HPV Research Training in Kenya

The proposed program will support human papillomavirus (HPV) research training in Kenya. HPV is the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease worldwide and is the primary cause for cervical cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer mortality for women in Kenya and East Africa. The program will offer opportunities for Kenyan students engaging in HPV research to study at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA or take online courses on research manuscript and grant writing and complementary leadership skills.

Aims

  1. Increase research into the prevention, detection, and treatment of HPV infection and its impact on cancer by providing advanced degree training or Master’s in Public Health (MPH) to Kenyan researchers at the University of Washington (UW).
  2. Strengthen the capacity of Kenyan institutions to conduct HPV research by providing non-degree training to Kenyan researchers at the UW.
  3. Expand knowledge and skills in HPV clinical research across Kenya by conducting workshops and online courses from the UW.

Approach

Kenyan HPV researchers will earn a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) degree by taking 9 months of coursework in Seattle followed by 12 months of epidemiological fieldwork and thesis writing in Kenya. Three students will earn an MPH at the UW over the 5-year program and will contribute towards HPV research in Kenya, dissemination of scientific infectious disease knowledge, and policy making around the prevention, screening, and treatment of HPV infection and its impact on cervical cancer. Students who have interest and potential in HPV research will attend UW and take coursework in epidemiology and biostatistics for three months before returning to Kenya and engaging in a mentored research project. Ten students will be trained over the duration of the program and will incorporate their knowledge into the development of new or existing courses and research at their institution. One-week in-person workshops and online courses from the UW e-Learning Initiative (eDGH) will be offered to HPV resaerchers in the region, thereby building a critical mass of trained researchers

 

  • Marleen Temmerman
  • Michael H. Chung

  • William Macharia
  • Christine McGrath
  • Shahin Sayed

  • Aga Khan University, East Africa
  • University of Washington
  • Emory University

Funding

HPV Research Training in Kenya is funded through a US National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fogarty International Center grant: D43 TW010905.