Wednesday, February 5, 2025
2/5/2025
In 2023, tuberculosis (TB) has reemerged as the leading global cause of death from a single infectious agent, exceeding both HIV and COVID-19. TB remains an enormous public health problem in Ethiopia which is on the WHO list of high burden TB and TB/HIV countries and has increasing rates of drug-resistant TB. Critical shortages of well-trained TB investigators in Ethiopia and globally remain a major barrier to achieving the WHO End TB Strategy goals. This renewal D43 application for the Ethiopia-Emory TB Research Training Program (EETB-RTP) builds on the success, progress, and lessons learned during the past decade. The EETB-RTP benefits from a successful partnership between Emory University in Atlanta and 3 Ethiopian institutions in Addis Ababa: the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), an internationally recognized research institute with a major focus on TB investigation; Addis Ababa University, the oldest and largest degree granting university in Ethiopia; and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, which along with AHRI, is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MOH). Important progress has been achieved, especially during the current funding cycle, in developing TB research infrastructure in Ethiopia and in training early-stage investigators who are now emerging as leaders in TB research and as mentors for a new generation of trainees. Since 2013, the EETB- RTP has provided long-term training to 40 Ethiopian trainees helping to establish an emerging critical mass of MD and PhD-level investigators focused on TB-related clinical and translational research. The proportion of women trainees has increased from 4/19 (21%) in the first funding cycle to 11/21 (52%) in the current 5-year cycle. Despite the challenges encountered due to the impact of COVID-19, our EETB-RTP Fogarty trainees have had 164 TB and/or COVID-19 peer reviewed publications during the current funding cycle. Ethiopian trainees also secured $1.55 million in external grant funding during the current cycle and a total of $2.89 million since program inception. To further momentum and establish a viable plan for sustainability, an important focus of this application is to continue to transfer program management to Ethiopian investigators and expand the pool of influential TB mentors in Ethiopia. We propose an innovative TB research training program to overcome critical gaps that remain in the TB research/research training infrastructure. Specific Aims include: 1) Continue to build relevant and sustainable research capacity in Ethiopia by aligning research training activities with the priorities outlined in the MOH’s “National TB Research Roadmap (2022-2026)”; 2) Support career development to promote the 7 professional characteristics of a translational scientist aligned with leadership in TB research; 3) Implement a new Advanced Training Track which will provide advanced grant writing instruction, mentor and leadership training to former Ethiopian Fogarty trainees to optimize their transition into independent investigators and mentors for the next generation of Ethiopian investigators; and 4) Enhance diversity of the Ethiopian TB biomedical workforce by continuing to increase the number of women engaged in TB research.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).