Africa Open Lab Programme

• The principal investigator must be an African scientist in the early stages of their research and academic career, defined as: a basic biomedical scientist, clinically qualified investigator, or public health researcher, who has not previously competed successfully as principal investigator for a major research grant (>£100,000), and who is no more than five years from their highest postgraduate qualification (career breaks and time out of academic research will be taken into consideration).
• The minimum formal qualification required is a graduate degree. Most applicants will be expected to have a MSc, PhD or an MD. Applicants can hold a lecturer appointment, a junior fellowship, or be in another research staff position.
• Must demonstrate a track record and ongoing commitment to health-related research and the skills and experience required to carry out the proposed work. Evidence of research output, including publications in peer reviewed journals, conference publications, presentations at scientific conferences, input into clinical guidelines or policy documents is required.
• Employed by a research or academic institution in SSA. Additionally, applications are strongly encouraged from historically underrepresented population groups and institutions.
• A national of a sub-Saharan African country and based in an institution in SSA.

The research project – your project must meet the following criteria

• Research proposal of relevance to disease understanding in the following disease areas:
  • Malaria
  • Tuberculosis
  • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) linked to these infectious diseases
  • Enteric infections
  • Other (Neglected Tropical Disease and emerging infectious diseases of particular relevance for Africa)
• Research must address one or more of:
  • Infectious disease epidemiology
  • pathophysiology
  • aetiology
  • prevention and treatment of primary disease
  • the significant gaps in knowledge about the diversity and causes of disease
  • disease presentation and variations in clinical features
  • responses to medicines and vaccines
  • the emergence of antimicrobial resistance linked to these infectious diseases, antibiotic stewardship
  • mechanisms for improving access to and optimizing use of medicines and vaccines in SSA
• Will generate significant data to strengthen further funding proposals that could lead to additional grant funding from other organizations and/or research collaborations in the longer term.
• Proposals must demonstrate the specific health needs their research will address and how they will engage with specific stakeholders to bring about change in health policy and practice. Projects focused on drug or vaccine discovery or those using animal models will not be considered.