TB/MDR-TB Research training and Capacity Strengthening for LMIC in Southeast Asia Phase II: End-of-Fiscal-Year Supplement

Prince Of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract TB/MDR-TB is a serious global health problem. Southeast Asia is a region heavily affected by this disease. To achieve the END-TB goal, research on TB must be enhanced. The objective of our D43TW009522 grant "TB/MDR-TB Research capacity strengthening program for Southeast Asia, Phase II" is to strengthen TB research capacity, especially human resources for TB research, at LMIC collaborating research centers and the National TB Control Program (NTP) in Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia. Since 2015, we have been training a series of young researchers from these three countries effectively. The trainees were from the collaborating centers, who return to work in their countries successfully. However, there has been a serious political turmoil in Myanmar in 2021. Research facilities and human resources are interrupted. Most of our alumni could not continue to work in the country. There is a need to try different methods, including indirect approaches, to assemble human resources for research. When the political situation turns more favorable, research in the country can then regain its momentum. Two Myanmar alumni of our grant are now working at the Department of Epidemiology as postdoctoral fellows on TB research. Supporting these scientists to grow further can at least partially maintain human resources for TB research that D43TW009522 had invested. At the Department of Epidemiology, Prince of Songkla University (EPI-PSU), TB research projects are growing to serve the national and global needs. We have been working more intensively with the Division of Tuberculosis (DTB) than before. Our scope of TB research has expanded to include National Big Data on the health system, which includes TB. Thailand is going to do routine whole genome sequencing on all isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB control has become more intensive in screening and treatment of latent TB infections. These national and institutional expansions in TB research require more well-trained epidemiologists to get involved. Well-trained TB epidemiologists are therefore needed by both Myanmar and Thailand and other countries. We are requesting the end-of-year supplement grant to support these two alumni as our postdoctoral fellows They will work with the senior and junior researchers in developing research proposals, analysis of existing data, preparing manuscripts, and writing competitive research grants. Two main research topics to be accomplished by them include post-TB study and analysis of management gap in TB contact tracing. As PSU is pushing Responsible Conduct of Research policy and practice, they will do research on join this mission. Under our supervision, they will appropriately join the National TB prevalence survey and the Project to improve the National TB database. Professor Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong, the PI of D43TW009522, will be their main mentor and joined by the senior faculty members of EPI-PSU and Mahidol University. Annual evaluation of this post-doctoral training will follow the procedures set by PSU’s Post-doctoral Program, which emphasizes peer-reviewed scientific publication.