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2023 VIRDE Scholars Complete Training at Vanderbilt

ridingkm — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:56:40 +0000

2023 VIRDE Scholars Complete Training at Vanderbilt ridingkm Tue, 11/21/2023 - 09:56 RSS:

The Vanderbilt Institute for Research Development and Ethics (VIRDE) welcomed eleven medical and public health professionals from Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia to Vanderbilt for a one-month training course in October 2023. The course covers grant writing and research ethics and is facilitated by the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH).

VIRDE scholars receive intensive training in research development and productivity, and the course is intended to further develop necessary skills to conduct responsible human subjects’ research and develop a grant proposal for submission. VIRDE trainees also complete specially tailored coursework in research ethics and integrity. Scholars are matched with a Vanderbilt faculty mentor to aid them in the grant development process.

During the month and under their mentor’s guidance, Scholars refine an NIH-style grant proposal. The month concludes with a mock study review session to provide proposal feedback. VIRDE Scholars receive a certificate on the completion of the course.

In over a decade, VIRDE has trained over 80 scholars from 16 countries. Results from the 10 year impact evaluation showed 83% of VIRDE alumni submitted grants after participating in VIRDE; 64% of them received funding. 91% were principal investigators (including co-PI and multi-PI). Grant funding comes from diverse sources including US and European government funds, national organizations, foundations, and pharmaceutical companies.

More information about the program’s outputs can be found in this BMC Medical Education article.

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Vanderbilt Institute for Research Development and Ethics (VIRDE), Holly Cassell

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V-RAMP Hosts Pre-Award Practicum for Research Administration Leaders in Collaboration with VIGH, Bayero University Kano, and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital

ridingkm — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:11:30 +0000

V-RAMP Hosts Pre-Award Practicum for Research Administration Leaders in Collaboration with VIGH, Bayero University Kano, and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital ridingkm Mon, 11/20/2023 - 14:11 RSS:

by Adeniyi Adeyemo, V-RAMP Program Manager at AKTH

Aimed at promoting effective leadership by strengthening skills and competencies of university research and grant administration leaders who work on funded programs in collaboration with VUMC, the Vanderbilt-Nigeria Research Administration and Grant Management Training Program (VRAMP) conducted a two-part V-RAMP Research Administration Leaders Pre-Award Practicum at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Nigeria in July and September 2023.The workshop was a collaboration between the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH), AKTH, and Bayero University Kano (BUK). Both workshops had 17 Research Administration Leaders in attendance selected from BUK, AKTH, Muritala Specialist Hospital, Kano, and Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna.

The practicum was led by AKTH research administrators who previously participated in V-RAMP, Global Research Administration Practicum (GRASP), Grant Administration International Network (GAIN), and Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI) trainings, alongside Holly Cassell (Assistant Director of Collaborative Relations) and Chelsea van Wyk (Senior Population/Public Health Manager), both research administration and grant management veterans from VIGH. The practicum focused on teaching the skills necessary to support research, faculty, and organizational development through a hands-on active learning practicum course structure that developed core pre-award leadership competencies to increase participants’ effectiveness as research and grant administrators. Also in attendance were professors Muktar Aliyu, Bill Wester, Zubairu Iliyasu, and Aliyu Abd.

Both parts of the practicum included deep dives into the grant lifecycle, finding funding strategies, the basics of grant budgets and development, and the component of biosketches required for submission to the NIH, including practical assessments of these skills.

The Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Professor Abdurahaman Abba Sheshe, represented by his deputy, declared the workshop open opening that “AKTH and BUK have now started gaining mastery in research administration.” Professor Zubairu Iliyasu, a Principal Investigator on the V-RAMP program and chairman of the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) in Nigeria, considered the workshop “A thorough practicum in every sense of the word”. Participants expressed their appreciation for the practicum structure of the workshop, which allowed for extended hands-on practice of key pre-award skills.

