Capacity Building

During the 4-year period, Stool4TB supports the training of at least 3 PhD level scientists (one from each African site) who participate in the data collection and analysis phase of the project and might utilize the biobank samples for their PhD (if additional funding is obtained). Academic training occurs between the Universities of Amsterdam and Barcelona with the involvement of university institutions linked to the African sites. These triangulations offer state of the art postgraduate training to integrate academic expertise and fieldwork relevant to the project.

Stool4TB organizes training sessions provided at the annual consortium meetings. They occur at each of the annual project meetings (which are held in Africa), in addition to the annual steering board meeting. A survey is conducted at the beginning of the study period in order to better refine the needs and the topics for these short courses. Potentially relevant topics identified by partners include (i) research methods for diagnostic trials, (ii) analytic tools for diagnostic trial evaluation and diagnostic impact assessment (iii) general study design methods.

Previous Short Training Courses:

• Diagnosis of TB in people living with HIV

• Current Challenges for Pediatric TB Diagnosis

If you are interested in attending these short courses, please get in touch with Joanna Ehrlich.

The study promotes these collaborations with the already existing networks of excellence in the Eastern African and Southern African regions (TESA and EACCR). A mentorship program for PhD students with scientists of the consortium has been established to provide an interdisciplinary and multinational environment for PhD programmes.