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Global Health Matters September/October 2024
Sickle Cell research in Africa yields global benefits
Between 2000 and 2021, the number of babies born with sickle cell disease (SCD) surged by 13.5%. Researchers studying SCD in Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria discuss their work and the potential benefits for patients worldwide.
- Probing the interaction of SCD and malaria resistance in Ghana
- Ugandan sickle cell researchers keep pace with aging patients
- This Nigerian hematologist established an SCD stroke prevention program in the community
Fogarty’s Dr. Kaiyuan Sun partners with innovative modeling group
Dr. Kaiyuan Sun is a research scientist in Fogarty’s Division of International Epidemiology and Population Studies (DIEPS). In this Q&A, he discusses his recently published papers and his collaboration with Dr. Cheryl Cohen's team at NICD (National Institute for Communicable Diseases), South Africa.
Monitoring HIV drug resistance in Zimbabwe
For his Fogarty-funded project, Dr. Justen Manasa aimed to leverage the advances in sequencing and bioinformatics technologies to provide increased understanding of HIV drug resistance among patients in Zimbabwe. Manasa joined the Fogarty Global Health Fellows and Scholars program, now known as LAUNCH, in 2016.
APTI’s third cohort looks toward their second year
The African Postdoctoral Training Initiative (APTI) is a joint effort by the African Academy of Sciences, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health that aims to bolster scientific research capacity in Africa. Fellows spend two years in an NIH lab and an additional two years at their home institutions. Four fellows reflect on the first year of their journey and their plans for the future.
Vaccines: Realizing their potential as tools for health equity
Director Kathleen Neuzil summarizes a plenary talk that she recently delivered about the impact of vaccination programs. Over the past half century, vaccines are estimated to have averted 154 million deaths and saved 9 billion years of life. Yet mpox has had an outsized effect on African children in recent months.
New malaria network aims to boost collaboration
The U.S. government is the single biggest investor in malaria control and prevention in the world. The inaugural meeting of the Federal Malaria Research Network in June brought together representatives from various U.S.-led malaria efforts. This meeting aimed to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among researchers.
Neuzil and AFREhealth symposium attendees discuss global health research
Dr. Kathy Neuzil attended the seventh annual African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) symposium as part of her listening tour as Fogarty’s new director. AFREhealth is an interdisciplinary society that works with ministries of health, academic and training institutions, and other stakeholders to improve the quality of health care on the continent through research, education, and capacity building.
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Updated March 7, 2025
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