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Vanderbilt-Nigeria Research Administration and Management Training Program V-RAMP, William Wester, Muktar Aliyu, Holly Cassell, Chelsea van Wyk

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In collaboration with Sepiso Masenga, MSc, PhD, senior lecturer and researcher at Mulungushi University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Zambia, Annet Kirabo, DVM, MSc, PhD, associate professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center,

ridingkm — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 15:05:00 +0000

In collaboration with Sepiso Masenga, MSc, PhD, senior lecturer and researcher at Mulungushi University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Zambia, Annet Kirabo, DVM, MSc, PhD, associate professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, ridingkm Wed, 10/25/2023 - 10:05 RSS:

https://news.vumc.org/2023/10/25/study-to-explore-link-between-salt-taste-sensitivity-and-salt-intake-hypertension-and-genetic-variations-in-individuals-of-african-descent/

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Annet Kirabo, Sepiso Masenga, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

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Second-year MPH Students Use Shared Passion to Make a Global Impact

ridingkm — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 19:34:45 +0000

Second-year MPH Students Use Shared Passion to Make a Global Impact ridingkm Tue, 10/17/2023 - 14:34 RSS:

https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/blog/second-year-mph-students-use-shared-passion-to-make-a-global-impact/

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Vanderbilt Master of Public Health (MPH), VUSM Medical Students

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VIGH, partners get training grant to create vaccine-related research in Peru

ridingkm — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:06:01 +0000

VIGH, partners get training grant to create vaccine-related research in Peru ridingkm Mon, 07/24/2023 - 11:06 RSS:

https://news.vumc.org/2023/07/13/vigh-partners-get-training-grant-to-create-vaccine-related-research-in-peru

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Peru-Vanderbilt Prevention through Vaccination Training Program-PREVENT, Carlos Grijalva, Leigh Howard, Peru, Vaccinology, Infectious Disease

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VIGH hosts workshop on best practices in teaching methods and mentorship

ridingkm — Thu, 18 May 2023 21:56:35 +0000

VIGH hosts workshop on best practices in teaching methods and mentorship

Research-Training

ridingkm Thu, 05/18/2023 - 16:56 RSS:

Focusing on strengthening master’s level courses and programs at Bayero University Kano (BUK) in Nigeria, a team from the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health developed a two-week intensive course on theories and best practices in teaching methods and mentorship. The course, “Improving Didactic Educational Approaches to Learning Methods” (IDEAL), was developed by Chase Stober, Elizabeth Rose, EdD, MPH, Marie Martin, PhD, MEd, and Megan Davis. Seven faculty members from BUK attended this immersive course at Vanderbilt and have begun revising courses in BUK’s Master of Science in Public Health (MScPH) program.

The IDEAL course and subsequent MScPH course revisions are part of the NIH Fogarty International Center D43 grant, “Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH)-Bayero University Kano (BUK)-Vanderbilt: Developing Future Leaders in Child Neurology and Epilepsy Research” (ABV). ABV aims to provide research training and mentoring to physician-scientists in northern Nigeria under the leadership of Edwin Trevathan, MD, MPH and Zubairu Iliyasu, MPH (Glasg.), PhD (Shef.), FMCPH, FWACP. Through ABV, Faculty Fellows are mentored in developing new courses and enhancing current courses to strengthen the BUK MScPH program in training future research leaders.

IDEAL trainees learn teaching and learning theories to maximize students’ knowledge uptake and retention, create an inclusive and inviting learning environment, and mentor students in professional and personal development. Furthermore, IDEAL prepares faculty to mentor ABV Scholars and ABV Executive Scholars.

The IDEAL course is divided into five workshops exploring selected topics in teaching, student learning, course planning, and mentoring. Each workshop is led by Vanderbilt faculty and staff members in a thematic area corresponding to their expertise. The workshops are designed to be an interactive learning experience that aids trainees in developing, revising, and honing a course. Course activities and assessments include pre- and post-course tests, developing a teaching philosophy, revising a course syllabus, daily review presentations, and a final presentation.

NIH Fogarty International Center grant D43TW011949 supports the Vanderbilt IDEAL Program.

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Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital-Bayero University Kano-Vanderbilt: Developing Future Leaders in Child Neurology and Epilepsy Research -ABV , Nigeria, Elizabeth Rose, Marie Martin, Chase Stober, Non-Communicable Diseases

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VUSM Class of '23 Medical Student Receives U.S. Public Health Service Award

ridingkm — Fri, 12 May 2023 14:08:21 +0000

VUSM Class of '23 Medical Student Receives U.S. Public Health Service Award

Recognition and Awards

ridingkm Fri, 05/12/2023 - 09:08 RSS:

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (VUSM) graduate Daniel Sack, MD'23, PhD'22 received the 2023 Excellence in Public Health Award from the United States Public Health Service Physician Professional Advisory Committee (USPHS) for his commitment to improving HIV care and treatment outcomes, particularly among those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This award recognizes medical students' contributions to public health and support of health promotion and disease prevention. Dr. Marie Martin presented the award during VUSM's Class Day on May 11.

