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. During the last grant cycle (2017-2022), our 110 doctoral scholars and postdoctoral fellows published a collective 287 manuscripts, including 109 as primary author. The vast majority remain in academic research careers, and many have obtained independent grant funding. Under the LAUNCH initiative, we build upon these strengths to train the next generation of biomedical scientists equipped to address complex health challenges. First, we provide enriching 12-month mentored training opportunities at affiliated research sites. We draw upon a highly qualified group of researchers jointly recruited from 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 for US postdoctoral fellows. Second, we continue to foster research in scientific areas, aligned with the most recent NIH priorities. We emphasize reciprocal innovation to ensure that the knowledge gained from these international settings—where disease burden may be higher, standards of care may differ, and healthcare delivery may be more cost-efficient— is translatable to domestic settings facing similar challenges. As such, these investments will lead to measurable benefit to affected populations in the United States. Third, we enhance our training curriculum. We have developed a new Research Leadership Academy, building upon our team’s experience in leadership training, institutional resources, and collaborations with other US government programs. This curriculum also emphasizes bidirectional learning and the adaptation of locally developed solutions across settings, including translation to applicable US contexts. Fourth, we 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. Fifth, the UJMT LAUNCH initiative is led by a team of committed health researchers—and a broad network of engaged collaborators—with the expertise and experience to carry out these aims. Through this program, we will train a group of productive, independently funded, research leaders who are prepared to address health problems that affect Americans and communities abroad. Finally, we recognize that the health, safety, and well-being of Americans are increasingly interconnected with communities worldwide. Through these activities, our consortium generates knowledge that is applicable to understanding, improvement, and protection of health in the US. We do so in a manner that is innovative, accountable, and in line with the policies and procedures set forth by the NIH.