NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATIONS IN SCIENCE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
Fogarty International Center
Three Fogarty International Center (FIC) programs provide scientific
education and training on an international basis to undergraduate students as
well as to graduate scientists; a Web site is provided for each program.
Please contact Dr. Ken Bridbord of the Division of International Training and
Research at 301-496-1653 if you need additional information.
Minority International Research Training Grant (MIRT): Since 1993,
the FIC and the NIH Office of Research on Minority Health of the NIH have
jointly supported scientific training through the MIRT grant program.
MIRT grants offer international research training opportunities to qualified
minority undergraduates and graduate and medical students who are
under-represented in biomedical and behavioral research careers. For more
information visit http://www.nih.gov/fic/opportunities/mirt.html.
International Training in Medical Informatics Program (ITMI): The
ITMI program provides training for developing country scientists in
computer-assisted data analysis and management for biomedical research
applications, as well as practical and applied short-term training targeted to
specific needs in support of disease control and prevention research. For
more information visit
http://www.nih.gov/fic/opportunities/itmi.html.
International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBG): Since 1993
over 1,400 individuals from 12 countries have received formal training through
the ICBG program. Over 90 percent of these trainees represent developing
country participants, including Bachelor's, Master's, doctoral
students, and postdoctoral fellows, as well as technicians and nonscientific
community residents. Training topics include plant collection and drying
in the field, extraction, testing, compound isolation, identification and
modifications, database development and maintenance, use of Geographic
Information Systems, contract development, and understanding of intellectual
property rights. For more information see
http://www.nih.gov/fic/opportunities/icbg.html.
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recently produced slide lectures
intended to allow educators to clarify key concepts related to cancer.
These are: Understanding Cancer; Understanding Gene Testing; and
Understanding the Immune System. All are scripted color slide
presentations that are available on the World Wide Web
(http://cancer.gov/behindthenews). The NCI also participated in the
production of a curriculum supplement for high school students entitled Cell
Biology and Cancer. This supplement, which includes a CD-ROM with
experiments and a Teacher Guide to facilitate discovery activities, was
presented at the last meeting of the National Biology Teachers Association.
In collaboration with the American Health Foundation of New York and the
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), NCI is cosponsoring the development of
a Spanish edition of the elementary school (kindergarten through grade 6)
health education program Know Your Body, for use both in U.S. Latino schools
and in foreign schools where Spanish is spoken. A translation into Polish
is in process, and translations into other languages are planned. NCI
previously supported an Israeli Health Education Scholar at the American Health
Foundation, thus facilitating the introduction of a Hebrew and an Arabic
version of Know Your Body into Israeli and Palestinian schools.
The NCI produces a number of print publications aimed at young
people. These include Chew or Snuff is Real Bad Stuff, a brochure aimed
at seventh and eighth graders on the health and social effects of smokeless
tobacco products. An additional resource on this topic is provided a kit
for educators entitled Dangerous Game that is intended to assist intermediate
and high school teachers in educating teenagers about the addictive nature and
health risks of smokeless tobacco. A smoking cessation booklet in Spanish
entitled Rompa con el vicio: Una guía para dejar de fumar was
developed by the University of California, San Francisco, under an NCI
grant. Smoking Facts and Quitting Tips for African Americans is another
NCI brochure aimed at smoking cessation. The NCI publication When Someone
in Your Family Has Cancer provides
information for young people dealing
with cancer in a parent or sibling. In addition, material for parents
dealing with cancer in their children is produced by the NCI. These
include publications entitled Young People with Cancer: A Handbook for
Parents and Talking With Your Child About Cancer.
With the American Cancer Society and PAHO, NCI cosponsored the
production of a Spanish-language edition of the American Cancer Society
Textbook of Clinical Oncology, which is being distributed free to many of the
major medical libraries in Spanish-speaking countries and is being sold at a
subsidized rate to medical practitioners there. NCI is providing
memberships in its Information Associates Program to approximately 45 libraries
in foreign cancer centers or medical schools in Africa; Asia, including the
Near East; the Caribbean; Central and Eastern Europe; and Latin America.
This program provides subscriptions to the Journal of the National Cancer
Institute (JNCI) and JNCI Monographs; access to the PDQ database and to
CancerLit digests of citations and abstracts via electronic bulletin board or
Internet connection; and a variety of other cancer information services.
Distribution of a Cancer Seminars series on videotape is continuing to
libraries of 110 foreign cancer institutes, giving young foreign scientists the
opportunity to access the latest findings in cancer research.
