Sickle cell disease (SCD) is marked by chronic hemolysis, systemic endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and vascular occlusion, leading to severe pain, multi-organ damage, and a median lifespan of 48 years in high-income countries. Young adults with progressive heart, lung, or kidney damage are at heightened risk for premature death.

Anemia, defined by low hemoglobin content in the blood, is common in pregnancy, impairing the health of the mother as well as babies. Although the condition can easily be treated with currently available supplements or infusions, anemia is detected too late or not at all.

The Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH), in collaboration with Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), organized the first workshop on biomedical informatics at UEM in September for the Vanderbilt-Mozambique Biomedical Informatics (VM-BMI) Training and Research Program.

The Vanderbilt-Mozambique Biomedical Informatics (VM-BMI) Training and Research Program is designed to sustainably equip Mozambican scientists with skills to advance progress towards HIV epidemic control through high-quality biomedical informatics (BMI)-based research relevant to the country.

Dr. Digna Velez-Edwards (VUMC) with workshop participants and Dr. Le Minh Giang (HMU) at the certificate ceremony.