Research Training in Integration of Epidemiology and Implementation Science for Neglected Zoonotic Disease Control in Peru - Research Training in Integration of Epidemiology and Implementation Science for Neglected Zoonotic Disease Control in Peru PROJECT SUMMARY The mission of this D43 application is to develop and establish an innovative transdisciplinary training program in implementation science and epidemiology for Neglected Zoonotic Disease (NZD) control in Peru. NZDs affect mainly the poor and have devastating effects on the affected individuals and their families and communities. Due to migration and travel, high-income countries and their health systems are also affected by NZDs. Despite NZDs impact and importance, there are no formal training programs to allow professionals to focus on these diseases in Peru. This D43 application is a collaboration between Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, the leading biomedical institution in Peru; the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, a world-renowned academic health institution; and the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, a global powerhouse for tropical infectious disease training, with additional input from experts from other institutions in the US and overseas. It proposes to prioritize training for young scientists from disadvantaged areas in Peru, leveraging existing related infectious disease and implementation science programs, while capitalizing on the extensive network and reach of collaborating institutions and research hubs across various regions. This network includes a stellar group of faculty with diverse research projects. The Principal Investigators’ distinctive set of skills: a clinical epidemiologist, a veterinary epidemiologist, and an implementation scientist, make them a perfect “One Health” team to train scientists to tackle zoonotic diseases in Peru and Latin America. Throughout the 5-year grant period we propose to: a) train 8 Peruvian students per year (40 total) in the Diploma of Operational Research and Implementation Science; b) train 4 Peruvian students per year (20 total) in the Master’s in Control of Infectious and Tropical Diseases; c) train 2 Peruvian scientists between years 2-5 (8 total) in the Penn Summer Implementation Science Institute; and our ultimate goal, d) train 5 Peruvian students in PhD programs in Peru and the US. Focusing on coursework and hands-on experiences in implementation science and epidemiology of NZDs will provide our trainees with new tools and perspectives to improve interventions, conduct well-designed studies, and build policies and programs to reduce NZDs and, in turn, reduce inequalities in health. As former Fogarty trainees ourselves, we will apply the FIC philosophy to build local individual research capacity and move us toward the WHO goal of ending neglected tropical diseases.