National Human Genome Research Institute
The NIH Office of Science Education in cooperation with the National
Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) developed Human Genetic
Variation. Human Genetic Variation is part of a curriculum supplement
series that complies with the National Science Education Standards. Human
Genetic Variation is designed for use in senior high school science classrooms
to introduce students to major concepts related to human genetic variation and
to convey to students the relationship between biomedical research and the
improvement of personal and public health. The supplement contains
several activities that may be used in sequence or as individual activities
designed to fit into 45 minutes of classroom time. The printed materials
may be used in isolation or in conjunction with the CD-ROMs, which offer
scenarios, simulations, animations, and videos. Human Genetic Variation
is being distributed to teachers around the country free of charge. The
supplement may be copied for classroom use but may not be sold. The
following Web site provides continuing updates on the curriculum series:
http://science-education.nih.gov/supplements.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), through its
Office of Prevention, Education, and Control, has developed an interactive Web
site, the Asthma Management Model System (AMMS)
(http://www.nhlbisupport.com/asthma/index.html) that allows visitors from
across the globe to access a variety of science-based resources on effective
asthma management. The AMMS has three major features:
1) a Research Mode that allows the user to retrieve information resources based
on a search strategy that queries several scientific databases, including
PUBMED, CRISP, and other databases that store information on asthma developed
by agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food
and Drug Administration; 2) an Education Mode that provides access to
educational materials for patients and the general public, slides, and clinical
practice guidelines; and 3) a Communication Mode that allows users to become a
part of the NHLBI health information network, provides online continuing
medical education (CME) credits for physicians, and links to the
NHLBI's National Asthma Education and Prevention Program's
(NAEPP) Coalition Exchange, which promotes networking among more than 60 U.S.
asthma coalitions. The NHLBI also partners with the World Health
Organization in promoting its annual World Asthma Day observance, which is
designed to 1) increase awareness of asthma as a global health problem, 2)
communicate progress in treatment and in patient education programs, and 3)
involve public authorities, professional organizations and patient groups in
implementation of effective asthma management programs. The theme of
World Asthma Day 2000, on May 3, 2000, is “Let Every Person
Breathe.” Throughout the world, health professionals, medical and
patient organizations, health authorities, patients, and the public will
highlight the need for every person with asthma to obtain a timely diagnosis,
receive appropriate treatment, learn to manage their asthma in partnership with
a health professional, and reduce exposure to environmental factors that make
their asthma worse. The NHLBI's NAEPP will host a press conference
in collaboration with the Mayor's Office in the District of Columbia, the
City's schools, the D.C. Asthma Coalition, and the National Library of
Medicine. The press event, to be held at Tyler Elementary School in
Washington, D.C., will provide an opportunity to show how local and Federal
groups can work together to address asthma. Children who have learned how
to manage their asthma through the Open Airways for Schools Program will also
participate. More information on U.S. World Asthma Day efforts can be
found at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/asthma/wad_2/index.htm.
National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the
Civilian Research and Development Foundation, the University of Minnesota
School of Public Health, and two Russian investigators are collaborating on an
initiative to reduce/delay alcohol use among school children in Russia.
Partners in Prevention, headed by Drs. Tanya Grechnia and Olga Romanova in
Moscow, is testing a school and community-based program that has proven
successful in the United States and has been adapted to fit Russian culture and
family life. The program utilizes peer leaders, parent-child
“homework” assignments, and school and community activities to teach
factual information about alcohol and the harm it creates on human health and
society. Developmentally appropriate interventions aimed at Russian 5th,
6th and 7th graders are reinforced by peers, parents, teachers, and community
leaders. To date the initiative, which has been implemented and evaluated
in 20 Moscow schools, has achieved high participation rates by parents and
students, has demonstrated effectiveness in making students aware of the harms
of alcohol use, and has achieved wide acceptance by teachers, principals, and
community leaders. Follow-up studies will measure effects on student
behavior in delaying/reducing alcohol use.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin
Diseases
The following are examples of international collaborations at the
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
for use in educating K-12 children:
The NIAMS promotes international cooperation and advanced study in the
biomedical sciences and supports research partnerships between American
scientists and foreign counterparts through grants, fellowships, exchange
awards, and international agreements. The NIAMS is also involved in many
international meetings and seminars in a continuous effort to share data and
research opportunities. Additionally, many international collaborations
result in significant research publications.
