University of Ghana Medical School, Ghana

Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases

University of Ghana, Accra

Dr. Elijah Paintsil, Associate Professor at Yale, Dr. Michael Wilson, Professor of Parasitology at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and Dr. Margaret Yaa Lartey, Associate Professor of Medicine, Dean of the University of Ghana Medical School, have been collaborating for more than 10 years as part of the Ghana-Yale Partnership for Global Health (GYPGH). The long-term goal of GYPGH is to build intrinsic research capacity and reverse “brain-drain” by strengthening academic infrastructures and creating viable career opportunities for young scientists. The objectives of the partnership include: 1) supporting collaborative research between faculty at the University of Ghana and Yale; and 2) training young scientists at both institutions for a productive career in globally important infectious diseases research. There are two training sites in Ghana: (1) Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) for clinical research training; and (2) Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) for basic science, translational and field-based research training. KBTH is the premier health care facility in the country. It is the only tertiary hospital in the southern part of Ghana and it is the teaching hospital affiliated with University of Ghana Medical School, the country’s first medical school. KBTH was built in 1923 and how has 2000 hospital beds with 17 clinical and diagnostic departments and centers of excellence. NMIMR was established in 1979 as a semi-autonomous biomedical institute of the University of Ghana. The mandate of NMIMR is to: (1) conduct research into health problems of public health importance; (2) provide training opportunities for postgraduate students in medical research; and (3) provide specialized laboratory diagnostic and monitoring services in support of public health programs.

Initially, NMIMR’s infrastructure development and research support was provided by four 5-year Grant Aids from the Government of Japan through its development agency, JICA. From 2000, the institute broadened its research capacities to attract funds from other sources, including NIH, USAID, Wellcome Trust, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Danish International Development Agency, among others. Now, the site provides training opportunities in emerging and reemerging infectious diseases (viral, bacterial, and parasitic), including neglected tropical diseases.

Dr. Paintsil received his medical training in Ghana before proceeding to the US for postdoc training. After his training he joined the Pediatric Infectious Diseases faculty at Yale in 2005. In 2006, Dr. Paintsil formed the GYPGH with his colleagues at Yale and in Ghana. Dr. Paintsil has extended his research to Ghana through this initiative. In collaboration with Drs. Renner and Lartey, the team has mentored 8 Doris Duke International Research Fellows in Ghana. In keeping with its mission to build sustainable human capacity, the GYPGH has sponsored 25 students, faculty and staff from Ghana to spend up to two months at Yale, where they participate in the annual Summer Research Institute and receive intensive mentorship at various Yale labs. Dr. Wilson is the co-director of the GYPGH and he has trained and mentored several trainees (undergrad and MD, MPH, PhD candidates) from Yale who have spent time at NMIMR in Ghana.