THIRD AMANET CALL FOR CAPACITY STRENGTHENING OF AFRICAN MALARIA RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS
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BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
There are intensified global efforts towards malaria control in the world and particularly in Africa. The main strategy is to use together several effective interventions for treatment and prevention. The search for malaria vaccine has in the last decade gained an increased impetus. The success of vaccination against other communicable diseases is convincing enough to increase our attention and capacities towards the search for an effective malaria vaccine.
Overall, there are several malaria vaccine candidate molecules at various stages in the development pipeline. A few of these having reached clinical testing stages, which of necessity require to be tested in malaria endemic African populations – since this is where the burden of disease is greatest. There are yet very few African-led and African owned institutions with the capacity and technical ability to undertake malaria vaccine trials. Although some have now successfully conducted studies at Phase Ib – IIb, they remain too few in numbers to handle the multiple evaluations options inherent in the development of vaccines. Additional sites are being required to provide varied epidemiological profiles of malaria transmission and enable series of tests such as with age de-escalation towards and including the target populations. In recognition of these challenges, the African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET) has since 2004, endeavoured to support holistic development of selected African institutions to build their capabilities for the necessary trials of candidate malaria vaccines.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
This is the third AMANET call intended to assist additional two African malaria research institutions to develop capacity for conducting malaria vaccine trials at phase Ib and possibly IIb where applicable. This grant which may last 1-3 years should allow a research institution which is strategically placed, but is incapacitated by infrastructural weaknesses, inadequate skilled personnel, lack of equipment, or/and including inadequate epidemiological characterization of their potential field sites, to attain the requisite capacities. The institution will be expected to undertake such activities to upgrade itself, together with wholesome characterization of its intended field sites.
Interested institutions should submit a detailed up to three pages letter of intent. The letter should outline expected objectives and a plan to meet these objectives within the life of such a project. It is important to show how limiting weaknesses will be overcome through this grant i.e. technical human resources, poor infrastructure, essential equipments, functioning of scientific and ethical review bodies, capacity to care for research participants, etc. In addition to the above considerations, applying institutions must clearly demonstrate; i) the existence of national commitment to their development, such as within the framework of the Ministry of Health in their country, and ii) that it is both African- led and owned.
Only applications submitted by institutional heads/leaders will be considered.
How to apply
Completed applications with the above requirements must be sent by e-mail and received at the AMANET secretariat by 15th June 2009.
All applications must be directed to:
The Managing Trustee,
African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET),
302 Ring Street, Off Garden Road, Mikocheni A,
P.O Box 33207,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
E-mail: info@amanet-trust.org
Tel: + 255-22-2700018, Fax: + 255-22-2700380.
Short listed institutions will be requested to submit a detailed proposal by 31st July 2009.
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