Although there have been many important scientific advances resulting
from international activities, one recent example is the discovery of genetic
mutations on chromosome 12 underlying a newly recognized group of inherited
inflammatory disorders that includes familial Hibernian fever. The
mutations, reported in the April 2 issue of Cell, involve a cell surface
receptor for the inflammatory protein tumor necrosis factor and are thought to
predispose individuals to severe inflammation triggered by emotional stress,
minor trauma or--in some cases--no apparent reason. The article
describing this discovery can be found at
http://www.nih.gov/niams/news/spotlight/traps.htm.
Other important addresses can be found at
http://www.nih.gov/niams/
(the NIAMS homepage) and
http://www.nih.gov/fic/opportunities/
(international research training opportunities at NIH).
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) International Program
emphasizes the development of international research collaborations on the
prevention and treatment of drug abuse and related health consequences.
NIDA's program incorporates capacity building and participation in
international meetings with the goal of eventual research collaboration.
The Institute offers fellowships for younger as well as mature
scientists. Drug abuse is a growing global health problem, and NIDA
recognizes the importance of doing our share to contribute to building an
international network of trained experts in the field. NIDA's
science-based prevention materials include a wide array of school-based
materials for children in grades K-12. These have been distributed all
over the U.S. and have been shared with colleagues around the world as
well. For example, NIDA's Mind over Matter series has been
translated into such languages as Spanish and Portuguese, among others.
NIDA's research-based guide to Preventing Drug Use Among Children and
Adolescents has been translated into Spanish, Chinese, Basque, Russian, and
other languages for use in schools in other countries. Most of
NIDA's public awareness and education materials are available for
downloading from the NIDA Web site at
www.drugabuse.gov.
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
International Collaborative Oral Health Planning Grants for FY 2000 include the
following: “Oral Infections and Vascular Risk in Seven
Countries,” being conducted by Moise Desvarieux of the University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities. The seven countries are Australia, Finland,
Germany, Haiti, Ireland, UK (Scotland), and the U.S.
“International Centers Against Oral Cancer,” being conducted
by Stimson P. Schantz of the Strang Cancer Prevention Center. The
countries in the network are Brazil, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the
U.S.
“Measuring Child Oral Health-Related Quality of Life,”
conducted by Hillary L. Broder of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of
New Jersey. The countries in the network are Canada, England, France, the
Netherlands, New Zealand, and the U.S.
“International Consortium for Research on TMJ Disorders,”
being conducted by Samuel F. Dworkin of the University of Washington. The
countries in the network are Australia, Finland, Germany, Israel, Singapore,
Sweden, and the U.S.
“Models of Health Inequalities in Childhood Dental Caries,”
being conductd by Cynthia M. Pine at the University of Dundee. The
countries in the network are Belgium, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, UK, and the U.S.
“International Genetic Epidemiology of Oral Clefts,” being
conducted by Terri Beaty at Johns Hopkins University. The countries in
the network are Hong Kong. Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S.
For further information on the grants, please contact Dr. Lois Cohen,
Director, Office of International Health, NIDCR, telephone 301-594-2613.
In addition the NIDCR Office of International Research has a Web site at
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/international/whole_01.gif.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases
On March 9, 2000, Jacqueline Dobson of the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) EEO Office coordinated the
visit of 13 students and two faculty members from the Number Three School in
Puschino, Russia. These were exchange students with Sidwell Friends
School, and the NIH visit was part of a United States tour. This event is
held annually by the NIDDK in collaboration with a Sidwell Friends School
science teacher who previously participated in the NIDDK-sponsored
biotechnology classes. While in the Washington area, the students visited
the NIDDK Discovery Center at Catholic University. Their NIH visit began
with a tour of the National Library of Medicine and lunch in the NIH Clinical
Center. The students were given a tour of the Clinical Center facilities
and then they participated in hands-on learning activities provided by the
Research Awareness Program at the NIH Visitor Information Center.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) supports
training of environmental health science professionals in developing countries
to assist their governments in research and environmental
decision-making. A few examples follow:
Through a U.S.-based university grant program run by the Fogarty
International Center, scientists and public health personnel work in U.S.
laboratories for two years and then return to their home countries to deal with
environmental situations there.
The NIEHS supports workshops in countries with human exposure scenarios
different from ours. An introductory workshop in environmental
epidemiology and a collaborative research planning for children's health have
been planned for South Africa. An interactive Web-based instructional
program in mutagenesis assay is being completed for use in universities
throughout the developing world.
Next week the NIEHS will hold a conference on the use of biological
markers for both exposure and effects assessment in global arctic
populations. The result will be a document advising on the use of
advanced techniques to assess the health effects of pollutants as they move
into the Arctic (where they stay due to the cold climate) and in native
populations who eat their traditional diet, high on the food chain.
