groups » Research Capacity in Latin America - what is missing? » Welcome to REDe! Tell us what you need in your area

• Jackeline Alger; MD, PhD 14 Nov 2016

  Jackeline Alger, MD, PhD.
  I am a parasitologist working at the Servicio de Parasitologia, Departamento de Laboratorio Clinico, Hospital Escuela Universitario (HEU) (full time, since 1997), and at the Unidad de Investigacion Cientifica, Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras (UNAH) (part time, since 2008).

  At the present time there are many resources and opportunities to strengthen the local capacity for research in countries like Honduras. However, the access to these resouces is limited specially if there is no commitment from institutional authorities. Here some examples. 1) Incorporating research as part of the solutions to approach the different academic and health service problems; that is, operative and implementation research. TDR/WHO has initiatives for capacity sthrengthening in this type of research (http://www.who.int/tdr/publications/topics/ir-toolkit/en/). 2) Strengthening the capacity to write grants and papers. TDR/WHO has an initiative for effective project planning and evaluation that also support the formulation and development of research projects (http://www.who.int/tdr/publications/topics/project_planning_training/en/). 3) Strengthening the ability to interpret research results based on evidence produce. This requires to have access to research articles. Through HINARI, a WHO and publishers initiative, provides free access in countries like Honduras to Up to 15,000 journals (in 30 different languages) and up to 47,000 e-books (http://www.who.int/hinari/en/).

  If all these resources, and others, are available, how can we make they are systematically used? That is a challenge.

• samiarourou 10 Nov 2016

  I joined Institut Pasteur de Tunis as an engineer since October 1999. Then, I was enrolled as an assistant researcher since 2011. I am highly involved in the development of viral vaccines based on cell culture technology. During my master and PhD research activities, I developed IPT-AFM in-house medium suitable for Vero cells culture and rabies virus production. Moreover, I participated actively in process development of veterinary and human rabies vaccines produced on BHK and Vero cells (successively) on Cytodex microcarriers in stirred bioreactor. In addition to that, I participated in the development of other vaccines against measles and sheep pox. Thanks to collaboration with Max Planck institute of Magdeburg, Germany, I carried out a proteomic study to investigate the behavior of Vero cells infected with rabies virus under different conditions. In an attempt to further valorize IPT-AFM medium, w adapted other cell lines such as MRC5 (human) and BHK21 (hamster) to this medium in order to produce measles and rabies viruses. We also succeeded thanks to collaboration with INTRAVACC, Bilthoven, Netherlands to produce Sabin Polio type 1 on Vero cells adapted to IPT-AFM medium. The obtained results were comparable to those obtained with the standard process. My current training in the glycoconjugate vaccines laboratory within GSK, Siena Italy is an exciting experience allowing me to add a new promising field to my carrier.
  3 Things that can improve research capacity in our area:
  1) We need help to improve the quality of formation and enhance the train the trainers.
  2)Moreover, as we luck new technologies and we are trying to improve this using international calls; but, it is always difficult to find collaborations because most of partners will not accept to collaborate with scientists that want to start a new field.
  3) W e always need more funds and stronger assistance to encourage young researchers to start new projects

• Demian Herrera Morban - Senior Contributor 27 Oct 2016

  Hello.

  I am Demian Herrera. Pediatrician from the Dominican Republic. Work in a public Hospital in Santo Domingo. And also teach.

  Things that can improve research:
  1) When doing a joint call for a grant, I have found that the PI are the ones from the developed country and not the country with the issue; so this shift the view of really helping to solve the problem of X country or trying to discover the real cause of a disease. So the country from Latin America or the Caribbean or any other one is used primarily as a source for subjects for research and not for their researchers, I think that the responsibility needs to be divided equally or giving to the country with the problem the main responsibility.
  2) Laws that regulate research and ethics committee, stating that every health institute needs to have one EC and research department not a department that works only in thesis
  3) Campaigns to stimulate young researchers