亚医学研究所）之间的长期伙伴关系，以及一个新的学术网站（Masinde Muliro科技大学）。我们还包括来自洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室（LANL）的合作伙伴，沿着新成立的加纳大学西非传染性病原体细胞生物学中心（WACCBIP）。WACCBIP的成立是基于最近向IMTRP的一名前博士生提供的两笔能力建设赠款（1 590万美元）。由于WACCBIP的培训使命包括指导肯尼亚科学家，我们将提供联合培训并协同我们的活动。展望未来，我们建议为目前的博士生（2）和硕士生（2）谁将过渡到博士研究的培训。通过与WACCBIP分担费用，我们还将联合培养更多的博士生（4-6），每年两名博士后研究员（共10名）。长期培训（12个月）将提供专门培训在UNM和/或LANL为一个博士后研究员/年，并为中期培训（6至9个月）。每年两到三名科学家。我们还将培训初级教师（1-2）在赠款的每一年，并提供有竞争力的奖励再进入补助金，以支持过渡到独立调查员的地位（每年1）。还将通过在肯尼亚举办的年度讲习班提供重点领域的短期深入培训。整个培训模式将促进肯尼亚独立研究人员的持续建立。我们非常成功的培训计划在下一阶段的扩展是基于超过1.2亿美元的多学科团队的年度资金。总的来说，培训平台还将提供必要的技术转让和能力建设，以培养足够数量的肯尼亚科学家，解决肯尼亚社会面临的具有挑战性的公共卫生问题。

This proposal is the third renewal of our Global Infectious Disease training grant (D43 TW005884) entitled, Training and Research in Severe Malarial Anemia (SMA). Our International Malaria Training and Research Program (IMTRP) was established in 2002 (PD/PI, D. Perkins). During the current funding cycle, trainees were highly prolific in generating peer-reviewed manuscripts and presenting at international meetings. Based on current scientific training needs identified in Kenya, we will focus on thematic target areas: (1) genomics/bioinformatics (2) drug/vaccine discovery and (3) biostatistics and epidemiological/mathematical modeling. The strategic training approach is based on success by past and current trainees who identified genetic pathways that mediate development of SMA, thereby, providing the foundation for discovery of novel treatment options. Engagement of trainees in targeted focus areas that support improved therapeutic options comes at an opportune time since treatment and management of SMA has been met with very limited success. The next phase of activities will continue long-standing partnerships between the University of New Mexico (UNM) and our Kenyan collaborators (Kenyatta and Maseno Universities and Kenya Medical Research Institute), and a new academic site (Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology). We have also included our collaborative partners from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), along with the newly established West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana. Formation of WACCBIP is based on two recent capacity-building grants ($15.9M) awarded to a former PhD trainee in the IMTRP. Since the training mission for WACCBIP includes mentoring Kenyan scientists, we will provide joint training and synergize our activities. Moving forward, we propose training for current doctoral students (2) and MSc students (2) who will transition to PhD studies. Through cost-sharing with WACCBIP, we will also jointly train additional doctoral candidates (4-6), and two postdoctoral fellows per year (10 total). Long- term training (12 mos.) will be offered for specialized training at UNM and/or LANL for one postdoctoral fellow/year, and for medium-term training (6 to 9 mos.) of two to three scientists/year. We will also train junior faculty (1-2) in each year of the grant and offer competitively awarded re-entry grants to support transitioning to independent investigator status (1 per year). Short-term, in-depth training in the focus areas will also be offered through annual workshops in Kenya. The overall training paradigm will foster sustained establishment of independent researchers in Kenya. Expansion of our highly successful training program in the next phase is based on over $120M in annual funding for the multidisciplinary team assembled. Collectively, the training platform will also provide the technology transfer and capacity-building required for establishing a critical mass of Kenyan scientists to address the challenging public health problems facing their society.