# Training in Clinical and Epidemiological Research for Liberia (TRACER)

> **NIH NIH U2R** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2021 · $240,894

## Abstract

Training in Clinical and Epidemiological Research (TRACER) in Liberia
(2018 Fogarty D43 Global Infectious Disease Research Training Grant Application)
ABSTRACT
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), in collaboration with the National Public
Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), the University of Liberia, and NIH/PREVAIL, proposes a
research training program to provide aspiring young investigators in Liberia with comprehensive
didactic, mentored, and experiential training in clinical and/or epidemiological research targeting
the etiology of acute febrile illness (AFI), emerging infectious diseases (EID)/Ebola and malaria.
Our overall goal is to develop a cadre of well-trained investigators who can become part of a
sustainable, independent clinical/ epidemiological research and training enterprise in the region.
The 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic highlighted the severe lack of health care infrastructure and
human resources in the country; Liberia is the 8th poorest country in the world. Our specific
aims, based on our experience in Liberia, the country’s main public health infectious disease
priorities, and the results of a D71-funded needs assessment, are to: 1)Train selected Liberians
in clinical/epidemiological research by enrolling them into the UCSF Master’s in Clinical
Research (MCR) (N=2) and the PhD program in Epidemiology and Translational Science (N=1);
2) Support graduated trainees to pursue their research careers in Liberia, and to begin teaching
others; 3) Promote research on EID/Ebola, acute febrile illness, and malaria, and advance
UCSF-Liberian collaborative research; 4) Support and train more advanced Liberian
investigators to become effective mentors, and to write grant applications. The MCR program
has successfully developed skills of young investigators for the last 20 years, including trainees
from lower and middle income countries, nearly 90% of whom have gone onto successful
research careers. Both the MCR and PhD programs focus on providing fundamental and
advanced skills in research study design and implementation, biostatistics, analysis,
epidemiology, and publication and presentation of research. Our experience has demonstrated
that success requires intensive mentorship and a supportive in-country environment with
research opportunities when trainees return home. UCSF has a strong malaria and EID
research community to support trainees and is using cutting-edge metagenomics sequencing
technology to determine causes of AFI. We will also make use of the existing research
environment and infrastructure at NIH/PREVAIL in Liberia, and at NPHIL. Our shared vision is
for Liberia to ultimately develop its own internationally competitive high-quality training program
in clinical research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10150929
- **Project number:** 5U2RTW011281-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** JEFFREY N MARTIN
- **Activity code:** U2R (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $240,894
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-10 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10150929

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10150929, Training in Clinical and Epidemiological Research for Liberia (TRACER) (5U2RTW011281-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10150929. Licensed CC0.

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