The Impact of a Fogarty International Center-Supported Tuberculosis Research Training Program in the Country of Georgia

Abstract

In 2004, there existed limited tuberculosis (TB) research capacity in the country of Georgia. In response, a collaborative research training program (RTP) supported by a National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center Global Infectious Diseases grant was formed between a U.S. academic institution and the National Center for Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NCTLD) and other institutions in Georgia. We sought to assess outcomes of this RTP. The TB RTP combined didactic and mentored research training for Georgian trainees. Long-term trainees were supported for a 2-year period and with posttrainee career development mentoring. Metrics used to measure program performance included publications, grants received, and career advancement. From 2004 to 2015, 20 trainees participated in the program with 15 (75%) authoring a total of 65 publications in PubMed-listed journals. The median number of publications per trainee was six (interquartile range 2-14). A total of 16 (80%) trainees remain working in the area of TB; nine were promoted to leadership positions and three to lead research units at Georgian institutions. Ten (50%) trainees were the principal investigator (PI) of a peer-reviewed external grant after Fogarty-supported training, and 40% served as research mentors. Annual TB-related research funding at the NCTLD increased from $5,000 in 2005 to ∼$1.5 million in 2017. A Georgian Fogarty trainee was either PI, site PI, or coinvestigator on > 90% of all research funding. We believe that the NIH Fogarty-funded TB research training grant has made critical contributions to increasing the TB-related research infrastructure and capacity in Georgia, particularly at the NCTLD.

Impact of the Fogarty Training Program on Trainee and Institutional Research Capacity Building at a Government Medical College in India

“…Our assessment is consistent with most of the earlier program evaluations, which focused on individual research training outcomes in terms of publications, conference presentations, successful grant applications, qualifications obtained, and dissemination of study results [11,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29], and for institutional capacity strengthening, the number of workshops and training activities at institutes [30].…”

“…Measuring institutional research capacity strengthening is more challenging [27]. The knowledge gained by the beneficiaries needs to be shared and disseminated.…”

A survey of the tuberculosis physician workforce in the country of Georgia

“…This increase is attributed in large part to an expansion of research activity and therefore opportunities at the NCTLD, including ongoing clinical trials of new anti-tuberculosis drugs, and a National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center Global Infectious Diseases (Bethesda, MD, USA) programme. 28 While we did not find an association between involvement in research and overall satisfaction, only 18% of respondents reported being involved in research activities. Broadening the scope of practice of NTP physicians to include more general pulmonary disease could facilitate a greater variety of career options, as has been suggested for the specialisation of infectious diseases in the United States.…”

Improving Pediatric Academic Global Health Collaborative Research and Agenda Setting: A Mixed-Methods Study

“…50 Graduates of such programs gain requisite skills to conduct meaningful research that influences national and global policies and go on to receive further funding. 51,52 Mutual understanding of local context may allow for more sustainable and understanding academic global health collaborations.…”