PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This is an application for the D43 Chronic, Non-Communicable Diseases and Disorders Across the Lifespan:
Fogarty International Research Training Award. Drs. Mark Kaddumukasa, Elly Katabira and Martha Sajatovic
have over 70 years combined experience-mentoring investigators in neurological and mental health-related
research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) will serve as Multiple Principal Investigators in this
training program.
The proposed grant builds on the highly successful Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and
aims at developing a joint training program between Makerere College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) and
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) to 1) provide targeted training and mentorship for individualized
neurological disorders research capacity development of junior and mid-level faculty to become independent
research leaders capable of addressing regionally relevant neurological challenges and influence policy and
practice and 2) To enhance institutional systems to sustain research support systems that enable a conducive
research environment at MakCHS. The training program will consist of PhD, masters, and non-degree
fellowships as well as short courses in bio-ethics, NCD epidemiology, quantitative and qualitative research
methodology, good laboratory practice, implementation science, grants and manuscripts writing. The proposed
training program will build on an established training partnership between MakCHS and CWRU and will
leverage an existing Fogarty training D43 grant at MakCHS. The proposed areas of training include clinical
care in neurology, neuroscience, traumatic brain injury, neurosurgery, mental health, neurogenetics and
neurological public health. The principal investigators have compiled an international panel of experts to serve
on the training advisory panel as well as experts at CWRU to serve as co-mentors for Ugandan trainees
including: Dr. Anthony Furlan, Dr. Stevlana Pundik and Dr. Michael Devereaux. Taken together, the proposed
project has substantial public health importance. It will provide the prerequisite outcomes data, training, and
infrastructure needed to address the neurological and mental health disease burden in Uganda and other
countries in SSA.