devinitorg/iati-policy-markers huggingface dataset:
Shifts in the metabolic and virulence profiles of Streptococcus pneumoniae following the introduction of conjugate-polysaccharide vaccine in Malawi It is estimated that in 2010-2011, there were 120 million episodes of pneumonia in young children worldwide, and 1.3 million pneumonia-related deaths. A microbe called Streptococcus pneumoniae or the pneumococcus, which frequently lives at the back of the nose in healthy children and adults, is a leading cause of childhood pneumonia in many African countries, and is also associated with a high burden of meningitis and severe blood infection. Reducing the burden of pneumococcal disease is therefore a major public health priority. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) are highly effective at reducing this disease and have been introduced into the routine infant immunisation programmes of several sub-Saharan African countries, including Malawi. We now have evidence from our ongoing work in Malawi that there has been a large direct benefit of vaccination occurring early after introduction. The critical question is whether this protection will be long-lasting and result in protection of individuals in the wider community who have not received or have responded poorly to the vaccine (so-called "herd immunity").   We have recently established a programme of surveillance in Malawi that is looking out for changes in the pneumococcus carried by otherwise healthy children and HIV-infected adults that may indicate that the vaccine will become less effective. In this proposed project we will exploit this ongoing work together with a wealth of data from pneumococci causing pneumonia, meningitis and blood poisoning to find out whether the introduction of PCV into the national childhood immunisation programme in Malawi leads to a change in the profile of carried pneumococci that has the potential to undermine vaccine impact; and then use a mathematical model to test potential strategies to prolong PCV effectiveness in Malawi and in other similar settings. This study will draw on expertise in Malawi, Liverpool and  Oxford enabling us to exploit state-of-the-art genetic fingerprinting of these bacteria and new mathematical modelling approaches. Given that maintaining the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines is critical in resource constrained sub-Saharan African countries such as Malawi, this project is very timely in addressing the long term impact of these vaccines, particularly in vulnerable populations with a high burden of HIV, malnutrition and malaria. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Performance of EArly Retinal Laser (PEARL) MRC/JGHT award  looking at whether earlier laser treatment (prior to onset of proliferative retinopathy) improve disease outcomes and compliance with treatment among adults with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in rural and urban China? The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Understanding and measuring pregnancy-related anxiety in low- and middle-income contexts: A pilot study in northern Ghanat GCRF Global Maternal and Neo award to Understand and measure pregnancy-related anxiety in low- and middle-income contexts: A pilot study in northern Ghana The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Consumer Cost-Sharing in Primary Care: Unintended Health and Economic Outcomes MRC Joint Health Systems Research Initiative award to establish whether increased levels of patient cost-sharing reduce the use of primary care services, and increase undiagnosed chronic conditions, hospitalizations, health care costs, and mortality. In C The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Supportive supervision of mid level health workers in rural Nepal for improved job satisfaction, motivation and quality of care. Many low-income countries are suffering from shortages of health workers in rural areas. To expand access to health care, mid level health workers with up to three years training are being expected to complete tasks that higher cadres of health worker would usually undertake. Yet these cadres are largely ignored at a policy level. To enable these health workers to fulfill their potential and provide good quality care, they need to be adequately supported and supervised. Research suggests that health workers may respond better to supervision if their supervisor is aware of their emotional needs, and they build trust through listening, empathy and responding to their individual concerns (Cummings et al. 2010).   This development grant will enable us to develop supportive supervision interventions for mid level health workers in rural Nepal, which will then be implemented through existing systems and evaluated in subsequent research. We will conduct a review of the literature using a realist methodology to understand for whom and in what circumstances interventions work. This will inform the development of supportive supervision interventions in Nepal. We will collect data from policy makers, programme implementers, managers, and health workers to describe existing systems, their weaknesses and collate the learning from national pilot interventions. This information will be discussed in a working group of government and non government participants who will meet regularly. This will help us to develop feasible interventions that have a broad level of support. A health economist will then model intervention costs. Interventions will be presented, debated and prioritised in a workshop with participants from the district and central level. On finalising interventions, a methodology will be designed to evaluate and understand the effect of these interventions, with input from experts and the working group. Funding sources will be identified to implement the interventions and research the effect of a supportive supervision intervention for mid level health workers in rural Nepal. We will disseminate our learning from this process through international peer reviewed publications, briefing papers, conferences and social media. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
