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Activity Funded

Global Health and Tropical Medicine

Saúde Global e Medicina Tropical

Reference
UIDB/04413/2020
Project Start Date
2020-01-01
Project End Date
2024-12-31
Principal Investigator
Scientific Area
Medical and health sciences
Funding Program
Concurso de avaliação no âmbito do Programa Plurianual de Financiamento de Unidades de I&D (2017/2018) - Financiamento Base

Abstract

10.2 Summary in English for general dissemination purposes Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM) is a R&D centre with a unique multidisciplinary expertise on international public health and biomedical sciences, whose main goal is to improve Global Health through generation of knowledge, translational research and capacity building. Our organizational framework consists of four research groups, each embracing researchers with expertise in different (yet complementary) areas. These are the following: Vector Borne Diseases (VBD), Tuberculosis, HIV and Opportunistic Diseases (THOP), Population Health, Policies and Services (PPS) and Individual Health Care (IHC). In order to achieve cutting-edge outputs, the Centre operates in a transdisciplinary context in which relevant data and materials are exchanged between scientists in the different groups. Thus, we have identified and defined five "crosscutting issues", which we consider as "the major research areasthat are of shared interest, allowing for the best integration possible between all groups, towards output optimization". These crosscutting issues constitute the guiding principles of our forthcoming working model and are the following: a) Global pathogen dispersion and population mobility, b) Drug discovery& resistance, c) Diagnosis, d) Fair research partnerships, and e) Public health information. When considering "global pathogen dispersion and population mobility", we will address global dispersion of infectious diseases using multidisciplinary and integrated research approaches in collaboration with local partners in endemic settings, especially across Portuguese-speaking countries. Concerning "Drug Discovery and Drug Resistance" we will implement innovative strategies, mainly Computer-aided Drug and Insecticide Discovery (CADD) and Big Data towards more efficient identification of new therapeutic and transmission-blocking drugs, insecticides and timely detection and characterization of drug resistance. Our focus on "Diagnosis" will take advantage of our technical, scientific and medical expertise to generate and validate point-of-care, multi-pathogen diagnostic tools for early detection of TB, MDR-TB and P. jirovecii. In order to advance "Public Health Information", we will respond to the demand for more sophisticated information management tools to support public health decision-making (e.g. H2020 agenda). In this respect, we will carry out epidemiological surveillance and preventive measures, identify and manage outbreaks, promote Health information and communication on both policy-making and Healthcare decision-support systems. As one of the core trademarks of GHTM/IHMT privileges North/South relations, we will ensure this is done according to the "Fair research partnerships", by developing innovative research on partnership and sustainability, providing transdisciplinary teaching and strengthening our commitment with the Fair Research initiative (http://rfi.cohred.org) 10.3 Summary in English for evaluation The mission of the GHTM centre is to produce knowledge on global health and tropical medicine, develop tools and strengthen health systems through excellence in research, capacity building and systems implementation. We are uniquely placed to address these issues both at the national and international settings, in terms of in-house expertise, infrastructure and biological resources. Our multidisciplinary knowledge ranges from specialists on genetics and genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, statistics, bioinformatics, veterinary science, social sciences, travel and tropical medicine, and health systems. In addition to human resource capabilities, GHTM is ideally placed to undertake integrated basic and translational research since it holds unique infrastructures (two BSL3 laboratories; state-of-the-art animal house, security insectary), animal models of infection (malaria, TB, Trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis, Schistosomiasis), well characterized collections of drug resistant bacteria, parasites and viruses and access to clinical samples. In terms of organization, our framework consists of four groups, each of which includes researchers with expertise in different (yet complementary) areas. These are the following: Vector Borne Diseases (VBD), Tuberculosis, HIV and Opportunistic Diseases (THOP), Population Health, Policies and Services (PPS) and Individual Health Care (IHC). In order to achieve cutting-edge outputs, the Centre operates in a transdisciplinary context in which relevant data and materials are exchanged between scientists in the different groups. Thus, we have identified five "crosscutting issues", which constitute the guiding principles of our upcoming working model and are the following: a) Global pathogen dispersion and population mobility, b) Drug discovery& resistance, c) Diagnosis, d) Fair research partnerships, and e) Public health information. All cross-cutting issues will contribute to pursue "One Health" approach to global health. Our forthcoming strategy and objectives within each of these issues is summarized below. "Global pathogen dispersion and population mobility" addresses global dispersion of infectious diseases using multidisciplinary and integrated research approaches in collaboration with local partners in endemic countries. We aim to i) monitor accurately the risk of introduction of infectious diseases in mobile populations and travellers; ii) produce risk maps for infectious diseases based on: pathogen, human populations, vectors, reservoir, environment, and microbiomes; iii) develop infection and disease dissemination prevention tools, including vaccines, transmission blockers and IT tools and iv) conduct implementation research to bridge the gap between our knowledge on disease epidemiology and the implementation of such knowledge in resource-poor areas. Within the scope of "Drug Discovery and Drug Resistance", we will improve our capacity for identification of new therapeutic and transmission-blocking drugs, insecticides and timely detection and characterization of drug resistance, through implementation of novel innovative strategies, mainly Computer-aided Drug and Insecticide Discovery (CADD) and Big Data Analysis, to: i) discover drug candidates through drug repositioning approaches and comparative genomics; ii) perform pre-clinical tests, making these compounds ready for clinical/field trials; iii) provide predictive data on genetic determinants leading to resistance to new drugs or insecticides prior to or upon market release and iv) develop surveillance tools to monitor resistance and predictive models that anticipate the dynamics of resistance development. "Diagnosis" strategies should ideally aim at the generation of point-of-care, multi-pathogen tools, especially in low-income countries, where diseases are often misdiagnosed due to lack of resources and personnel. We aim therefore to: i) develop and deploy novel point-of-care diagnostic and genotyping tools using innovative molecular supports (such as paper or gold particles, isothermal nucleic acid amplification) at community and individual levels and to ii) use gold-nanoprobe technology for the direct detection of pathogens and drug-resistant M. tuberculosis and P. jirovecii. By addressing "Public Health Information" we will respond to the global demand for more sophisticated information management tools to support public health decision-making (e.g. H2020 agenda) to i) carry out epidemiological surveillance and preventive measures; ii) identify and manage outbreaks; iii) plan and monitor Health Services aiming at Universal Health Coverage (UHC); iv) promote Health information and communication, and on policy-making and Healthcare decision-support systems and v) promote public health information and education, contributing to health workforce strengthening. "Fair research partnerships" ensure that North/South partnerships function in a mutual benefit model. We integrate IHMT's work in the emerging field of "research partnerships", building upon IHMT's historical work within the Portuguese-speaking community. Consequently, we intend to i) develop innovative research on partnership development and sustainability; ii) carry out high-calibre inter and transdisciplinary capacity building and knowledge management and iii) strengthen our partnership and commitment with the Fair Research initiative (http://rfi.cohred.org) and expanded it to our network of Public Health Institutes in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Institutions

Main Institutions

  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa Saúde Global e Medicina Tropical (UNL GHTM)
  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL)

Funding 1.342.960,00 €

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Portugal

1.342.960,00 €