The Global Infectious Diseases (GID) Training Award

The GLOBAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES (GID) training award from the Fogarty International Center on “Tsetse Transmitted Trypanosomiasis Control” has allowed us to build research capacity in the area of tsetse fly transmitted diseases. In this program, we collaborate with the Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Center (TRC, now the newly organized Biotechnology Research Institute of Kenyan Agricultural Livestock Research Institute). TRC and Yale developed a strong program in Kenya and Uganda, which collaborates with Eastern Africa Network for Trypanosomes (EANETT), a consortium of the lead research institutions from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan and the recently co-opted institutions from Malawi, Angola and Congo where disease still prevails. In this training program, we had PhD student training positions as well as junior faculty short term training activities and a number of thematic workshops pertinent for skill building in critical areas. The workshops addressed both field and lab activities and were in the fields of Vector Biology, Vector Bioinformatics, Vector Functional Genomics, Parasite Transmission Biology, GIS Applications, Principles of Vector Ecology and Evolutionary Biology among others. An essential component was building GLP and RCR procedures as well as developing skills for Grantsmanship and Manuscript Writing/submission processes. The program also allowed for the training of many YSPH MPH students and postdoctoral fellows who participated in the ongoing research projects as well as workshops given in the endemic settings.

As part of this training program and our ongoing Research Collaborative grants, we have made strong links with BRI (Grace Murilla, co-PI) and ICIPE in Kenya and with NaLIRRI (Loyce Okedi, co-PI), Makerere University (Prof. John Enyaru and Enock Matova) and Gulu University (Elizabeth Opiyo, co-PI) in Uganda.