UJMT LAUNCH: Training the next generation of leaders in global health research

About This Grant

ABSTRACT Since its inception in 2012, the UJMT Fogarty Global Health Fellows Program—led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Johns Hopkins University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Tulane University—has provided a critical pathway to global health research careers. Our 252 trainees have collectively secured $88.5 million in grant funding, a nearly 600% return on the NIH’s investment. During the current grant cycle (2017- present), our 110 doctoral scholars and postdoctoral fellows have published a collective 287 manuscripts, including 109 as primary author. The vast majority remain involved in global health research, and many have already obtained independent grant funding. In the coming grant cycle (2022-2027), under the new LAUNCH initiative, we build upon these strengths to further improve and expand our program. First, we will provide enriching 12-month mentored training opportunities at affiliated research sites in 16 countries. We draw upon a highly qualified group of US and international researchers jointly recruited from 12 domestic and 17 international training programs funded by the NIH. Our expert mentors support experiential learning on site, while the program provides a central training framework that monitors progress through individual development plans, core skills checklists, and regular group check-ins. Over the course of the five-year award, we expect to support at least 60 positions via base funding; in line with the RFA, 60% will be US postdoctoral fellows. Second, we will continue to foster research in scientific areas identified by in-country stakeholders. This includes topics described in the RFA, as well as evolving federal and NIH priorities. Third, we will enhance our training curriculum. We have developed a new Research Leadership Academy for Global Health, building upon our team’s experience in global health and leadership, institutional resources, and collaborations with other US government programs. We also provide individually guided research methodology training and scientific writing support, using proven approaches. Fourth, we will monitor, evaluate, and learn from our activities to iteratively improve the quality of our trainee experience. We utilize a conceptual framework that considers both process and performance to ensure that the specific aims of the program are met. Finally, the UJMT LAUNCH initiative will be led by a team of committed global health researchers—and a broad network of engaged collaborators, both in the US and abroad—with the expertise and experience to carry out its ambitious aims. Through this program, we will train a group of productive, independently funded, research leaders who are prepared to tackle the most pressing global health issues in the years to come.