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Weekly News and Notes
From the Duke Global Health Institute
Greetings!
Last week Chancellor Victor Dzau announced DGHI DIrector Mike Merson's appointment as Vice Chancellor for Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Affairs. This week we bring you an interview with Dr. Merson about his new role, his vision for collaborations between Duke's two medical campuses and the reasons why faculty should consider getting involved. Take a look below.
On behalf of DGHI's Student Council, we're pleased to announce the first Duke Global Health Case Competition. Duke students should read the details below and begin forming their teams. The interdisciplinary teams will work for two days to solve one of global health's biggest challenges. (You'll have to wait until March 24 to find out which one!)
Until next week,
Geelea Seaford and Everyone at DGHI
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Merson Named Vice Chancellor for Duke-NUS Affairs
 Duke Global Health Institute Founding Director Dr. Michael Merson has been named Vice Chancellor for Duke-National University of Singapore Affairs.
The announcement was made Thursday by Victor Dzau, Chancellor for Health Affiars at Duke, in a memo to medicine and nursing faculty.
Beginning March 1, Merson will act as the primary liaison between Duke-NUS, Duke Medicine and Duke University to increase collaboration and strengthen partnerships between the three entities. This responsibility is in addition to his role as DGHI director.
Merson replaces R. Sanders Williams, who is leaving at the end of February to become president of The J. David Gladstone Institutes.
The Duke-NUS Medical School was established in 2005 as part of a national strategy to become a leading center for medical research and education.
Merson comments on his new role in the following video.
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New and Noteworthy
NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund Announces New Health Disparities Fellows
The NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF), in collaboration with the Duke Global Health Institute, has selected the second class of fellows for the NC Health Disparities Fellowship Program. The program engages a group of mid- to senior-level public health or social work professionals from North Carolina through training on how to effectively design, implement and evaluate interventions that address the complex issues that contribute to health disparities.
"We are proud of our first group of fellows for taking on the challenge of addressing health disparities through effective community-based and statewide projects, and we are pleased to be able to offer the fellowships once again," said Vandana Shah, HWTF executive director. "Engaging talented professionals in the effort to increase the cultural competency of health care providers is vital for closing the health disparities gap."
 Fellows selected for the second class are: Deborah Bailey, director of academic community service learning program at North Carolina Central University; Leslie deRosset, Latino campaign coordinator for the NC Folic Acid Campaign of the March of Dimes; Cheryl Silver-Emanuel, community health administrator and division manager of the Mecklenburg County Health Department; Jessica Gavett, project Institutional Review Board coordinator for FirstHealth of the Carolinas; Deborah Maxwell, Brunswick County Health Department's child service coordinator and social work supervisor; Debra Richardson, executive director of the Guilford Community AIDS Partnership.
Student Registration Now Open for 2010 Duke Global Health Case Competition
Do you want to find a way to contribute to the discussion about the earthquake aftermath in Haiti? Use your experience to generate innovative ideas that can translate into action on the ground through participating in the first annual Duke Global Health Case Competition, March 24-27.
The 2010 Duke Global Health Case Competition is a unique opportunity for Duke graduate and undergraduate students from multiple schools and disciplines to come together to promote awareness of and develop innovative solutions for 21st century global health issues. Common across U.S. business schools, a case competition features teams of four to six students working through a real-life case scenario with the goal of providing helpful strategic recommendations to move the case subject forward efficiently and effectively. The competition is centered on team presentations to judges, who then score student recommendations and award prizes.
Developed and driven by the Duke Global Health Institute Student Council, the global health case competition focuses on a global health-related case that will require an interdisciplinary approach to formulate recommendations regarding the case that may involve issues such as health care policy, public health implementation and planning, business partnership/investment, medical research, logistics management, faith/cultural understanding, and international law.
Indoor Air Pollution Remains Unfinished Global Health Agenda
More than half of the world's population still relies on wood, dung, coal and other traditional fuels to cook in the home. The resulting indoor air pollution produces hundreds of millions of tons of climate-damaging carbon dioxide and is responsible for two million deaths a year, mostly young children and their mothers. It's an issue that Kirk R. Smith believes needs more attention, which was clear from his recent talk at Duke entitled "Incomplete Combustion-the Unfinished Global Agenda for Health, Environment and Climate Protection."
 Before an audience of 75 people at a Duke Global Health Institute University Seminar on Global Health, Smith, who is the Director of the Global Health and Environment Program at the University of California- Berkeley's School of Public Health, described what he called the perfect storm for health impacts. He said high exposure to toxins in the home coupled with vulnerable populations and few resources can result in major risk factors associated with Acute Lower Respiratory Infection (ALRI), particularly pneumonia. If more isn't done about indoor air pollution, he said there will be even more serious consequences for human health and the environment in the future.
Smith is currently publishing findings from one of the first randomized control trials in air pollution history, in which he and his research team found that improved chimney stoves led to fewer cases of ALRI and pneumonia among children. The RESPIRE (Randomized Exposure Study of Pollution Indoors and Respiratory Effects) study, which began in 1984, involved the distribution of improved stoves to more than 500 families in the highlands of Guatemala who used a traditional open-fire stove and women were either pregnant or had a child less than four months old. Smith's research team then conducted a child health outcomes assessment based on weekly home visits.
