# BIDIRECTIONAL TRAINING TO ENHANCE CANCER RESEARCH CAPACITY IN AFRICA

> **NIH NIH D43** · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · 2022 · $270,001

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Cancer mortality rates are projected to more than double in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in the next two
decades. This public health crisis requires that a knowledge base be developed to better understand and act
on the growing cancer burden in SSA. We propose a training program that will maximize the rigor of cancer
research in SSA by training researchers to develop strategic and operational capacity that will generate new
knowledge about the determinants of cancer risk and outcomes and improve effectiveness of strategies for
reducing risk and improve outcomes. The overarching goals of this training program are to 1) Develop and
disseminate best practices to enable the highest quality cancer research in Africa; 2) Teach fundamental skills
to those who conduct research in Africa; and 3) Create a cadre of individuals who can lead and support cancer
research in SSA. Our training program proposes the following specific aims: 1) Develop and implement an
educational and career development program that will maximize the rigor of research being conducted in SSA;
2) Recruit and train individuals who can build sustainable careers in cancer research; 3) Assess the impact of
this training program on the career outcomes of trainees and participants. Trainees will fall into two groups.
First, we propose a Principal Investigator (PI) Track for doctoral level investigators who will be trained to
demonstrate leadership in independent and collaborative research. Participants in the PI Track will become
proficient in research oversight and governance and build the skills and a scientific project focus toward
independent extramural grant funding. Second, a Project Management (PM) Track will be implemented to
support the conduct of research. Participants in the PM Track will be qualified to support a variety of research
projects within SSA health and regulatory settings. Training will involve bilateral interactions between mentors
and trainees in both SSA and the US who will partner to develop and implement best research practices. The
training program will build on highly successful existing research networks in SSA: The African Breast Cancer
Study (ABCS), The African Esophageal Cancer Consortum (AFRECC), The African Research Group in
Oncology (ARGO), and the Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate (MADCaP) network.
Building on mentors and research capacity of these networks, the proposed program will provide a core
research curriculum known as the PROject Management Oversight Training and Education in AFRICA
(PROMOTE-AFRICA) framework as well as project-based (for the PI Track) or practicum-based (for the PM
track) activities as well as other educational experiences to individuals seeking careers as independent cancer
researchers or project managers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10401899
- **Project number:** 5D43CA260640-02
- **Recipient organization:** DANA-FARBER CANCER INST
- **Principal Investigator:** TIMOTHY RICHARD REBBECK
- **Activity code:** D43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $270,001
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-05-05 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10401899

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10401899, BIDIRECTIONAL TRAINING TO ENHANCE CANCER RESEARCH CAPACITY IN AFRICA (5D43CA260640-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10401899. Licensed CC0.

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