Mbarara University Research Ethics Education Program

Mbarara University/Science/ Technology, Mbarara

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Mbarara University Research Ethics Education Program (MUREEP) at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in southwestern Uganda, in collaboration with Case Western University (CWRU), successfully developed and implemented one of the first ever curricula for a 2-year Masters of Public Health with a focus on Research Ethics (MPH-RE) program in the Eastern Africa region. With this nationally accredited curriculum, MUREEP enrolled 23 MPH-RE trainees (15 females and 8 males) who were admitted to the program, nearly doubling the proposed 12 in our funded proposal. More than 750 participants attended various non-degree courses for skills development in research and research ethics (the targeted number was 525); and 43 faculty and graduate students attended two workshops on mentoring and capacity development. The MUREEP Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course is highly sought after at MUST and in the region, registering 425/753 (56.4%) people who completed the course. Despite the national progress in developing infrastructure for the review of research and the protection of human research participants, Uganda still has a small number of professionals with in-depth training and expertise to review complex contemporary research such as emerging health technologies and One Health (OH) research and to teach research ethics. In this proposed renewal application, we will extend and consolidate the delivery of research ethics education at MUST and build capacity for 3 neighboring institutions in southwestern Uganda. If funded, we will: 1a) integrate the teaching of research ethics into the general MPH program and other university initiatives and components with support from local faculty, including program alumni; (b) develop new content to address emerging ethical issues 2) scale-up training for students, faculty, members of research ethics committees (RECs), and other target audiences in southwestern Uganda to enhance capacity related to ethics in research, genetics, genomics, and emerging health technologies through the establishment of the RCR-Training Advisory Center and the Research Ethics Café. 3) enlarge the cadre of faculty who can serve as mentors in research ethics and integrate responsible mentoring into the culture of the Faculty of Medicine at MUST through the development and implementation of a mentor-the-mentor program. If funded, over the next 5 years, MUREEP will provide in-depth research ethics education to 16 MPH-RE trainees with full scholarships and other self-funded students, support their practicum at local RECs and at national research regulatory bodies, in the community, and mentored research projects in research ethics. MUREEP graduates will have the expertise to lead and serve on RECs, review protocols of research involving emerging technologies, OH approaches, and during public health emergencies. If funded, we will continue to build and strengthen multi- level research ethics capacity in SW Uganda by offering non-degree short courses for skills development to at least 750 participants and an annual workshop on “Bioethics and Human Rights.”