A vector excreta surveillance system (VESS) to support the rapid detection of vector-borne diseases GCRF Foundation Infections 2016 to develop a novel, noninvasive and adaptable approach to disease surveillance  to support the rapid detection of vectorborne diseases in Ghana The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
GCRF Partnership for Increasing the Impact of Vector Control (PIIVeC) UKRI GROW award - Partnership for Increasing the Impact of Vector Control (PIIVeC) plans to train scientists in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi and the UK; conduct research and invest in facilities; and bring different disciplines together into advisory groups that can help governments plan sustainable attacks on sleeping sickness, dengue, malaria and leishmaniasis. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
To investigate the spectrum, determinants and long-term outcome of SARS-CoV-2 in African children, immune responses and protective role of prior sHCoV MRC GECO COVID award to investigate the spectrum, determinants and long-term outcome of SARS-CoV-2 in African children, immune responses
and protective role of prior sHCoV COVID-19 The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Community surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID_19 in the general and in high risk populations in Uganda and assessment of the wider impact of infection and of pandemic mitigation MRC GCRF COVID-19 conducting community surveillance for SARS_CoV_2 and COVID_19 in general and high risk populations n Uganda COVID-19 The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Syphilis self-testing to expand test uptake among men who have sex with men (SST) MRC JGHT award to develop Syphilis selftesting to expand test uptake among men who have sex with men (SST) The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
G-quadruplex biology in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum IIB Research Boards May/Jun 2016 - RM 2017 award focusing on a new biological mechanism that the Malaria parasite may use for switching between var genes and for generating new variants in Africa The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Optimizing low-technology metofluthrin emanators to extend active ingredient release while maximizing protection against malaria transmission We recently developed a low-technology emanator consisting of commonly available Hessian sacking impregnated with the widely-used volatile pyrethroid transfluthrin, which is slowly released into the air as a vapour. These emanators protected humans against behaviourally and physiologically resistant Anopheles arabiensis indoors and outdoors for over 2 years and killed the vast majority of mosquitoes that succeeded in feeding on protected humans. The disadvantage of transfluthrin is its relatively high melting point, which limits its vapour pressure and efficacy outside of low-altitude equatorial settings with very high night time temperatures. Fortunately, a similarly safe volatile pyrethroid called metofluthrin is also available from generic sources, which has a lower melting point so it remains volatile across the full range of temperatures relevant to malaria transmission.  We therefore propose to repeat dose-optimization for this emanator prototype with metofluthrin, rather than transfluthrin, using a range of thicknesses of diffusion-retarding plastic coatings. Our primary objective is to identify the minimum dose, and optimal coating thickness at that dose, which confers at least 80% protection against exposure to biting An. arabiensis, as well as An. gambiae and An. funestus, for at least one year. Our secondary objective is to demonstrate that predicted maximum cost per year of protection is comparable with those for long-lasting insecticidal nets. If both objectives are achieved, this early phase study will be followed by an application to conduct the main study: a community-randomized controlled trial to assess impact upon malaria incidence among both users and non-users, supplemented with participatory social science studies of end-user perceptions. Both studies will be conducted in a relatively high altitude (1100m) region of west Kenya with moderate temperatures. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Diet, biomarkers and non-communicable diseases in rural and urban China: federated analysis of population-based studies MRC mechanistic Nutrition award lookng at the diet, biomarkers and noncommunicable diseases in rural and urban China: federated analysis of populationbased studiesDiet (i.e. intake of specific foods, nutrients, and overall dietary patterns) plays an important role in the development and progression of NCDs, which is the leading cause of early death and disability. However, the majority of the previous studies were conducted in high-income Western countries, with limited information available from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), such as China, where nearly three-quarters of NCDs occur. This lack of robust information makes it difficult to formulate evidence-based dietary guidelines for NCD prevention in these countries. More importantly, associations observed only in a specific population (or few similar populations) may not be the true effect of diet, but due to the impact of other factors which are closely related to dietary habits, e.g. socio-demographic factors or other lifestyle factors (e.g. physical activity). Therefore, studying the association between diet and NCDs in LMICs has become very important because populations in these countries, compared to those living in Western countries, have very distinct dietary and disease patterns and the correlations between dietary factors and socio-demographic factors are also very different. Moreover, the exact biological mechanisms through which diet exert its effect on NCD incidence and progression is largely unknown. A better understanding of such mechanisms will greatly enhance our capacity to effectively prevent and treat these diseases.  