# Building Capacity to Address the Burden of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Diseases in LMICs

> **NIH NIH D43** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2022 · $238,314

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
An epidemiological shift from infectious to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has led to a dramatic increase
in mortality and disability over the past several decades. This has been attributed in part to important changes
in lifestyles and diets, which have been described as the epidemiologic transition. Cardiometabolic risk factors,
which increase the risk of and promote onset of CVD, include a combination of metabolic dysfunctions
primarily characterized by hypertension, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia, and
central adiposity. This crisis has led to a call for strategic investment in research including regional
development, networking across countries, and expanding cross-sectoral partnerships to improve translation,
innovation and patient care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this D43 Training Application to
Fogarty International Center, the University of Washington (UW) Department of Global Health will collaborate
with two long-standing partners in Nepal and Kenya to address cardiometabolic diseases and risk factors
through rigorous educational programs, strong mentorship and relevant research experiences. This
collaboration brings together Kathmandu University (KU), with an emerging capacity to address CVD
as a national priority, and University of Nairobi (UON), which has successfully implemented multiple
international training programs, to provide a synergistic approach for empowering the next generation
of researchers to address NCDs in these low resource settings. Specific aims of this program are: 1)
Increase high-impact research on cardiometabolic disease and risk factors by building research capacity at
Kathmandu University (KU) and University of Nairobi (UN) through Master's level degree training to include 6
clinician-researchers, 3 each from Nepal and Kenya, to study and receive UW MPH degrees; 2) Support the
training of 6 students to complete an MS degree in Public Heath from KU with courses offered by D43 faculty;
and 3) Provide mid- and short-term training in Kenya and Nepal focusing on essential research and leadership
skills including a one-year certificate program using on-line distance learning resulting in culminating projects,
and in-country workshops offered by UW, KU and UON Core faculty. Conferences that bring together
members of the NCD community with KU and UON researchers and county health directors will be offered to
promote community engagement in local care, treatment and prevention in both LMICs. Using UW's well-
established approaches to training, this program will establish greatly needed implementation science research
capacity at KU and UON and contribute to changing the face of the NCD epidemic in LMICs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10435535
- **Project number:** 5D43TW011596-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** ANNETTE L. FITZPATRICK
- **Activity code:** D43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $238,314
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10435535

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10435535, Building Capacity to Address the Burden of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Diseases in LMICs (5D43TW011596-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10435535. Licensed CC0.

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