Mentorship and Patient-Oriented Research in Tuberculosis, HIV and Global Health

简介（由申请人提供）：尼尔·甘地，医学博士，埃默里大学罗林斯公共卫生学院的一名内科科学家，80%的精力致力于以患者为导向的研究（POR）。他通过K24职业中期研究者奖寻求资助，以扩大他在耐药结核病、艾滋病毒和全球卫生方面的POR项目，并指导这些领域的临床研究人员。耐药结核病和艾滋病毒之间的交叉是一个新出现的全球公共卫生问题，威胁到十年来在结核病控制方面取得的成果。除了培养一批在结核病/艾滋病毒和全球卫生扶贫方面受过培训的科学家外，越来越需要在结核病基因组学、免疫学和治疗学方面进行创新研究。甘地博士在过去十年中一直致力于结核病/艾滋病毒和全球卫生方面的临床、流行病学和转化研究，包括迄今为止成功指导24名学员的良好记录。埃默里大学通过其学位课程（公共卫生硕士、硕士、博士）、博士后奖学金和多学科中心（CTSA、CFAR、全球健康）为临床研究人员的培训提供了一个强大的环境。在这个非常有利的培训环境中，甘地博士创建了一个全面的指导计划，重点关注假设驱动研究的设计和负责任的行为，以帮助受训者成为独立的研究者。K24奖将极大地促进PI的近期和长期职业目标，其中包括：1)了解全基因组测序如何进一步阐明耐药结核病流行的获得性耐药和传播机制；2)提高他的人类免疫学知识，为未来研究hiv感染者中结核病易感性增加提供信息；3)扩大临床试验技能，以促进耐药结核病和结核/艾滋病毒试验的设计和实施；4)加强对以患者为导向的结核病、艾滋病毒和全球卫生研究领域的学员的指导结构和内容。该奖项将利用美国国立卫生研究院资助的多个南非耐药结核病和艾滋病毒研究框架，研究两个新的特定研究目标：1)检查在耐多药结核病患者中出现的结核分枝杆菌基因组多态性，这些患者对治疗产生额外的耐药性；2)研究全基因组测序在鉴定大基因型簇中广泛耐药结核病传播微簇方面的增量产量。K24奖将使甘地博士能够继续他在结核病、艾滋病毒和全球卫生方面非常成功的研究项目，并指导这一重要研究领域的下一代研究人员。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Neel Gandhi, M.D., is a physician-scientist at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health with 80% effort dedicated to patient-oriented research (POR). He seeks funding through the K24 Midcareer Investigator Award to expand his POR program in drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), HIV and global health, and to mentor clinical investigators in these areas. The intersection between drug-resistant TB and HIV is an emerging global public health issue which threatens a decade of gains in TB control. There is a growing need for innovative research in TB genomics, immunology, and therapeutics, in addition to developing a pool of scientists trained in TB/HIV and global health POR. Dr. Gandhi has demonstrated a commitment to clinical, epidemiologic and translational research in TB/HIV and global health over the past decade, including a strong record of successfully mentoring 24 trainees, to date. Emory University provides a robust environment for training clinical investigators through its degree programs (MPH, MS, PhD), post-doctoral fellowships and multi-disciplinary centers (CTSA, CFAR, Global Health). Within this highly conducive training environment, Dr. Gandhi has created a comprehensive mentoring program that focuses on the design and responsible conduct of hypothesis-driven research to assist trainees in becoming independent investigators. This K24 award will greatly facilitate the PI's immediate and long-term career goals, which include to: 1) Understand how whole genome sequencing can further elucidate mechanisms of acquired resistance and transmission in drug- resistant TB epidemics; 2) Advance his knowledge of human immunology to inform future studies of increased TB susceptibility among HIV-infected individuals; 3) Expand clinical trials skills to facilitate the design and implementation of drug-resistant TB and TB/HIV trials; and 4) Enhance the structure and content of his mentorship of trainees pursuing careers in patient- oriented TB, HIV and Global Health research. This award will utilize a framework of multiple NIH-funded studies in drug-resistant TB and HIV in South Africa to investigate two novel specific research aims: 1) To examine polymorphisms in the M.tuberculosis genome which arise among MDR TB subjects who develop additional resistance on treatment, and 2) To investigate the incremental yield of whole genome sequencing in identifying micro-clusters of XDR TB transmission in large genotypic clusters. The K24 award will allow Dr. Gandhi to continue his highly-successful research program in TB, HIV and global health, and mentor the next generation of investigators in this vital research field.