While at Vanderbilt, Dr. Sack pursued advanced training in epidemiology to understand population health at a higher level and equip himself with the tools to be an effective public health researcher, practitioner, and leader. As a long-standing member of VUSM's Diversity and Inclusion Council, he co-developed a 4-year curriculum for physician-scientists to codify antiracist programming into their medical school training. Dr. Sack worked with the Shade Tree Clinic (a student-run clinic for uninsured people in Nashville). He served as a clinical volunteer for five years. Other roles included Director of Operations and the Patient Assistance Program Co-Director, focusing on ensuring quality clinical care for underserved patients in the greater Nashville area.

With mentorship from Carolyn Audet, PhD, MSci, he led the validation of an empathy scale among HIV-positive couples participating in a partner-based intervention in Mozambique. He assessed both the didactic and longitudinal changes in empathy among control and intervention participants. His ability to manage large datasets to evaluate partners' impact - didactic pairs – is ideal for continuing his career working with couples in reproductive health settings.

In 2020, Dr. Sack received a grant from NIH's Fogarty International Center, which supported his research on the importance of male partner support during pregnancy among women living with HIV in rural South Africa. He developed interview guides and trained South African interviewers to begin data collection on his proposed study. Working closely with Dr. Audet, who was in-country, they enrolled HIV+ pregnant women for quantitative surveys about their intimate partner relationships. Daniel led weekly team meetings with two field workers, their supervisor, and a collaborator in South Africa.

In February of 2022, after successfully defending his dissertation, Dr. Sack visited South Africa to facilitate the final portion of clinical data collection. Three manuscripts and a grant application from this work are underway.

While in Nashville during COVID-19, he expanded his interest in the importance of male partner support during pregnancy to a new population: women with substance use disorder (SUD). Dr. Sack amended his South African protocol to fit the cultural and clinical context of Nashville and had the opportunity to conduct interviews. He gained participants' trust, identified challenges pregnant women with SUD faced obtaining stigma-free health care, and learned their preferences for partner support throughout their treatment journey.

Dr. Sack was matched into the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and will complete his residency in Medicine.

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VUSM Graduate Receives 2023 Vermund Award for Excellence in Global Health

ridingkm — Mon, 08 May 2023 15:34:30 +0000

VUSM Graduate Receives 2023 Vermund Award for Excellence in Global Health

Education and Training, Recognition and Awards

ridingkm Mon, 05/08/2023 - 10:34 RSS:

Sten H. Vermund Award for Excellence in Global Health
Alexander S. Mina

The Sten H. Vermund Award for Excellence in Global Health recognizes the graduating medical student who has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the health of the people of or from low- or middle-income countries through distinguished scholarship, education, and/or contributions to the improvement of clinical care. The award was established in 2017 to honor Dr. Sten H. Vermund, the founding director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health.

Alexander “Alex” Mina has demonstrated a strong and impressive commitment to global health surgery, research, and quality improvement while studying at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. His work exemplifies Dr. Vermund’s commitment to sustainable, equitable, and intentional global health partnerships. During his third and fourth years in medical school, Alex spent four months at AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya, completing two clinical rotations, a QI project, and a research project. Reflecting on his time in Kenya, Alex said, “this was one of the best experiences of my life. The relationships, the impact, the continuity, and the power of witnessing change inspired me to be the best I can be to serve others.” Alex was both impacted by his global health engagement and left a lasting impact on the communities where he worked.

Alex compared two-hour, one-hour, and zero-hour fasting policies on patient outcomes in pediatric surgery for his quality improvement project. Alex, who taught himself Swahili while in Kenya, translated documents into Swahili, interviewed patients before surgery, and identified stakeholders for policy change. Demonstrating collaborative global health work, he worked with a local pediatric surgery fellow who completed the first project phase and presented at a Kenyan national conference. Alex returned nine months later to initiate the second phase of the project. The outcomes of this project informed a change in hospital policy to significantly decrease fasting times for pediatric anesthesiology, improving patient experiences without impacting clinical outcomes.