New Employment Opportunities
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Faculty News and Funding
NEW! Prevention of Sexual Transmission of HIV/AIDs in Haiti
Sponsor of this funding opportunity is United States Agency for International Development. This program aims to increase the adoption of safer sexual behaviors among sexually active youths and adults in Haiti, in order to contribute to reduced incidence of HIV infections from sexual transmission. Deadline is March 22. Read more >>
NEW! Child Survival Health Grants Program: Request for Applications
The Fiscal Year 2010 Request for Applications for the Child Survival and Health Grants Program focuses on innovation and operations research in delivery strategies for high impact maternal, newborn, and child health interventions. In addition, the RFA is seeking to attract new partners to contribute to innovation and expand and improve the capacity of partners to contribute to the Stop Tuberculosis strategy interventions in targeted countries to meet global TB targets. Deadline is March 22. Read more >>
DGHI Request for Proposals: Transition Award
In order to encourage continued scientific development of international trainees at Duke who are from low-and middle-income countries and will be returning to their home countries, and encourage ongoing collaborations between the returning trainees and their Duke Global Health Institute collaborators, DGHI is offering transition awards of up to $20,000. Deadline is March 1. Read more >> DGHI Request for Proposals: Gender, Poverty and Health Research
The Duke Global Health Institute invites proposals of up to $25,000 a year for up to two years, for pilot research on the intersection of gender, poverty/class, and health. Smaller proposals for shorter periods are also encouraged. Deadline is March 5. Read more >>
Center Seed Grant Request for Proposals
The China International Center for Chronic Disease Prevention will award approximately 5 seed research grants to investigators in our Center network. The purposes of the seed grants are 1) to encourage innovative research projects with the potential for funding for larger-scale studies, and 2) to establish tangible platforms for collaborations, fellowship training, and capacity building between international and Chinese organizations in our network.Deadline to apply is June 30. Read more >>
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For additional faculty opportunities, click here. |
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Applications for DGHI's Master of Science in Global Health Accepted through March 29
The Duke Global Health Institute, in collaboration with the Duke Graduate School, will be accepting applications for the Master of Science in Global Health (MSc-GH) program through March 29, 2010. The university-wide program is designed to appeal to an array of students, researchers, policy makers, managers, analysts, and clinical practitioners who desire a more complete understanding of the diverse causes of and solutions to health problems from an interdisciplinary global perspective. Upon completion of the MSc-GH, graduates will be prepared to engage in clinical, epidemiological, social-behavioral, and policy-oriented research, as well as contribute to the design, implementation, and management of health programs. Learn more about the program and watch a short video with a current MSc-GH student.
Summer Fieldwork Opportunity
DGHI Funding for Fieldwork Projects
DGHI is accepting funding applications for fieldwork opportunities in global health, whether it be one of 18 DGHI projects, or other global health projects that students develop independently. Applications are due March 5 for general fieldwork grants and the new Aalok S. Modi Global Health Fieldwork Fund. See instructions on How to Apply >>
NEW! ASPH Graduate Training Programs: Request for Applications
The Allan Rosenfield Global Health Fellowship Program provides international training opportunities for recent graduates of ASPH member accredited schools of public health (MPH and Doctoral level). The fellowship is an outstanding training opportunity to learn from leading global health experts in CDC headquarters in Atlanta as well as various international posts. Deadline is March 30. Read more >>
NEW! Global Development Internship
The Global Development Internship (GDI) Think Impact seeks college students to participate in its annual Global Development Internship (GDI) program Kenya, South Africa, and Sierra Leone during the summer of 2010. The GDI provides college students the opportunity to gain on-the-ground development experience and leadership training to develop sustainable business models for development projects in rural villages in Africa. Deadline is February 28. Read more >>
Job Opportunities
DGHI Research Assistant Opportunity
Looking for an RA to work with Manoj Mohanan (DGHI) on a new project on improving delivery of maternal and child health services in India. The main task of the RA would be to conduct literature reviews on measures of perinatal morbidity, with a focus on methods and tools that have been employed in large population based studies. Read more >>
Research Assistant Positions in Global Health and Technology Access Program
The Program on Global Health and Technology Access at the Sanford School of Public Policy is currently looking for two to three student research assistants to assist with various projects this spring and this summer. The GHTA Program explores issues of globalization and health equity, particularly regarding how to maximize the impact of health technologies in resource-poor settings. Read more >>
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February 25, 2010 » 3:30-5 pm
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February 26, 2010 » 2 pm
The William and Ida Friday Continuing Education Center, Chapel Hill
31st Annual Minority Health Conference
March 2, 2010 » 5-6:15 pm
John Hope Franklin Center, Room 240
March 3, 2010 » 12-1 pm
John Hope Franklin Center, Room 240
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March 3, 2010 » 7-9 pm
John Hope Franklin Center, Room 240
March 4, 2010 » 5:30-7 pm
John Hope Franklin Center, Room 240
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March 4, 2010 » 11:30 am- 12:45 pm
John Hope Franklin Center, Room 240
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March 5, 2010 » 8 am- 2:30 pm
Durham Marriot Convention Center
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March 9, 2010 » 12-1 pm
Trent Hall, Room 124
View more upcoming events |
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DGHI Director Named Vice Chancellor for NUS Affairs
"I'm hoping to continue to find opportunities and ways for faculty and students at Duke in Durham to work with Duke-NUS. It's very exciting that Duke is involved with this medical school."
--Michael Merson, DGHI Founding Director
from The Chronicle
The Third Annual Blue Jean Ball, sponsored by the Department of OB/GYN, raised over $50,000 for women's health programs in East Africa, where several DGHI physicians and global health residents are stationed.
from The Herald-Sun
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