There
are numerous activities of the NIEHS in international collaboration on
developing better testing methodologies for hazardous chemicals and to reduce
the use of animal models in such testing.
Office of Science Education/Office of the Director, NIH
The NIH Office of Science Education (OSE) has created a Web site to help
teachers and students identify educational resources available from NIH.
Earlier this year the OSE began distributing the first three in a series of
curriculum supplements designed for use in K-12 schools. These curriculum
supplements help science teachers update their curricula with compelling
material drawn from medical research. OSE has honored requests from
teachers outside of the United State for these new supplements. The
supplements may be ordered at http://science-education.nih.gov/supplements.
Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center
The Clinical Center (CC) provides educational programs to both the
scientific and lay communities. While programs are offered on campus,
many are telecast to other sites, and materials for these programs can be made
available to interested individuals world-wide.
One of the major outreach activities for the CC is the popular Medicine
for the Public Lecture series now approaching its 24th season. The
program focuses on how today's research will affect the future of health
care. Physician-scientists working at the forefront of medical research
offer easy-to-understand information and insight on major health issues.
Each lecture draws nearly 400 attendees from the across the region,
representing the age spectrum from high school students to senior
citizens. In 1999, topics included exercise for the elderly, blood
transfusion, and new techniques for rapidly diagnosing heart attack.
Beginning in September 2000, the series will include lectures on organ
transplantation, teenage AIDS, herbal products and interactions, stroke,
women's health research, and prostate cancer. More information about
this series is available on the CC Web site at
http://www.cc.nih.gov.
Two years ago, the CC initiated monthly satellite broadcasts, the
“NIH Clinical Center RoundTable,” with the CC Director, Dr. John
Gallin, as moderator. These televised broadcasts, sponsored by Healthcare
Management Television CenterNet in cooperation with the Association of Academic
Health Centers, are on clinical research topics currently under study at the
CC. The program was developed for practicing physicians and is
broadcast to 1,800 medical centers and hospitals around the country. It
spotlights translational research likely to impact day-to-day clinical
practice. In 2000, a new public broadcasting company,
MedScholar/Discovery, will air these monthly shows to physicians' homes
nationally through cable television.
Curriculum in Clinical Research: During the past six years, the
NIH intramural programs have been developing a curriculum in clinical research
for the scientific community. In the course “Introduction to the
Principles and Practice of Clinical Research” clinical researchers learn
how to design clinical trials and implement clinical protocols.
Currently, 324 students are enrolled, including 79 students who participate via
teleconference at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore, Georgetown
University, and the University of Puerto Rico. The program began in 1995
with 25 students. Today, 1,486 students have registered for this
course. “Principles of Clinical Pharmacology” is a course in
its second year, built on a series of lectures that cover the scientific basis
of the discipline of clinical pharmacology. Enrollment has grown from 180
to 294 students. The course also is teleconferenced to two sites:
the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore and Georgetown University.
“Ethical and Regulatory Aspects of Human Subjects Research”
offers education and training in research ethics for intramural scientists and
research staff. Participation increased from 130 attendees in 1998 to 170
in 1999. This course, offered by the Department of Clinical Bioethics,
meets weekly from the beginning of November through year end.
Participants are exposed to a broad range of issues important to the ethical
conduct of clinical research. The classes are conducted by experts in the
field of bioethics who come to the CC from all over the country.
Master's Degree in Clinical Research: This is an experiment
in distance-learning designed to strengthen training opportunities in clinical
research. It is a degree-granting collaboration between the CC and the
Duke University Medical Center. Seventeen students are enrolls in this
year's training program in clinical research, which began in 1998 with
14. The course is designed primarily for clinical fellows and other
health professionals who are training for careers in clinical research.
Included are formal courses in research design, statistical analysis, health
economics, research ethics, and research management. The program includes
a degree option leading to a Master of Health Sciences in Clinical
Research. Courses are offered at the CC through interactive
video-conferencing from Duke.
Plans are in progress to expand these and other training
opportunities. The University of Buenos Aires Medical School is joining
the “Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical
Research” through teleconference. Faculty members from other
academic medical centers have indicated interest in participating in a
Master's degree program in clinical research that would include
nonphysicians/dentists (e.g., Ph.D.s, nurses). To satisfy newly proposed
Standards in Clinical Research in the NIH intramural program, a short course
required for all clinical investigators and another course for all
Investigational Review Board members will be developed by the CC in
2000.
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