Genomics, Disease Ecology, and Global Health
Newsletters
May 31, 2011
Dear Eck Institute for Global Health Members,
I want to send you an update of the some recent EIGH activities – if you have any questions or would like more detail concerning any of these activities, please contact me, Katherine Taylor, at 574-631-1029 or ktaylo12@nd.edu. Professor David Severson, Director, presented a State of the Institute overview on April 20, 2011. For those of you not able to attend his slides are available on our web page (http://globalhealth.nd.edu).
The EIGH transitioned from the University of Notre Dame Strategic Research Initiative (SRI) funding under the program title “Genomics, Diseases Ecology and Global Health” to the Eck Family endowment on July 1, 2010; a year earlier than anticipated. We have, therefore, been busy developing and implementing new programs. The Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facilities, which were established by the SRI are now independent entities, directed by Professor Michael Pfrender.
The activities of the EIGH can be described under four general headings and committees have been formed to develop and guide the relevant programs:
Seminar Speakers and Workshops:
- Two named lectures will alternate years: the Paul P. Weinstein Memorial Lecture and the George B. Craig Memorial Lecture. The Craig lecture was presented on November 10, 2010 by Dr. L. Phillip Lounibos, Department of Medical Entomology, University of Florida. The Weinstein lecture was given by Dr. Dyann Wirth, Richard Strong Professor of Infectious Diseases, Chair, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health on April 27, 2011. The next Craig lecture is being planned for this fall – watch for more information.
- Co-sponsoring the Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (http://sites.google.com/site/mmpconf/home) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, October 21 – 23, 2011. This is an annual meeting attended by 200-300 microbial pathogenesis researchers from the Midwest and is a great venue for students to attend a meeting and young faculty to present their work. Two EIGH members, Drs. Patricia Champion and Shuan Lee are invited speakers.
- In the early planning stages is an Indiana Global Health Conference, schedule for October 3-5, 2012 at Turkey Run State Park, Indiana. Save the dates on your calendar and watch for more information. This is a joint meeting between the EIGH, Indiana University School of Medicine, Purdue University, Regenstrief Institute and Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute.
Training Grants
- Global Health Fellowships provide a full year of stipend support for Notre Dame PhD students whose research has a significant global health focus. This is a competitive program. Please join me in congratulating the following four students who received awards for the 2011-2012 academic year. The awards went to:
Ling Sun, a third year student in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering laboratory of Dr. Phillippe Sucosky, employs novel models to assess the role of hemodynamic shear stress in calcific aortic valve disease. Chronic non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, are now the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries. Sun received her Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering from Zhejiang University, China.
Emmanuel Adu-Gyamfi is a fourth year student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry laboratory of Dr. Robert Stahelin at the Indiana School of Medicine, South Bend. Adu-Gyamfi is applying state-of-the-art approaches to understand how Ebola virus spreads from cell to cell. Ebola virus, found only in low-income countries, causes a highly fatal disease for which there is no treatment or vaccine. This work will contribute towards the search for new drugs to treat the disease. Adu-Gyamfi received his BS in Biochemistry from the University of Ghana.
Anthony Clemons and Ellen Flannery, third and fifth year Ph.D. students in the Department of Biological Sciences both research the mosquito that transmits yellow fever and dengue virus and are advised by Dr. Molly Duman Scheel, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend. This research will contribute to the development of novel mosquito control, and thus disease control, technologies.
- Global Health Travel Grants are also a competitive program for both undergraduate and graduate students. Two awards were made to undergraduates: one will be spending the summer in Ghana working with Unite for Sight to bring improved eye care to rural villages; and the second will volunteer in a regional government hospital in Tanzania. Both graduate students are headed to Uganda to work with the Palliative Care Association of Uganda.
- We are currently planning to update these programs and add competitive grant programs to support faculty travel and undergraduate research – watch our website for updates.
Research Grants
It is anticipated that at least two types of research grants will be available: supplemental grants and pilot project grants. The grant programs should be announced in the next couple of months. You will receive more information when they are open for applications.
Institutional Partnerships
It is a major goal of the EIGH to form mutually beneficial partnerships with institutions in low- and middle-income countries. We believe the development of these partnerships will require intentional commitment at the level of the institute. They should have identified shared research interests and thus opportunities for exchange of faculty and students that represent interests broader than a single EIGH member. To assist in establishing and fostering these relationships the Institute intends to recruit a research faculty. It is envisioned that this individual will be mid-career, capable of garnering independent funding and have significant international global health experience. The position description is currently being developed.
Last, but certainly not least, the EIGH has forged ahead with the launch of the Master’s of Science in Global Health degree program.
The first class of 14 students has been admitted into a master’s of science in global health degree program. The program will provide basic science-centric training in the emerging field of global health. The program, including classroom and experiential learning, aims to prepare students for improving human health around the world, especially for the poor and under-served people, a reflection of the University’s Catholic mission.
The master’s degree builds on the extensive global health-related science research and training already conducted at the University of Notre Dame through the EIGH. Students will receive hands-on research, training and service experiences in resource-poor settings that lack basic health resources and services. Through the program, students will receive a professional master’s of science in global health in one calendar year, including course work in bioethics and global health challenges and 6 to 8 weeks field experience.
Global Health Training Director Hired
Joseph Bock, the new Eck Institute Director of Global Health Training will oversee the program. Bock received his Ph.D. in International Relations from the School of International Service, American University, Washington, D.C in 1985. He brings years of practical experience in global health from South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and, most recently, Haiti. Bock supported the work of the Notre Dame Haiti Program and met with numerous U.N. officials while he served as Interim Country Director in Haiti for disaster recovery with the American Refugee Committee during March and April of 2010. Including cash for work employees, he built a team people working in four displacement camps. He is an editorial adviser for Development in Practice, a peer-reviewed journal founded by Oxfam Great Britain offering practice-based analysis and research on development and humanitarianism.
If you are interested in mentoring/advising a MSGH student please contact Dr. Joseph Bock at 574-631-5799 or jbock@nd.edu.
Thanks to all of you members and friends who are the substance and heart of the EIGH. Please keep me informed of your activities so that we can highlight them through the EIGH and also your ideas on what we could/should be doing.
Best regards,
Katherine Taylor, PhD
Director of Operations
Eck Institute for Global Health