Continuing to work closely with the Kenyan team, Alex conducted a global surgery research immersion project on central line-associated bloodstream infection rates and established a pediatric central line database at AIC Kijabe Hospital. His work included collecting data and analyzing patient demographics, catheter specifications, procedural techniques, and their impact on complications and infection rates. He presented these findings at multiple conferences, including at the Tennessee Chapter of the American College of Surgeons conference and the Academic Surgical Congress. This database provides hospital staff with a better understanding of infection rates and causes and will be a valuable resource in decreasing infections.

Alex has also been involved in global health on campus and the Nashville community. He serves as the Vice President of the Global Surgery Student Alliance, provides clinical care at Shade Tree Clinic (a clinic for underinsured or uninsured people), and presented at the Vanderbilt Global Health Symposium. After earning his MD in May 2023, Alex will attend Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas for residency in general surgery.

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VZCARE hosts cancer epidemiology workshop in Zambia

ridingkm — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 16:00:08 +0000

VZCARE hosts cancer epidemiology workshop in Zambia ridingkm Tue, 03/21/2023 - 11:00 RSS:

By Perfect Shankalala, Program Manager, University of Zambia

This workshop was organized through a collaboration between University of Zambia and the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH), the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC). It trained researchers and educators with advanced cancer epidemiology and knowledge to design and implement cancer epidemiology research in Zambia.

The Vanderbilt-Zambia Cancer Research Training Program (VZCARE) hosted a cancer epidemiology workshop in Zambia from the 6th to the 9th of February 2023. The workshop aimed to train researchers and educators with advanced cancer epidemiology and knowledge to design and implement cancer epidemiology research in Zambia. This workshop was organized through a collaboration between University of Zambia and the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH), the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) through a five-year training grant funded by the National Cancer Institute to support cancer epidemiology research training in Zambia.

The 140 workshop attendees included participants from Zambia Ministry of Health, Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH), University Teaching Hospital, University of Zambia, and Levy Mwanawasa Medical University, as well as researchers and research administrators from within and outside the university communities. Dr. Violet Kayamba, Zambian Program Director for VZCARE, and Prof. Douglas Heimburger from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Co-Principal Investigator of the project, welcomed participants.

The workshop incorporated various aspects of cancer epidemiology methods and principles, including Introduction to cancer epidemiology; Introduction to molecular epidemiology; Introduction to cancer biology; Lifestyles, nutrition, and cancer; Infection and cancer; Microbiome and cancer; Genetic epidemiology of cancer; Zambian studies on biomarkers for cancer; Using biomarkers of exogenous exposure in cancer epidemiology research; Biological sample collection, processing, and storage; Zambian laws on sharing biological samples and data; Cancer prognosis and survivorship; Cancer outcomes research with breast cancer as an example; Survey research; and Cancer epidemiology research already conducted in Zambia. VZCARE PhD candidates presented their preliminary research proposals and received feedback from workshop faculty and attendees. Workshop attendees were highly engaged in the discussions, praised the workshop's significance, and appreciated the opportunity to learn from the knowledge and experience of the workshop faculty.

Workshop faculty and organizers included Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty Prof. Xiao Ou Shu, Associate Director for Global Health and Co-Leader of the Cancer Epidemiology Research Program at VICC; Prof. Dr. Douglas Heimburger from VIGH; Prof. Wei Zheng, Professor and Director, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center; Dr. Martha Shrubsole, Research Professor of Medicine; Dr. Loren Lipworth, Professor of Medicine; Qiuyin Cai, Professor of Medicine; and Staci Sudenga, Assistant Professor of Medicine. Dr. Kaonda Mususu, Acting Director for the Directorate of Research and Graduate Studies (DRGS) at the University of Zambia also provided instruction. The workshop was directed and coordinated by Prof. Wilbroad Mutale, VZCARE UNZA Principal Investigator; Dr. Violet Kayamba, VZCARE Co-Investigator; Mr. Perfect Shankalala, VZCARE Training Coordinator; and Ms. Linda Kampata, Grants Manager.

This activity is supported by the National Cancer Institute of the US National Institutes of Health under Award Number D43CA270474.

