# Cardiovascular Disease Research Training Program in Haiti

> **NIH NIH D43** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2021 · $249,661

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common non-communicable disease and the leading cause
of morbidity and mortality in Haiti. It has surpassed infectious diseases over the past decade. Hypertension
(HTN) is the single most common CVD risk factor in Haitian adults and its onset is 10-20 years earlier than
among Black Americans in the US. Potential drivers of HTN in Haiti include social determinants such as
extreme poverty, food insecurity, a high salt diet, psychological stress, and also environmental pollutants such
as high lead exposure. Concurrently, Haiti continues to have the highest HIV prevalence in the region with over
35% of persons living with HIV having HTN. To curb this alarming CVD epidemic, Haiti urgently needs CVD
research training for both young investigators and research staff in order to increase its capacity to conduct
interdisciplinary, impactful CVD research.
 This proposal builds on a ~40-year history in Haiti of NIH research and Fogarty training by the Groupe
d’Etude du Sarcome et des Infections Opportunistes (GHESKIO) and its US collaborating partner, Weill Cornell
Medicine. The Cornell-GHESKIO partnership began with a focus on HIV and since 2015 has expanded to
address the CVD epidemic in Haiti. We have built a strong foundation with 8 active NIH and foundation grants
in CVD research and the creation of the GHESKIO NCD Clinical and Research Unit. We now need to train a
skilled workforce of specialized CVD researchers who can expand Haiti’s research portfolio and transform
research findings into practice.
 The goal of this training program is to strengthen research that will ultimately improve CVD-related
health outcomes in Haiti and the world. Our three training objectives include: 1) to provide long-term mentored
CVD research training to 8 Haitian clinician scientists through MPH coursework at Quisqueya University with
mentored CVD research in Haiti; 2) to train 24 medium-term research staff in CVD knowledge and technical
research skills through a new 1-year CVD Core Research Course taught by Haitian and international faculty;
and 3) to establish a CVD Implementation Network of 6 CVD clinics to increase the uptake, optimization, and
evaluation of high-impact CVD interventions in Haiti. Staff at the Network clinics will have opportunities for
short-term training including participation in monthly CVD Grand Rounds and participation in 1-week
workshops within the CVD Core Research Course. In addition, we will sponsor an annual national CVD
Research Conference with a focus on trainee leadership and career development. The proposed program is
the first CVD research training program in Haiti and brings innovation in CVD coursework, new research
mentors and faculty, and a platform for building implementation capacity for CVD interventions across the
country. We are committed to training the next generation of CVD researchers in Haiti.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10302601
- **Project number:** 1D43TW011972-01
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Margaret Leighton McNairy
- **Activity code:** D43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $249,661
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10302601

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10302601, Cardiovascular Disease Research Training Program in Haiti (1D43TW011972-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10302601. Licensed CC0.

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