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Weekly News and Notes
From the Duke Global Health Institute
Greetings!
Did you know DGHI's global health education programs extend to China? See our latest video feature, Teaching Global Health in China, which highlights the Duke-PKU Global Health Diploma Program.
Also this week, read about a new discovery by DGHI member John Crump and colleagues at KCMC in Moshi and around the world, and other interesting faculty news.
Weekly News and Notes is back to its weekly distribution. As always, we want your story ideas, suggestions and comments. Don't be shy. Send them to me at gseaford@duke.edu.
Until next week,
Geelea Seaford and Everyone at DGHI
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Teaching Global Health in China
The Duke-Peking University Diploma
Since 2009, faculty members from Duke and Peking University have co-taught a two-week diploma program focused on global health. Hailed as one of the first programs of its kind in China, the Duke-Peking University Global Health Diploma introduces the Chinese population to global health challenges in their own country and around the world, while helping them to think critically and collaboratively about ways to solve them.
The diploma program, which is taught each summer at Peking University Health Science Center in Beijing, is part of Duke's commitment to global development and partnership.
In this video, learn what makes this diploma program unique, and why Duke's presence in China is important.
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Newly-identified Human Pathogen is Cause of Disease in sub-Saharan Africa
A new form of bacteria has been found to cause disease among HIV-infected individuals in sub-Saharan Africa. Termed Mycobacterium sherrisii, the organism has been officially recognized as a new species by a team of scientists, including Duke infectious diseases scientist and DGHI member John Crump and DGHI partners at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC).
 In a recently published paper in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, researchers identified the characteristics of M. sherrisii after they tested for similarities and differences in chemical composition and physiological properties in 11 closely-related strains of bacteria. The molecular testing was conducted in Italy and the Netherlands after Crump and Anne Morrissey, former KCMC Biotechnology Laboratory supervisor, discovered that several HIV-infected patients suffered from an unusual type of bacterial bloodstream infection.
In sub-Saharan Africa, most mycobacterial bloodstream infections are due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of tuberculosis. However, during his research Crump and his team noticed the atypical isolates found in certain patients did not resemble that organism, nor did they resemble several other common species found in higher-income countries.
With further testing and analysis of the Moshi bacteria samples at the Dutch National Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory, the group confirmed that M. sherrisii is the second leading cause of mycobacterial bloodstream infection in Moshi, Tanzania, following M. tuberculosis.
Read more about the new species and what it means for HIV-infected individuals.
DGHI Member Anthony So Highlights Importance of Affordability of Life-saving Drugs at AOA Day
 Without significantly lowering the price of life-saving AIDS treatment, there could be no hope of testing and treating millions of AIDS patients in low- and middle-income countries.
That's according to DGHI member Anthony So, as he spoke before a packed audience at the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society's 41st Annual Scientific Research Symposium on Friday. So, professor of the practice in public policy, spoke of the struggle to bring the price of AIDS treatment from over $10,000 a year to less than $100. In his keynote address entitled "Lowering the Price of Hope for Global Health," So spoke of his personal journey as a Rockefeller Foundation officer visiting a township outside of Cape Town to today, in which he directs Sanford School's Program on Global Health and Technology Access (GHTA). Read more about So's speech, and his challenge to physicians-in-training.
New DGHI Member Specializes in Policy and Health
Photo Provided by UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. |
Marc Jeuland has joined Duke as assistant professor of public policy with a joint appointment at the Sanford School of Public Policy and the Duke Global Health Institute. Jeuland, a DGHI member, came to Duke in July from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he completed a doctoral degree in environmental management and policy and a master's in environmental engineering.
He will be teaching PUBPOL 264S.16 Water Cooperation and Conflict, which focuses on conflict and cooperation in water resources, primarily with respect to transboundary water systems. The course will also explore the relationships between water resources, development, ecosystems and health.
Jeuland's research interests include environmental health, water and sanitation, nonmarket valuation, the planning and management of trans-boundary water resources and the impacts and economics of climate change.
Read more about Jeuland's global health experience.
'A World Together' to Highlight Duke and Global Development
As Duke University students and faculty return to campus from summers spent collecting life stories of Bhutanese refugees, studying religion and health in Honduras and scores of other  experiences, the school is gearing up a year-long initiative to highlight Duke's growing activities in developing countries.
"A World Together: Duke and Global Development" will call attention to the many ways in which Duke's commitment to "knowledge in service to society" now extends far beyond Durham to some of the world's poorest regions, said Greg Jones, the newly appointed vice president and vice provost for global strategy and programs.
"Duke has a long and vibrant history of concern for global development," Jones said. "We are going to celebrate that history and look to the future, identifying ways to enhance our commitment to work with developing countries on issues of education, research and outreach. This is an exciting time for Duke as it develops its identity globally."
"A World Together" will co-sponsor a series of free, public events including speakers, service learning programs and contributions from the arts, all exploring global development issues. It will gather this information online at a new website, global.duke.edu/aworldtogether.
Read more from the Duke Office of News & Communications.
Faculty and Students:
Become a Member of the Global Health Council
 The Duke Global Health Institute is pleased to be an organizational member of the Global Health Council, the world's largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives by improving health throughout the world. Our membership enables you to become an associate member of the Global Health Council at no charge. This free membership provides you with a number of benefits, detailed here.
By signing up you will be able to keep tabs on the latest events and news in global health. Add your voice to support improved global health. Sign up is quick and easy, so join today.
To register, go to this website and select "First Visit." To ensure your complimentary membership, select Duke Global Health Institute in the company drop down menu. After you provide basic information, click on "Sign up for Individual Membership" and "Activate Free Associate Membership." |
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Faculty News and Funding
Insurance Coverage for HIV-infected Individuals with Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Issues
Center for Health Policy Research Scholar Chris Conover has published a new paper in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and  Underserved on HIV triply-diagnosed adults, those with chronic mental illness and substance abuse disorders, who must rely heavily on public insurance to cover high annual medical costs. Conover's research examined the nature and determinants of insurance coverage for this population. He found that over a one third of these adults below poverty are uninsured. He also found that people with the lowest mental health status were disproportionately represented in managed care.
Funding Opportunities
Calls for Abstracts/Papers
Deadline Aug. 15
Deadline Oct. 23
Education Opportunity
The NIH Clinical Center has extended an invitation for the 2010-2011 "Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research" on how to effectively conduct clinical research. Deadline Oct. 8. Learn more.
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Student News and Opportunities
Undergraduate students are invited to apply for GSA, which explores health and development issues in India and China. Deadline Sept. 20
Deadline Oct. 1
Deadline Oct.18
* * * Careers in Global Health
Recently graduated? Interesed in working in global health? The Duke Global Health Institute keeps a list of career resources. See current opportunities.
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DGHI In The News
Clergy Members Suffer From Burnout, Poor Health
DGHI member Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell found that clergy suffer from obesity, hyptertension and depression at higher rates than most Americans.
Imperfect Solution to Social Security and Immigration
An Op-Ed by DGHI affiliate Don Taylor, associate professor of public policy.
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