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Vanderbilt-Zambia Cancer Research Training Program-VZCARE, Epidemiology, Xiao-Ou Shu, Douglas Heimburger, Zambia, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

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UVP holds grant writing workshop in Zambia

ridingkm — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 16:21:15 +0000

UVP holds grant writing workshop in Zambia ridingkm Wed, 03/01/2023 - 10:21 RSS:

By Perfect Shankalala, Program Manager, University of Zambia

The UNZA-Vanderbilt Training Partnership for HIV-NCD Research (UVP-2) hosted a grant writing workshop for Zambian researchers and UNZA faculty members from the 13th to the 16th of February, 2023. The workshop is part of a longstanding collaboration between the University of Zambia/University Teaching Hospital (UNZA/UTH), Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), and the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH). This year's workshop was held under the theme "Moving Toward Research Independence, Acquiring and Managing Research Grants."

The sixty-five workshop attendees included participants from the Zambia Ministry of Health, University Teaching Hospital, University of Zambia, Levy Mwanawasa Medical University, and researchers and research administrators from within and outside the university community, plus two members from Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria. Prof. Wilbroad Mutale, Zambian PI for the UVP-2 Project, and Prof. Douglas Heimburger from Vanderbilt University Medical Center welcomed participants.

The workshop incorporated various aspects of grantsmanship, including an introduction to funding sources, fundamentals of research careers, key grants components, grants review and administration, and research regulation with specific reference to Zambian and UNZA systems. Facilitators also instructed workshop attendees in research ethics with a particular focus on research misconduct and ethics of authorship. The workshop offered an opportunity for intense question-and-answer sessions that were highly interactive, participatory, and stimulating to participants. UVP-2-supported PhD and Postdoctoral trainees shared their research proposals with the audience and received input from researchers in attendance. Workshop attendees highlighted the workshop's significance and appreciated the opportunity to learn from the knowledge and experience of the workshop faculty.

Opening ceremony attendees included Dr. Choolwe Jacobs, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the UNZA School of Public Health; Prof. Douglas Heimburger from Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Dr. Elizabeth Rose, Global Health Education Specialist, Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health; Dr. Halwiindi Hikabasa, Dean of the UNZA School of Public Health; and Dr. Kaonda Mususu, Acting Director of UNZA's Directorate of Research and Graduate Studies (DRGS). The workshop was directed and coordinated by Prof. Wilbroad Mutale, UVP-2 Principal Investigator; Dr. Violet Kayamba, UVP-2 Training Director; Mr. Perfect Shankalala, UVP-2 Training Coordinator; and Ms. Linda Kampata, Grants Manager.

This activity is supported by the Fogarty International Center of the US National Institutes of Health under Award Number D43 TW009744

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UNZA-Vanderbilt Training Partnership for HIV-Nutrition-Metabolic Research (UVP), Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Doug Heimburger, Elizabeth Rose

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Team of Vanderbilt experts selected to develop low-cost training tools aimed at expanding global access to minimally invasive surgeries

ridingkm — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:02:00 +0000

Team of Vanderbilt experts selected to develop low-cost training tools aimed at expanding global access to minimally invasive surgeries ridingkm Fri, 02/17/2023 - 09:02 RSS:

https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2023/02/06/team-of-vanderbilt-experts-selected-to-develop-low-cost-training-tools-aimed-at-expanding-global-access-to-minimally-invasive-surgeries/

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Rondi Kauffmann, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

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Edwards Vaccinology and Infectious Diseases Symposium 2023

ridingkm — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 15:01:39 +0000

Edwards Vaccinology and Infectious Diseases Symposium 2023 ridingkm Tue, 02/07/2023 - 09:01 RSS:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/edwards-vaccinology-and-infectious-diseases-symposium-2023-tickets-439103740107

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Events, Vanderbilt Vaccine Center

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Were named to lead DBMI’s diversity initiatives

ridingkm — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 14:53:29 +0000

Were named to lead DBMI’s diversity initiatives ridingkm Tue, 02/07/2023 - 08:53 RSS:

https://news.vumc.org/2023/02/02/were-named-to-lead-dbmis-diversity-initiatives/

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Martin Were

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Academic Global Health Programs: How Were They Affected by the Pandemic?

ridingkm — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 16:20:31 +0000

Academic Global Health Programs: How Were They Affected by the Pandemic? ridingkm Fri, 12/02/2022 - 10:20 RSS:

Elizabeth Rose, EdD, MPH, MEd, and colleagues, recently published their study, “COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Academic Global Health Programs: Results of a Large International Survey,” in Annals of Global Health (volume 88, issue 1). Using surveys and interviews, these investigators evaluated the effects of the pandemic on educational, research, and administrative aspects of Academic Global Health Programs (AGHPs) worldwide. This study is the first of its kind to investigate the impact of the pandemic on AGHPs. As interest in global health has grown over the years, the number of AGHPs has increased and understanding the impacts of these programs are vital to planning for and working toward equity in the global health field.

