EDCTP-Clinical Research and Product Development Fellow: Dr Amadou Hamidou Togo, MD, PhD, Université des Sciences Techniques et Technologiques de Bamako(USTTB), Faculty of Pharmacy (FAPH), Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC)
Grant Agreement number: TMA2019IF-2867
Grant Title: TMA2019 IF [ TOGO]
Call for proposals: TMA2019 IF [ TOGO]
The purpose of this Call for Proposals is to support researchers and members of clinical trial research teams from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through placements in product development organisations, including pharmaceutical companies and product development partnerships (PDPs).
The work of TMA2019 IF is caried out in three work packages (WP):
Work package_1: Preparation for placement
Work package_2: Training Plan, (Host organisation)
Work package_3: Re-integration
Activities completed
Period 1 - technical Report
Summary
Context and objectives
Researchers from low- and middle-income countries have little opportunities to acquire experience and develop skills for conducting clinical trials outside an academic or public sector setting. The Malaria Research and Training Centre (MRTC) in Bamako has conducted several longitudinal cohort and case-control studies, drug efficacy trials and malaria vaccine trials. However, the centre has little experience in HIV/AIDS, TB clinical research. Therefore, there are very few well-trained researchers in these areas.
Work performed
As part of my European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) fellowship, I was placed at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) in Durban, South Africa, from June 2022 to May 2023. The training period in the HIV Pathogenesis and Vaccine Research Unit at CAPRISA was spent working with the clinical and laboratory teams to implement the training plan through participation in clinical trials and laboratory activities.
Upon arrival at CAPRISA, I went through orientation and got training on Good Clinical and Laboratory Practices; thereafter, I was exposed to clinical and laboratory-based activities. I first visited the different enrolment sites and was based at the eThekwini CAPRISA Research Clinic site, where I followed the conduct of the clinical trial phases. Thereafter, I joined the DDMRI Laboratory and drafted a research protocol with the support of my supervisors and colleagues that I presented to the group for amendment and approval. The protocol was about establishing the longitudinal impact of the vaginal microbiota on the pharmacokinetics of passively infused monoclonal antibodies in the vagina. After the protocol was approved, vaginal swab samples were retrieved from the CAP012B and CAP012C studies and processed at CAPRISA Laboratory with the assistance of Dr. Andile Mtshali and under the supervision of my mentors from CAPRISA
Potential impact
Now, I will be spending 4 months at my home institution in Mali and will be conducting reintegration activities. These activities will mostly concern, transfer of knowledge, implementation of clinical trial research, organisation of workshops. I will visit the clinical research sites and organise a workshop with my supervisors at MRTC in September 2023. I also plan to visit «Le Haut Conseil National de Lutte Contre le SIDA (HCNLS)» and the national technical reference structure for all activities in the fight against HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STI) in Mali. With the results generated during my placement at CAPRISA I will draft an abstract and submit it to an international conference as a poster or oral communication. I’ll plan to convert this abstract into manuscripts for publication. Overall, the placement at CAPRISA has contributed to my personal development by acquiring additional skills in conducting and implementing clinical research in Sub-Saharan Africa. This fellowship has built the foundations for future collaborations between the two institutions (University of Sciences Techniques and Technologies of Bamako and CAPRISA), a promising South-South collaboration to improve health conditions in Africa.
To conclude my fellowship, I will organize a workshop on clinical trials in Mali, bringing together researchers from both home and host institutions. This will be an opportunity for both institutions to learn from each other and further strengthen future collaborations. This event will also include clinical research site visits of the home institution in Mali.
I thank USTTB for allowing and helping me to apply for this fellowship. I am grateful to CAPRISA for accepting me into their institution. I’m also thankful to EDCTP for the funding and for giving me the opportunity to visit another research institution in the context of improving research in Africa.
The work package three (Re-integration) is in progress.