In this proposal, we plan to bring together several large population based studies which in total involves > 1 million Chinese adults for whom information on dietary habits, biomarkers which are closely related to metabolism status of the body, and incidence of NCDs is available, together with long-term stored bio-samples. Joint analyses of existing as well as newly generated omics (i.e. MS-Metabolomics and Metagenomics) data will be performed in order to have a comprehensive robust assessment of diet and NCD association as well as potential underlying mechanisms. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Drinking-water under a "One Health" lens: quantifying microbial contamination pathways between livestock and drinking-water Diarrhoeal disease and lack of access to safe water remain significant public health issues in developing countries.  There is also growing concern about the potential for disease, including diarrhoeal infections, to be transmitted from livestock to humans. This project addresses the potential drinking-water contamination risks to human health in rural sub-Saharan Africa, where people and livestock often live in close proximity. Preliminary fieldwork will be carried out in rural Kenya, building on an ongoing study that is simultaneously recording human and livestock disease in ten villages.  The fieldwork will test different techniques to identify contamination hazards from livestock, alongside water quality testing and recording of diarrhoea in children. These techniques will include the use of GPS collars to track cattle movements, maps of hazardous areas created by the communities themselves, and also checklists for recording signs of livestock hazards at water sources and around water stored in the home. We will look at how feasible it is to record hazards using these techniques. We will also statistically assess whether we find greater water contamination and greater diarrhoea in children where there are more recorded hazards.    Since measurement of water contamination used in such areas is based on bacteria found in both livestock and humans, the project will also work on affordable ways of testing for micro-organisms that are specifically found in livestock faeces versus those found in human faeces. If successful, such techniques could be used to investigate the importance of different sources of faecal contamination of drinking-water. This in turn could help manage the safety of rural water sources like wells and rainwater and better protect drinking-water stored in the home from contamination through livestock.    Because this complex problem requires a wide range of expertise, during the project we will strength our academic team to include more disciplines, particularly specialists in child health and social sciences. The tools for identifying hazards from livestock will be made widely available at the end of the project and UK expertise in the microbiological laboratory techniques will be shared with Kenyan collaborators. The experience gained will be used to build up contacts and develop a plan and team for a larger-scale study of livestock hazards, water contamination, and diarrhoeal disease risk in several countries. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
MICA: Performance evaluation of a point-of-care whole blood viral load test (SAMBA) to optimize HIV treatment in resource-limited settings As of 2012, 9.7 million individuals were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for treatment of HIV-1 infection in low- and middle-income countries. However, among patients receiving first-line ART, 20-30% will have a detectable viral load after 12 months. The long-term success of ART programmes is heavily dependent on accurate, available and timely viral load monitoring to document viral suppression or indicate the need for second line ART switch.    Existing HIV viral load assays require significant infrastructure and highly trained personnel to perform, thus only a few centralised laboratories are capable of viral load testing in most developing countries. Centralised testing leads to poor access to those in need, long turn-around times, delay of results and subsequent loss of patients, all of which lead to sub-optimal ART treatment outcomes, which can cause significant morbidity and mortality.  The University of Cambridge, in partnership with Diagnostics for the Real World, has developed an innovative point-of-care nucleic acid amplification test for the diagnosis monitoring the efficacy of HIV treatment by determining of the amount of circulating virus  is above or below the threshold for treatment failure. The SAMBA HIV-1 Semi-Q Test allows the patient to be tested and treated in the same visit, thus improving access and treatment outcomes. The plasma-based semi-automated (SAMBA I) assay has received product approval in Malawi, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda and has been used for testing of over 35,500 patients at Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) sites in Malawi and Uganda to date.   The SAMBA HIV-1 Semi-Q Test has recently been improved to enable the use of small volume whole blood, using a patented method of filtration. This removes the need for plasma separation, thus increasing utility at lower cadre health clinics and reduces the time to result. In addition a fully automated SAMBA instrument system has been developed, called SAMBA II. The key aims of this proposal are: 1) integrate the whole blood SAMBA HIV-1 Semi-Q Test onto the fully automated SAMBA II instrument, 2) perform an evaluation in house, in Africa and in Europe to evaluate its perforce compared to another  CE-marked test and 3) submit for CE-mark. Although the SAMBA test will most likely be used in Africa, a CE-mark is required to allow it to be procured by NGO's. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.
Genetic Admixture and Host-Pathogen Interactions in Helicobacter pylori Infection IIB  NIRG Res Boards Sep/Oct 2014  RM 2016 award. To characterise the complex hostpathogenenvironment interactions that underlie susceptibility to H. pylori bacteria infection in the admixed population of Cape Verde The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund addresses the UN sustainable development goals. It aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunity in the developing world.