The team had several key findings regarding education, research, and administration in AGHPs. In education, most programs reported well-coordinated responses and adapted by shifting to virtual teaching, and interviewees described a desire to maintain a level of hybrid teaching. AGHPs displayed promising adaptiveness in their rapid shift to remote training. However, not everyone had equal access to internet connectivity and computers, and work is needed to level the field.

Research initiatives were more negatively impacted as travel halted. The impact on scholarly outputs and funding in education and research spaces was variable within and across countries. Scholarly output tended to decrease or remain neutral among AGHPs, with greater negative effects for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) than for high-income countries (HICs). Changes in research funding depended on the institution. Some respondents described a decrease in funds because of reallocations to research focused on COVID-19, while others noted freeing up funds due to no travel costs as researchers shifted their work remotely.

Finally, when considering effects of the pandemic on the administration of AGHPs, HIC administrators reported more suspensions of incoming/outgoing travel, demonstrating higher risk-averse tendencies. Among HIC administrators, there was more of a focus on outgoing travel to LMICs, reinforcing the common notion of global health work being unidirectional from HICs to LMICs.

The team’s findings have several implications for AGHPs and the global health field as a whole. Most significantly, the pandemic has introduced some beneficial changes to AGHPs, including a shift to online learning and remote research collaborations. Most respondents documented that virtual collaboration and teaching will remain a part of curricula. Online platforms have the ability to expand collaborations and reduce costs for travel, which can be reallocated to research or other improvements within AGHPs. Understanding these findings and leveraging the benefits of remote collaborations could help increase worldwide access and contributions to global health education and research, possibly contributing to a greater equalization of this field.

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Elizabeth Rose

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Grant administrators from five countries complete training at Vanderbilt

ridingkm — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 20:49:43 +0000

Grant administrators from five countries complete training at Vanderbilt ridingkm Mon, 11/14/2022 - 14:49 RSS:

The Global Research Administration Practicum (GRASP) Program, developed by grant administrators from the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH), welcomed 17 grant administrators from Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and South Africa to Vanderbilt for a three-week training practicum in October and November 2022. The goal of this practicum was to promote effective leadership in grants management by guiding administrative leaders in strengthening competencies to successfully administer sponsored projects, lead grant administration teams, and develop grant administration training programs at their institutions. Through an active learning workshop structure, participants developed advanced pre- and post-award leadership competencies and practical skills to increase their effectiveness as grant administrators, with all GRASP participants receiving a certificate on the completion of the program.

Practicum trainees shared that “prior to this training certain concepts in the research administration landscape were somewhat of a mystery,” but “with this in-depth practical training and transparency it’s as though a light has been shone to reveal the way forward.” According to GRASP trainee Beatriz Chongo, “When I started working at the Office of Project Support I had no idea of what Research Management was and when asked to find institutional grant funding we were just using Google to search for it, feeling so frustrated. Attending GRASP helped me to understand the full spectrum of research administration and grants office infrastructure. This was truly an amazing experience, and now I know exactly what is supposed to be done when I return home.” GRASP Course Director Ann Green shared that “in addition to achieving the practicum goal of jointly creating concrete deliverables for grant administration, witnessing the network strengthen among partners and the sharing of resources and best practices has been so rewarding.”

