U.S. Department of Health and Human Services NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News Fogarty International Center (FIC) <http://www.fic.nih.gov/> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, October 30, 2006 CONTACT: John Makulowich, 301-402-8614 <makulowj@xxxxxxxxxxxx> FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER FUNDS 10 AWARDS FOR "FRAMEWORK PROGRAMS" The Fogarty International Center (FIC), in partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), all part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced 10 awards for its "Framework Programs in Global Health." The program aims to build global health research capacity in the United States and abroad. Institutions will create administrative frameworks to tie multiple schools together on the topic of global health and to develop multidisciplinary global health curricula for undergraduates, graduates, and professional school students. The awards support the development of innovative, multidisciplinary global health programs on campuses in the United States and in low- and middle-income nations. The 10 new awards this year, plus the 16 funded last year, bring to 26 the total number of programs in the network. These 10 institutions received awards: -- Case Western Reserve University (OH) -- Cornell University (NY) -- Emory University (GA) -- National Institute of Public Health (Mexico) - Planning Grant -- Pavlov State Medical University (Russia) - Planning Grant -- Pennsylvania State University (PA) -- University of California San Diego (CA) -- University of Ibadan (Nigeria) - Planning Grant -- University of Southern California (CA) -- Vanderbilt University (TN) Three of the 10 awards support 2-year planning grants for institutions in low- and middle-income countries. National Institute of Public Health (Mexico), Pavlov State Medical University (Russia) and University of Ibadan (Nigeria) will develop full Framework applications by building multi-school teams, developing pilot courses, and working with institutional leadership to develop administrative structures to support a trans-institutional program. The combined program funding for the 10 awards is about $844,000 for the first year of the three-year awards and 2-year planning grants. FIC and its partners will fund about $2.5 million over the next three years on these awards. Many of these programs also have significant matching funds from university resources. "Health issues have become increasingly global," said Dr. Roger I. Glass, Director of the Fogarty International Center, speaking on behalf of the program partners. "Many nations now face the same serious health burdens from non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity and mental illness. Environmental disruptions and natural disasters cross borders and infectious diseases can rapidly spread around the globe. The Framework Program encourages universities to educate students from a global perspective to prepare them to address these serious issues." While focusing broadly on global health, some programs will emphasize specific research areas. For example, the University of Southern California (USC) will focus on research and educational programs that explore the link between lifestyle and health outcomes in nations of the Pacific Rim undergoing rapid cultural, social and environmental change. USC will expand its current work in tobacco and alcohol use to consider issues of obesity, HIV prevention and environmental health, among others. The Framework brings together faculty from the Schools of Medicine, Social Work, Gerontology, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Engineering, Policy-Planning-Development, Law, Communications, Cinema-TV and Letters, Arts, and Sciences. The university will collaborate with other Pacific Rim academic and public health institutions to develop and expand interdisciplinary curricula and training programs. Other awardees will collaborate with nearby institutions to develop joint programs. For example, Vanderbilt University will partner with Meharry Medical College, a historically black medical school in Nashville that has trained a large percentage of African American physicians in the United States. The two schools share a rich history of working together in global health that they will expand through the development of joint interdisciplinary administrative, communications and curricular activities. They will work together with the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Law, Divinity, Engineering, Education and Human Development, Arts and Sciences, Management and Music at Vanderbilt and with the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Graduate Studies and Research at Meharry. Vanderbilt and Meharry will also work with more than 12 interdisciplinary centers and programs and will build on research projects with collaborating institutions in Brazil, Peru, Zambia, China and Mexico. Similarly, the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) will partner with San Diego State University (SDSU), a Hispanic-serving institution, to develop a framework program with a thematic emphasis on health issues of the near-by US-Mexico border and Latin American region. The UCSD Schools of Medicine and of International Relations and Pacific Studies will join with the SDSU Graduate School of Public Health to develop joint degree programs and research opportunities. In addition to the development of curricula and new interdisciplinary degree programs, the awards will support a range of activities, including travel for short-term experiences overseas, interdisciplinary symposia and workshops, the creation of international virtual learning communities, and faculty exchanges with international partners to encourage collaborative teaching and research. Dr. Flora Katz, the Framework Program Director, said, "The Framework program responds to the groundswell of interest by universities in setting up global health programs to address the profound global health challenges of this century. By emphasizing multidisciplinary teaching and research models, the Framework program stimulates students and faculty outside the traditional medical and public health areas to consider how their disciplines might contribute to global health, and to forge new collaborations in these areas. The response from students at every level has been overwhelming. They want to be involved." "For more information, see "Fiscal Year 2006 Awards" at the website for the Framework Program: <http://www.fic.nih.gov/programs/training_grants/framework/index.htm> Information about the awards made in the first year can be found at the same URL under the heading, "Fiscal Year 2005 Awards." The Fogarty International Center <http://www.fic.nih.gov>, the international component of the NIH, addresses global health challenges through innovative and collaborative research and training programs and supports and advances the NIH mission through international partnerships. The NCI, established under the National Cancer Act of 1937, is the Federal Government's principal agency for cancer research and training. The National Cancer Act of 1971 broadened the scope and responsibilities of the NCI and created the National Cancer Program. For more information about cancer, visit the NCI website at <http://www.cancer.gov> or call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). The NIH's National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities <http://www.ncmhd.nih.gov> conducts and supports research, training, information dissemination and other programs aimed at reducing the disproportionately high incidence and prevalence of disease, burden of illness, and mortality experienced by certain American populations, including racial and ethnic minorities and other groups with disparate health status, such as the urban and rural poor. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - The Nation's Medical Research Agency - includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>. ## This NIH News Release is available online at: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/oct2006/fic-30.htm. To subscribe (or unsubscribe) from this list, go to http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihpress&A=1.
