Clinical Research programme in Malawi - applications close 11 Jan 2013 - bursaries available

Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical research programme in Malawi - applications close 11 Jan 2013

Course summary
The wind of change is blowing through clinical microbiology, not just in Africa but across the globe. Genome-based techniques are revolutionising the routine practice of the identification and characterisation of pathogens, opening many new opportunities and challenges in all areas of clinical microbiology from routine diagnosis to basic research. This course will examine the impact of these new approaches in the African context with a combination of lectures and tutorials with laboratory and computer practical sessions. The course will provide clinical microbiologists and laboratory scientists working in Africa with a concise yet comprehensive overview of the latest research and practice in this essential area, with an emphasis on how these techniques can be applied day-to-day in the African setting, especially when resources are limited. There will therefore be an emphasis on approaches that are: (i) currently applicable in African laboratories; (ii) likely to be applicable in Africa in the foreseeable future; or (iii) of value to participants in interpreting the literature and assessing the likely utility of new technologies as they are developed.
The course philosophy is to combine an understanding of the latest research techniques and theoretical approaches with practical methods to provide a foundation-level of understanding of the philosophy, methods and vocabulary of molecular techniques for those primarily trained in culture-based microbiology.

PLEASE NOTE: Travel bursaries are available to attend this course, see below for details.

Programme
The course will be based around three themes, chosen to represent three of the most pressing clinical imperatives in clinical bacteriology throughout the continent: Mycobacterium tuberculosis; enteric bacteria; and encapsulated bacteria. For each of these themes the following approaches will be covered:
1. Basic molecular biology techniques including preparing, handling, and storing DNA.
2. PCR, including real-time PCR, methods and applications.
3. Determining sequence variation, its visualisation and
interpretation, concentrating on conventional approaches.
4. Bioinformatic analysis of molecular and genomic data, particularly the exploitation of web-based tools.
5. Future technologies, overview and potential for clinical microbiology.
These techniques will be explored in the lectures and tutorials and employed during the course practical sessions in the cross-cutting themes of pathogen detection and characterisation, including antimicrobial resistance and the evolution of pathogens, and the application of the data in the improvement of interventions to reduce disease burden.

Course instructors
Martin Maiden (University of Oxford, UK)
Robert Heyderman (Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Research Programme)
Cath Arnold (Health Protection Agency, UK)
Sam Kariuki (Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya)
Dean Everett (Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Research Programme)
Martin Antonio (Medical Research Council Laboratories, The Gambia)
Mark Nicol (University of Cape Town, South Africa)
Nick Thomson (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK)
Chisomo Msefula (Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Research Programme)

How to apply
Prerequisites
Applicants should be clinical trainees or specialists in medical microbiology; post doctoral scientists, senior technicians or research assistants with a masters degree and demonstrable experience in a relevant field.
Cost
There is no course fee for academics/clinicians as all course costs will be met by The Wellcome Trust. Commercial applicants should contact us for the commercial course fee.
Bursaries
Bursaries are available for clinical and academic applicants to cover travel, accommodation and sustenance costs and are subject to open competition. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please complete the bursary section of the online application form (see below for application process).

Applications
Application forms for this course can now be completed online. Please click here to be redirected to the application portal. If you have any problems with the online application process, please email us.
Please note: Applications must be supported by a recommendation from a scientific sponsor. This can be your supervisor or head of department. A request for a supporting statement will be sent to your nominated sponsor automatically during the application process. Applicants must ensure that their sponsor provides this supporting statement by the application deadline.

Deadlines
Application deadline: 11 January 2013

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Education-resources/Courses-and-conferences/Advanced-Courses-and-Scientific-Conferences/Advanced-Courses/WTX050986.htm