GRASP Participating Organizations:

The Aurum Institute NPC, Johannesburg, South Africa
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano, Nigeria
University Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), Maputo, Mozambique
University of Liberia College of Health Sciences ULCHS, Monrovia, Liberia
University of Sierra Leone College of Medicine & Allied Health Sciences COMAHS, Freetown, Sierra Leone

The GRASP program is supported by the following grants:

APER (Fogarty International Center, G11TW011529)
BRIDGE-U (USAID, 7200AA21CA00010)
Molemolemo (NIH/NIAID, G11AI169624)
PREVSL (Fogarty International Center, 5U2RTW011248)
VRAMP (Fogarty International Center, G11TW011819)

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Holly Cassell, Ann Green, UEM-Vanderbilt Academic Partnership for Enhancements in Research-APER, Bringing Research to Impact for Development, Global Engagement, and Utilization - BRIDGE-U, The Partnership for Research in Emerging Viral Infections-Sierra Leone-PREVSL, Vanderbilt-Nigeria Research Administration and Management Training Program V-RAMP

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2022 VIRDE Scholars Complete Training at Vanderbilt

ridingkm — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 19:44:25 +0000

2022 VIRDE Scholars Complete Training at Vanderbilt ridingkm Mon, 11/07/2022 - 13:44 RSS:

The Vanderbilt Institute for Research Development and Ethics (VIRDE) welcomed eleven medical and public health professionals from Argentina, Brazil, Haiti, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia to Vanderbilt for a one-month training course in October 2022. The course covers grant writing and research ethics and is facilitated by the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH).

Since its establishment in 2009, 70 scholars have completed the VIRDE program, and 54% percent of their grant submissions were awarded. More information about the program’s outputs can be found in this BMC Medical Education article.

2022 VIRDE Scholars

Aishatu Adamu, MBBS, MSC, Public Health Physician, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Aishatu Nalado, MBBS, PhD, FWACP, Consultant Nephrologist, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano, Nigeria

Anas Ismail, MBBS, MD, Associate Professor, Consultant Radiologist, Department of Radiology, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Artur Trancoso Lopo de Queiroz, PhD, Public Health Researcher, Bioinformatics, FIOCRUZ - Fundação Osvaldo Cruz, Brazil

Ellen Besa, PhD, MSc, Research Scientist, Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition Group, Zambia

Fatima Damagum Mohammed, MBBS, Consultant Family Physician, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Florida Joseph Muro, MD, MSc, PhD, Head of Community Health Department, KCMC, Tanzania

Pablo D. Radusky, PhD, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Buenos Aires; Associate Social Researcher, Fundación Huésped, Argentina

Reena Sehgal, PhD, MA, Research Associate, Public Health Foundation of India, India

Samuel Pierre, MD, Clinical Research Site Coordinator, GHESKIO, Haiti

Sepiso K. Masenga, BSc, MSc, PhD, Head of Department Physiological Sciences, Mulungushi University, Zambia

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Vanderbilt Institute for Research Development and Ethics (VIRDE), Holly Cassell, Ann Green

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Pilot study seeks to understand and address health care worker burnout in Mozambique

ridingkm — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 17:37:26 +0000

Pilot study seeks to understand and address health care worker burnout in Mozambique ridingkm Wed, 10/26/2022 - 12:37 RSS:

Working in collaboration with Friends in Global Health (FGH), the Vanderbilt Institute of Global Health (VIGH) will collect interview data from health care workers to understand the challenges they face, the frustrations they feel, and the support they receive while providing HIV care and delivery in public hospitals. The VIGH and FGH teams will use this data to design and pilot two psychosocial interventions aimed at improving health care workers' mental health. The study team expects treatment retention of newly initiated HIV patients will improve at health facilities in Mozambique where health care workers receive this support.

Carolyn Audet, PhD, MSci, Associate Director for Research at the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health and associate professor of Health Policy at VUMC, will lead the project.

“We are excited to work with the Ministry of Health in Mozambique to develop interventions that can improve the mental health of health care workers in rural parts of the country. We believe that if we can improve the well-being of health care workers, we can reduce staff turnover and improve the quality of care provided at the facility,” said Audet.

While Mozambique has progressed towards its UNAIDS 95% goals for HIV testing, treatment, and viral suppression rates, only 65% of people newly initiated in HIV treatment remain in care at 12 months. One reason people do not engage in HIV treatment is the lack of compassionate health care services.

“I have been working in Mozambique as clinician and advisor, and understand the many challenges of long queues, lack of medication you need for the patient in front of you, bad infrastructure, just to name a few. This grant is a unique opportunity to work with health care professionals who are facing these working conditions day by day, and hopefully can improve how they feel and thus how they act. To be able to care for another, you need to care for yourself,” said Caroline De Schacht, MD, PhD, Evaluations Director at Friends in Global Health, who will oversee project implementation and is the Mozambican study lead.

