Dr O.E. Nnodu, FWACP (Lab Med)

Department of Haematology & Blood TransfusionUniversity of Abuja

Nigeria

Investment in research for development has not received

much attention by Sub Saharan African governments. Our region lags behind in research output and

innovation. Attendant human capital flight by researchers to

countries with more conducive environment for research. In the highly competitive grant funded research world,

African researchers lack the capacity to access and maintain research funding.

Background

Research and innovation are fundamental to technological

development. Research can provide solutions to health problems facing

the population. Research provides evidence for practice and a basis for

sound policy. Involvement in clinical research such as clinical trials

raises the standard of clinical care in an institution, provides access to novel therapy to patients, alleviates cost to patients and could eventually provide additional income to researchers.

Why Build Capacity For Research

Haematology represents the huge gap between what is

currently available in clinical practice in developed countries and the resource limited nations.

It is one field of medicine where your greatest hopes for making an impact can be shattered by the reality of the constraints in the environment in which you practice

It is one discipline where research can provide real solutions to problems as evidenced by advances in stem cell transplant therapies for many disease conditions which were once fatal.

Why Build Capacity For Research in Haematology?

Not necessarily always clinical or confined to the

laboratory.We need to find solutions to problems facing the

populace.

What Type of Research?

Could there be an underlying biologic reason for the mass failure in WAEC in addition to the poor educational system? What are our children eating? What are optimal ways of delivering iron to combat iron deficiency anaemia without increasing the risk of infection due to increased availability of iron to microorganisms?

Research can be in basic science, clinical, health systems and often these days to make real impact, it has to be multidisciplinary.

What Type of Research?We have all lamented the absence of a functional national blood transfusion service for years.Is there a way we can collaborate with people in other disciplines to address the inequities in access to safe blood which is threatening the achievement of MDG 4 and 5?This problem is in the province of behavior scientists and economists.

Research training- skills in study designs, proposal

development, basic quantitative and qualitative data analysis, manuscript preparation.

Data management, bioinformatics. Basic knowledge of team building and project

management.Raging controversy about the best ways of getting

this training, MSc, PhD plus Fellowship or only Fellowship?

What sort of capacity is required?

Whatever the argument, we need to have a number

of clinician scientists to drive the system.Once you are convinced that you need more

exposure either in your clinical practice or to do research there are a number of options to follow.

What sort of capacity is required?

Identifying your area of interest. What do you want to do? What problem are you trying to

solve? How does this fit into your institutional goals, national

priorities?- National Strategic Health Development Plan 2010-2015/Other national plans

Think strategically, think in terms of systems –teams, institutional, national, regional, global.

You cannot go far being a giant on your own. If an opportunity does not apply to you, pass it on to your neighbour.

Going Forward

Depends on whether you are a resident in training or

young consultant. For residents, volunteer to participate in

departmental research, complete given assignments in a timely way, follow through and submit before deadlines.

An MSc with a view to a PhD may not be a bad idea at some point.

Where to Start?

If you are faculty, seek mentorship. Find someone who is ahead of you in the game and

ask for help. They will help you find your way and avoid land mines.

A mentor can also help to push doors open for you. Life long relationship.

When you are given advice, follow through. Report what you are doing.

Where to Start

Be humble. A cocky attitude either as a consultant or

resident will make you unnecessary enemies. (ABC Orjiakor).

For Faculty- be part of a research network. Local , regional, international.

Don’t be a free rider. Apart from providing information about your institution and applying for ethical clearance, ask to write some part of the grant if you have enough lead time.

Where to Start

Make some investments In 2014, internet access could be regarded as a

human right issue So get a modem. Check your emails.

Ask questionsKnow what is available

Where to Start

Career development awards (Wellcome Trust)Young Investigator Award (Coimbria, WHO), TDR, UICC ICRETT, UICC Pathology, ASCO, World

Pathology FoundationASH Visitor Training ProgramDAADAlexander Von Humbolt

Mentored Training For Clinical Scientists

Sickle Cell Network/Brazil some MSc –PhD in

Haemoglobinopathies.NIH Clinical Research Fellowships-Nigerians under

represented.CheveningHoward Hughes

Mentored Training For Clinical Scientists

Be very clear what you want to do. How does it

solve an existing problem back home?Write your project description with the following

points in mind : purpose, background, methods/technique to carry it out, expected skills to be acquired, relevance to your work , relevance to your home institution. Abridged form useful in letters to possible hosts.

Brain drain is a global problem. You are more likely to get help if you want to return and use the skills back home.

Applying for a Fellowship Grant

Read the instructions and eligibility and comply to

the letter.Check for typo graphical and grammatical errors. Be concise.Develop a check list.Meet deadlines.

Applying for a Fellowship Grant

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in

USA Ford Foundation in USACarnegie Foundation in USA Biotechnological and Biological Sciences Research

Council (BBSRC) in UK.

Funding Organizations Providing Funds to Institutions

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)

in GermanyAlexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in

USACommonwealth Scholarship Commission in UK The Royal Society in UK International Centre for Genetic Engineering and

Biotechnology (ICGEB) in Trieste/Italy.

Funding Organizations Providing Funds to Individual Researchers

Three useful resource WARIMA- West African Research and Innovation

Management Association Editors Consult Writers WorkshopsResearch Africa- Research Professional ( Institutional

Subscription).Credits for the next 3 slides goes to Professor Ameh ,

Department of Surgery ABU Zaria & Editors Consult.

Useful Resources

Government agencies

e.g. ETF (www.tetfund.gov.ng)

Companies Pharmaceutical Oil & Gas

NGOs

Individual foundations

Sources of Funding in Nigeria

Sources of Funding-InternationalGOVERNMENTS

African Union Commission

United States NIH (www.

grants.nih.gov) USAID Others

United Kingdom

British council THET (www.thet.org) DFID

European Union European Research Council

(www.erc.europa.eu) European Commission

(www.cordis.europa.eu)

European Countries Japan www.terravivagrants.org www.jst.go.jp www.jics.or.jp

(World Bank)/(WHO) & their affiliated organizations

Non-government/Foundations

Welcome Trust

Others

Sources of Funding International

Bill & Melinda Gates

MacArthur

Rockefeller

CarnegieClinton

With Google Search, It’s Easy to Get to Their Websites: make it a habit o search for suitable grants frequently (Wkly, Monthly Etc)

Run workshops on manuscript writing, grant proposal development, statistics and project management.

Editors Consult

Research Professional Africa enables you to: � Access thousands of funding opportunities as well as their news service � Improve workflow and efficiency within your department and across the institution � Ensure everyone within your institution is aware of directly relevant funding opportunities and the latest research policy developments � Maximize the success of your funding applications through shared content and annotation tools Research Africa news service will ensure that you stay on top of what is happening in the research world – the latest analysis, interviews and updates on research policy from across the continent

www.researchresearch.com/africaTel +27 (0)21 447 5484Email : info@research-africa.net

Research Africa

Individual effort has to be supported by the right

institutional framework to succeed.Most grants require endorsements by Heads of

Department/ Institution as recommendations or Letters of support so alert those who need to know and request necessary instruments ahead of time to avoid delays.

Research Management and Grant Support Units.

Institutional Framework

Our continent is about to arise and take world stage in

economic development and contribution in scientific knowledge and medical progress.

Research and innovation is key to this process Capacity for research needs to be built as a deliberate

effort to nurture the next generation of scientists in order to solve the health and developmental challenges of our people and continent.

This presentation has highlighted some available opportunities for training and funding for African clinicians and investigators and given useful tips on how to access them.

Conclusion