TMC PULSE

t m c » p u l s e | m a y 7, 2 0 1 4 29 previous research in africa has been hugely reliant on foreign institutions, which can be attributed to a lack of the essential facilities and technical exper- tise. cafgen will play a significant role in developing the vital infrastructure, and through the training program at baylor college of Medicine, increase the neces- sary expertise in genomics and genetics. — savannah MWesIgWa makerere university ph.d. student Tuberculosis (TB) is another con- cern, second only to HIV/AIDS in terms of its deadly toll on populations, accord- ing to the World Health Organization. The death rate for TB has declined significantly over the past decade, but it remains a leading cause of death for individuals with HIV. In conjunction with Makerere University in Uganda and the University of Botswana, Baylor College of Medicine will train as many as eight Ph.D. students in their Houston labs over the next three years to form the foundation for the home universities' own genetics and genomics depart- ments and laboratories. Makerere University Ph.D. student, Savannah Mwesigwa, will be among the first African students to attend Baylor for training under the CAfGEN program. "Previous research in Africa has been hugely reliant on foreign institu- tions, which can be attributed to a lack of the essential facilities and technical expertise," said Mwesigwa. "CAfGEN will play a significant role in develop- ing the vital infrastructure, and through the training program at Baylor College of Medicine, increase the necessary expertise in genomics and genetics. The participation of different institu- tions will reinforce collaborative ties between researchers in both the U.S. and Africa. "The results from the CAfGEN projects will help answer import- ant questions about HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis progression especially in African pediatric populations, an underrepresented, but significant cohort," he added. "Such information will be instrumental in developing new therapeutic and prophylactic strategies to control the diseases." Following his time at Baylor, where he hopes to learn about next genera- tion sequencing, bioinformatics and biostatistics, Mwesigwa will return to Uganda and help train the next genera- tion of genomics researchers in Africa. CAfGEN will also be arranging for the universities to house sequencing machines. The goal is a self-sustaining research and training program that will ultimately reach beyond Botswana and Uganda. "Our role, as one of the Collaborative Centers of H3Africa, is to train African researchers in genomics research, and build the infrastructure. We will be basically providing next generation sequencing machines, and the equip- ment to do genomics and genetics research," said Mardon. "When that training has become self-sufficient and our colleagues in Africa have the infrastructure to do the work, then they can do genomics research on their own people independently. They will also be trained in grant writing, so they can secure their own genomic research funding. The broader goal is to create a sustainable genomics network on the continent, so that collaborative scien- tific relationships will develop in Africa and with the rest of the world." Additionally, the CAfGEN team will be helping address social and eth- ical implications of genomics research in the region, explained Edward Pettitt, senior project coordinator with Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative and co-investigator with the COE. "It is imperative that a research endeavor such as CAfGEN address the complex ethical, legal, and societal implications of genomics research with a pediatric African population. Such issues center around respecting and protecting the interests of the research participants, communities, and researchers involved in the project, as well as effectively engaging with gatekeepers of the communities involved," he said. "To this end, we hope to conduct an extensive desk review of salient ethical and legal issues related to pediatric genomic research in Africa as well as form local community advi- sory boards in Botswana and Uganda— consisting of representatives from child welfare, human rights, religious, and ethical bodies—to facilitate communi- cation between the research team and the community. "The community advisory boards will provide insights into the language, culture, and other context-specific factors that could affect the research process, and will provide a mechanism for the researchers to negotiate and address any challenges that may arise during the study with the relevant communities," he added. "We also hope to educate the general public in Botswana and Uganda on the value of genomic research and the links between human health and heredity." (Credit: Smiley Pool)

• Cover