K01TW013207
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Improving timing to open cranial surgery following traumatic brain injury in Lima, Peru using implementation science - Project summary
Candidate: Roxanna Garcia, MD, MS, MPH is a neurosurgeon and fellowship trained neuro-critical intensivist serving as assistant professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University.
Dr. Garcia’s long-term career goal is to be an independent physician-scientist who uses expertise in implementation research to improve adoption of evidence-based practice in neurosurgical disease, with a focus on traumatic brain injury (TBI) globally.
Background: TBI is a public health crisis that disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the risk of mortality is 3 to 4-fold greater than compared to high-income countries.
The incidence of TBI represents the leading cause of neurologic disease globally, with approximately 69 million incident cases every year.
Moderate TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] scores 9-12) and severe TBI (GCS scores 3-8, MSTBI) can produce lifelong disability, and is estimated to contribute to over 30% of deaths caused by trauma.
Timing to surgery is an important factor, especially among patients with structural lesions.
A four-hour timeframe from event to surgical decompression can improve survival.
Health system factors delaying timing to intervention have not been evaluated, especially in LMICs.
Training plan: In order to achieve research independence, Dr. Garcia will need to strengthen skills in (1) applying implementation science methodologies, (2) learning mixed methods to develop (3) expertise in clinical trials research design.
Dr. Garcia will be mentored by an outstanding multinational team including primary mentor Dr. Andrew Naidech (Northwestern University), and Dr. Patricia Garcia (Universidad Peruano Cayetano Heredia).
Her co-mentors are Dr. Lisa Hirschhorn (Northwestern University) and Dr. Fizan Abdullah (Northwestern University).
This team represents experts in health systems and services research, as well as implementation science and global health and surgical research.
Research plan: With guidance from her mentor team, Dr. Garcia will apply the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) framework to understand to open cranial surgical intervention for MSTBI in the acute emergency setting among health providers in Lima, Peru at high volume trauma centers.
The study will continue to build upon an existing prior NIH related post-doctoral research fellowship experience.
Dr. Garcia will (1) explore the current clinical practices, and define the barriers, and facilitators influencing timing to open cranial surgery for patients suffering from MSTBI.
She will then apply (2) mechanistic mapping through a co-creation process to create codesign strategies for addressing critical barriers and leveraging facilitators among key stakeholders; and (3) conduct a feasibility implementation pilot to improve timing of open cranial surgery for MSTBI.
The study will utilize mixed-methods including semi-structured interviews, surveys and focus groups to inform an implementation research logic model and plan, and inform an R01 proposal focused on implementation and sustainment.
Candidate: Roxanna Garcia, MD, MS, MPH is a neurosurgeon and fellowship trained neuro-critical intensivist serving as assistant professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University.
Dr. Garcia’s long-term career goal is to be an independent physician-scientist who uses expertise in implementation research to improve adoption of evidence-based practice in neurosurgical disease, with a focus on traumatic brain injury (TBI) globally.
Background: TBI is a public health crisis that disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the risk of mortality is 3 to 4-fold greater than compared to high-income countries.
The incidence of TBI represents the leading cause of neurologic disease globally, with approximately 69 million incident cases every year.
Moderate TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] scores 9-12) and severe TBI (GCS scores 3-8, MSTBI) can produce lifelong disability, and is estimated to contribute to over 30% of deaths caused by trauma.
Timing to surgery is an important factor, especially among patients with structural lesions.
A four-hour timeframe from event to surgical decompression can improve survival.
Health system factors delaying timing to intervention have not been evaluated, especially in LMICs.
Training plan: In order to achieve research independence, Dr. Garcia will need to strengthen skills in (1) applying implementation science methodologies, (2) learning mixed methods to develop (3) expertise in clinical trials research design.
Dr. Garcia will be mentored by an outstanding multinational team including primary mentor Dr. Andrew Naidech (Northwestern University), and Dr. Patricia Garcia (Universidad Peruano Cayetano Heredia).
Her co-mentors are Dr. Lisa Hirschhorn (Northwestern University) and Dr. Fizan Abdullah (Northwestern University).
This team represents experts in health systems and services research, as well as implementation science and global health and surgical research.
Research plan: With guidance from her mentor team, Dr. Garcia will apply the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) framework to understand to open cranial surgical intervention for MSTBI in the acute emergency setting among health providers in Lima, Peru at high volume trauma centers.
The study will continue to build upon an existing prior NIH related post-doctoral research fellowship experience.
Dr. Garcia will (1) explore the current clinical practices, and define the barriers, and facilitators influencing timing to open cranial surgery for patients suffering from MSTBI.
She will then apply (2) mechanistic mapping through a co-creation process to create codesign strategies for addressing critical barriers and leveraging facilitators among key stakeholders; and (3) conduct a feasibility implementation pilot to improve timing of open cranial surgery for MSTBI.
The study will utilize mixed-methods including semi-structured interviews, surveys and focus groups to inform an implementation research logic model and plan, and inform an R01 proposal focused on implementation and sustainment.
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 / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Chicago,
Illinois
606113197
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 25% from $146,402 to $183,500.
Northwestern University was awarded
Optimizing Timing for TBI Surgery in Lima, Peru
Project Grant K01TW013207
worth $183,500
from Fogarty International Center in March 2026 with work to be completed primarily in Chicago Illinois United States.
The grant
has a duration of 5 years and
was awarded through assistance program 93.989 International Research and Research Training.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity International Research Scientist Development Award (IRSDA) (K01) Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 3/5/26
Period of Performance
3/1/26
Start Date
2/28/31
End Date
Funding Split
$183.5K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$183.5K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to K01TW013207
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
K01TW013207
SAI Number
K01TW013207-4261552129
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Private Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Funding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Awardee UEI
KG76WYENL5K1
Awardee CAGE
01725
Performance District
IL-07
Senators
Richard Durbin
Tammy Duckworth
Tammy Duckworth
Modified: 3/5/26