Epidemiology, Immunopathogenesis, and Outcomes of Non-traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in Uganda

我的职业目标是成为一名独立的研究者，在神经炎性疾病领域， 乌干达各种神经炎性疾病在乌干达很常见，但这些疾病的治疗效果很差。 明白在乌干达只有少数受过训练的神经学家，很少有研究人员专注于 了解神经系统疾病。因此，在这方面的专门知识存在重大差距，我希望 通过这个K43计划，我可以通过获得专业知识来发展我的职业生涯，以填补这一空白， 乌干达神经炎性疾病的流行病学和发病机制。 这个K43奖将为我提供必要的支持，以完成以下目标： 1.设计和执行亚热带地区神经系统疾病的流行病学研究和临床试验 撒哈拉非洲。了解神经系统疾病的流行病学并设计干预措施， 改善神经科患者的护理，我需要额外的培训和经验， 流行病学和生物统计学以及临床试验的设计和执行。 2.神经炎症和中枢神经系统感染。了解病因， 神经炎症的发病机制，我将需要额外的培训和经验，有关神经 临床评估、中枢神经系统感染和神经炎症。 3.翻译和实施研究 在我未来的职业生涯中，我的目标是将基础科学研究与临床应用联系起来。本次培训 经验将帮助我在开发新项目时将研究结果从实验室转化到床边， 随着我事业的发展我也有兴趣学习如何翻译基于证据的干预措施 实践和政策。 我已经召集了一个导师团队，包括以下人员：主要研究导师-Boulware博士 （流行病学和生物统计学，传染病）和梅亚博士（免疫学，传染病），和博士。 Bohjanen（微生物学和免疫学，传染病），Meyer博士（神经病学，流行病学， Katabira教授（艾滋病毒感染的神经病学）和Andrew Kambugu博士（感染性 临床研究）。 对于这个k43奖，我将调查流行病学，病因学和发病机制的非创伤性脊髓 损伤我将寻求：（1）.确定乌干达非创伤性脊髓损伤（SCI）的病因，（2） 确定特发性横肌萎缩症的CSF免疫特征是否可以根据 急性横肌萎缩症的已知感染病因。(3)为了确定人口统计学、临床和 非创伤性脊髓损伤（SCI）患者预后不良的免疫学预测因子。 该项目将作为K奖结束前R 01申请的基础。

My career goal is to become an independent investigator in the field of neuroinflammatory disorders in Uganda. A variety of neuroinflammatory disorders are common in Uganda, but these disorders are poorly understood. There are only a handful of trained neurologists in Uganda and very few researchers focusing on understanding neurological disorders. Thus, there is a major gap in expertise in this area, and I wish to develop my career to fill this gap through this K43 program by gaining expertise that I can apply to investigating the epidemiology and pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory conditions in Uganda. This K43Award will provide me the support necessary to complete the following goals: 1. Design and execution of Epidemiological studies and clinical trials of neurological conditions in Sub- Saharan Africa. To understand the epidemiology of neurological conditions and design interventions for improving care among neurology patients, I will need additional training and experience related to epidemiology and biostatistics and in design and execution of clinical trials. 2. Neuroinflammation and infections of the central nervous system. To understand the etiology and pathogenesis of neuroinflammation, I will need additional training and experience related to neurological clinical assessments, infections of the central nervous system and neuroinflammation. 3. Translational and implementation research In my future career, I aim to bridge basic science research to clinical application and back. This training and experience will help me to translate findings from bench to bedside and back as I develop new projects as my career develops. I would also be interested in learning how to translate evidence based interventions to practice and policy. I have assembled a team of mentors comprising of the following: primary research mentors-Drs.Boulware (epidemiology and biostatics, infectious diseases) and Dr. Meya (immunology, infectious diseases), and Dr. Bohjanen (microbiology and immunology, infectious diseases) ,Dr. Meyer (neurology, epidemiology of neurological conditions) Prof. Katabira (neurology in HIV infection) and Dr Andrew Kambugu (infectious diseases, clinical research). For this k43 award, I will investigate epidemiology, etiology and pathogenesis of non-traumatic spinal cord injury. I will seek to: (1).To define the etiologies of non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in Uganda, (2) To determine if the CSF immune signature of idiopathic transverse myelitis can be grouped according to the known infectious etiologies of acute transverse myelitis. (3) To determine the demographic, clinical, and immunologic predictors of poor outcome among individuals with non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). This project will serve as a basis for an R01 application before the end of the K award.