With more than a decade of experience developing and testing HIV and associated mental health interventions in Mozambique, VIGH and FGH teams will implement Estamos Juntos (We are Together) to test a multi-prong intervention designed to address provider barriers to delivering compassionate care through two synergistic components:

Resilience and well-being training for health care providers who have expressed low job satisfaction, frustration with delivering care in an extremely resource-limited setting, and burnout
Anti-stigma training for health care providers who treat patients with low socioeconomic status, and different beliefs about disease causation and treatment, as well as those non-adherent to their medication differently than they would expect treatment for themselves or their own families

This combination of two potentially high-impact interventions offers the opportunity to test a low-cost, provider-focused approach to improving HIV treatment. The team will explore a clinical trial designed to improve provider and patient health outcomes if the pilot effectively increases adherence and retention in care.

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Carolyn Audet, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Mozambique, Friends in Global Health

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Martin Were joins team to develop point-of-care detection of jaundice in newborns for all skin tones

ridingkm — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 16:08:23 +0000

Martin Were joins team to develop point-of-care detection of jaundice in newborns for all skin tones ridingkm Thu, 10/20/2022 - 11:08 RSS:

https://engineering.vanderbilt.edu/news/2022/audrey-bowden-receives-nih-funding-to-develop-point-of-care-detection-of-jaundice-in-newborns/

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Martin Were, Nigeria, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Biomedical Informatics

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V-RAMP Conducts a Post-Award Training Workshop at Partner Site, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, in Nigeria

ridingkm — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 16:46:50 +0000

V-RAMP Conducts a Post-Award Training Workshop at Partner Site, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, in Nigeria ridingkm Wed, 10/12/2022 - 11:46 RSS:

By Adeniyi Adeyemo, V-RAMP Program Manager at AKTH

To promote effective leadership in grants management and research administration, the Vanderbilt-Nigeria Research Administration and Management Training Program (V-RAMP) conducted a Post-Award Training Workshop at its Nigeria partner site, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), in September 2022. The workshop was a collaboration between the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH), AKTH and Bayero University Kano (BUK). The workshop was declared open by Professor Abdurahaman Sheshe, the Chief Medical Director of AKTH, who was ably represented by Dr. Idris Abubakar.

The 26 workshop participants included researchers and research administrators from within and outside the university community. Dr. Muktar Aliyu, VIGH Director and V-RAMP PI, welcomed faculty and participants. Professor Aliyu Abdu explained the ground rules for the workshop and introduced faculty and scholars from Nigeria and Nashville, who impacted participants with their expertise.

Other faculty at the workshop included Ms. Holly Cassell (Assistant Director for Collaborative Relations, VIGH), Professor Zubairu Iliyasu (Professor of Community Medicine at AKTH/BUK and Chair, National Health Research Ethics Committee of Nigeria), Professor Aliyu Abdu (Head of Internal Medicine, BUK) and Professor Hadiza Galadanchi (Director, African Center of Excellence for Population and Health Policy).

With a focus on NIH standards, this blend of professionals and select AKTH research administrators addressed topics including Notice of Grant Awards, Just in Time requests, Other Support Documents, monitoring sponsored projects, indirect cost principles, basic financial reporting, allowable costs, contracting processes, ethical concerns in international research, effort reporting, United States Government compliance rules, Federal Financial Reports, Audits, Closeout, Progress Tracking, and Time Management.

Participants attested to a high-quality, well-delivered, and enjoyable workshop, and look forward to attending future training workshops.

Participant Directory List

Event Photos Link

This work is supported by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number G11TW011819.

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Vanderbilt-Nigeria Research Administration and Management Training Program V-RAMP, Holly Cassell, Muktar Aliyu

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New Vice Chairs for Global Surgery

ridingkm — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 14:32:38 +0000

New Vice Chairs for Global Surgery ridingkm Thu, 09/29/2022 - 09:32 RSS:

https://news.vumc.org/2022/09/29/kauffmann-named-vice-chair-for-global-surgery/

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Rondi Kauffmann, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Global Surgery, Michael Dewan

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Pilot study seeks to understand and address health care worker burnout in Mozambique

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Alexander S. Mina