MARCAD RESEACH METHODOLOGY COURSE

The PhD and Post-doc MARCAD’s fellows participated in a two week research methodology course from 13th to 24th February 2017. This session took place at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD) in Senegal.
This course is the first activity of the Malaria Research Capacity Development (MARCAD) Training Committee for the fellows since the start of the programme on June 2016.

The beneficiaries of this training consisted of ten post-doc and five PhD from Mali, The Gambia, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin and Senegal.
This activity was organized in UCAD by the Parasitology and Mycology Department in collaboration with five African partners institutions of the MARCAD consortium:  the Malaria Research and Training Centre (MRTC) Mali, MRC Unit the Gambia, The Biotechnology Centre (BTC) Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences University of Yaounde 1 of Cameroon and the University of Health and Allied Sciences of Ghana. Three European institutions of tropical Medicine: the London School, Liverpool School and Centre for Medical Parasitology University of Copenhagen, also collaborated in the training.
The choice of holding this research methodology course at the beginning of the programme was made in order to give to the fellows all the necessary tools to start their different research projects.

«The main objective of this course is to allow the fellows to acquire new knowledge which is necessary for them to start their research projects properly. Our goal is to have at the end of the programme a critical mass of scientists who are able to play a decisive role in the elimination of malaria » Professor Oumar Gaye, Director of the MARCAD progamme.

 Professor Ogobara Doumbo, Head at the Department of Parasitology of the University of Bamako believes that he and his colleagues trained, during this session, a critical mass of young researchers who will have to take up the challenge in the coming years. « And we expect them to be competent, have confidence in themselves and express themselves through science in their respective countries to generate good scientific results published in good newspapers. This will have a significant impact on public health and the elimination of malaria by 2030 » he added.
To achieve this goal, the MARCAD Director, Professor Oumar Gaye, appealed to his major partners and eminent personalities in the field of research to provide the lecturers. These are Professors : Pascal Magnussen of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Ogobara K. Doumbo and Mahamadou Aly Thera of the Malaria Research and Training Centre (MRTC) Mali, Wilfried Mbacham of the Biotechnology Centre (BTC) Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences University of Yaounde 1 of Cameroon, Charles Wondji of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Harry Tagbor the University of Health and Allied Sciences of Ghana, Michaël Alifrangis of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark , Brian Greenwood, Paul Milligan and Hazel Mc Cullough of the London School.
Professors Oumar Gaye, Babacar Faye, Jean Louis Ndiaye, Roger Tine,  Tidiane Ndoye, Doctor Helene Broutin and Mrs. Madina Toure, from UCAD also participated in this training.

In addition of the course and experiences of the eminent professors, the fellows had  the opportunity  to discuss with the Wellcome Trust team that funded the MARCAD programme.  The video-conference with Pr. Simon Kay and his team allowed the fellows to express their satisfaction and the unique opportunity they have with the MARCAD programme. Pr. Simon Kay has for his part, congratulated the MARCAD consortium members for the good selection process and for the differents initiatives they are taking.

The medical authorities of Senegal showed great interest in the role played by MARCAD for the future generation of African researchers in the field of malaria. This led the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of UCAD, Pr. Amadou Diouf and Dr. Moustapha Cissé, Representative of the National malaria control Programme to attend and to have the opportunity to welcome the initiative and call for the sustainability of the MARCAD programme.
Fellows, on their part, pointed out that it was a unique experience they had; in addition this training allowed them to become familiar with each other.