D43TW012467
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
African Tuberculosis Bioinformatics Training Program - Project Summary
The African Tuberculosis Bioinformatics Training Program will be a collaborative educational and capacity development program between the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics (MBHG), and the Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CBCB) at Stellenbosch University (SU), South Africa.
It includes other African partners (from Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe), as well as US investigators with strong bioinformatics background from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (FHCC) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), NIH.
Another 20 US-based investigators with a mixture of bioinformatics, and tuberculosis (TB) expertise from 12 institutions will act as mentors.
The mentor network spans a spectrum of basic to clinical research, and includes a mix of wet-laboratory, bioinformatics and computational approaches, with a strong emphasis on global health and offers a wealth of experimental data and expertise that will benefit the D43 trainees.
The industry partners will offer opportunities for the trainees in bioinformatics applications in a non-academic setting.
Objectives of the program are to:
1) Implement a new structured bioinformatics MSC curriculum, including TB biology modules, with a strong research training component,
2) Train students that are well versed in conducting responsible, rigorous and reproducible research,
3) Implement a trainee career development and mentorship program, and its evaluation framework,
4) Strengthen and expand low- and middle-income country (LMIC) and US TB bioinformatics partnerships, and
5) Implement a faculty development program, and its evaluation process.
During the D71 planning phase, a new bioinformatics curriculum with emphasis on TB was developed.
This 2-year MSC program will offer a vigorous coursework component followed by a research project mentored by world-class TB scientists.
The MSC program will include a 9-month lecture block (including statistics, bioinformatics and TB biology).
Trainees will then be embedded within the SU host laboratory with a 2-month visit to the laboratory of a US-based host, and they will carry out a bioinformatics research project.
The program incorporates career development activities for trainees and faculty development initiatives for mentors and LMIC partners.
The program will produce at least 16 MSC graduates, equipped with bioinformatics and research skills to position them as future innovators and leaders in infectious disease research.
Customized workshops (based on needs assessment with LMIC partners) will strengthen research, supervisory and mentoring capacity.
This will help empower LMIC faculty and create an enabling environment, to encourage trainees to return to their home institutions and develop and retain regional capacity.
A detailed monitoring and evaluation plan has been developed to assess the program.
This integrated approach will make the biggest impact on the current bioinformatics landscape in Southern Africa.
It will bring together a productive network of TB researchers, bioinformaticians, US mentors and LMIC partners to implement a TB-focused bioinformatics training program to benefit infectious disease research.
The African Tuberculosis Bioinformatics Training Program will be a collaborative educational and capacity development program between the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics (MBHG), and the Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CBCB) at Stellenbosch University (SU), South Africa.
It includes other African partners (from Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe), as well as US investigators with strong bioinformatics background from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (FHCC) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), NIH.
Another 20 US-based investigators with a mixture of bioinformatics, and tuberculosis (TB) expertise from 12 institutions will act as mentors.
The mentor network spans a spectrum of basic to clinical research, and includes a mix of wet-laboratory, bioinformatics and computational approaches, with a strong emphasis on global health and offers a wealth of experimental data and expertise that will benefit the D43 trainees.
The industry partners will offer opportunities for the trainees in bioinformatics applications in a non-academic setting.
Objectives of the program are to:
1) Implement a new structured bioinformatics MSC curriculum, including TB biology modules, with a strong research training component,
2) Train students that are well versed in conducting responsible, rigorous and reproducible research,
3) Implement a trainee career development and mentorship program, and its evaluation framework,
4) Strengthen and expand low- and middle-income country (LMIC) and US TB bioinformatics partnerships, and
5) Implement a faculty development program, and its evaluation process.
During the D71 planning phase, a new bioinformatics curriculum with emphasis on TB was developed.
This 2-year MSC program will offer a vigorous coursework component followed by a research project mentored by world-class TB scientists.
The MSC program will include a 9-month lecture block (including statistics, bioinformatics and TB biology).
Trainees will then be embedded within the SU host laboratory with a 2-month visit to the laboratory of a US-based host, and they will carry out a bioinformatics research project.
The program incorporates career development activities for trainees and faculty development initiatives for mentors and LMIC partners.
The program will produce at least 16 MSC graduates, equipped with bioinformatics and research skills to position them as future innovators and leaders in infectious disease research.
Customized workshops (based on needs assessment with LMIC partners) will strengthen research, supervisory and mentoring capacity.
This will help empower LMIC faculty and create an enabling environment, to encourage trainees to return to their home institutions and develop and retain regional capacity.
A detailed monitoring and evaluation plan has been developed to assess the program.
This integrated approach will make the biggest impact on the current bioinformatics landscape in Southern Africa.
It will bring together a productive network of TB researchers, bioinformaticians, US mentors and LMIC partners to implement a TB-focused bioinformatics training program to benefit infectious disease research.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE JOHN E. FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER (FIC) SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING TO REDUCE DISPARITIES IN GLOBAL HEALTH AND TO FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN U.S. SCIENTISTS AND THEIR COUNTERPARTS ABROAD. FIC SUPPORTS BASIC BIOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH, AS WELL AS RELATED RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. THE RESEARCH PORTFOLIO IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF FUNDING MECHANISMS TO MEET PROGRAMMATIC OBJECTIVES.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding Agency
Place of Performance
South Africa
Geographic Scope
Foreign
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 99% from $248,483 to $495,503.
Stellenbosch University was awarded
TB Bioinformatics Training Program
Project Grant D43TW012467
worth $495,503
from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in May 2024 with work to be completed primarily in South Africa.
The grant
has a duration of 5 years and
was awarded through assistance program 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Global Infectious Disease Research Training Program (D43 Clinical Trial Optional).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 8/6/25
Period of Performance
5/1/24
Start Date
4/30/29
End Date
Funding Split
$495.5K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$495.5K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to D43TW012467
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
D43TW012467
SAI Number
D43TW012467-322207242
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Non-Domestic (Non-U.S.) Entity
Awarding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Funding Office
75NM00 NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Awardee UEI
C6CHDMTANVS3
Awardee CAGE
SZ208
Performance District
Not Applicable
Modified: 8/6/25