SUPPORT · Supporting the next generation of African experts on preventing mortality among children living with HIV through a translational training.

The SUPPORT project aims to strengthen health research systems in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries affected by poverty-related pediatric infectious diseases. This goal will be achieved through a comprehensive fellowship program designed to train and mentor early and mid-career researchers. The consortium comprises clinical research institutions, academia, and stakeholders from both SSA and Europe. Makerere University in Uganda will act as the scientific leadership hub, with fellows stationed at leading SSA research institutions, fostering South-to-South collaboration. Additionally, short-term internships at European institutions will complement their training. The selection of target host countries, including Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Senegal, was based on their research capacity needs and disease burden, encompassing Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone nations.The impact of SUPPORT will be the establishment of a competent and innovative community of scientists and healthcare professionals equipped to actively investigate and address pediatric infectious diseases, including epidemic management, in SSA. By strengthening research capacity and promoting collaboration, the project contributes to long-term improvements in morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases in children from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).SUPPORT will train 8 early-career fellows and 5 mid-career fellows, developing a new collaborative clinical study based on two ongoing EDCTP projects, EMPIRICAL and UNIVERSAL. The fellows will undergo a rigorous training program that combines online and face-to-face components to develop essential research skills. This training will be integrated with their individual research projects, which address critical research questions related to pediatric infectious diseases in SSA. The fellows will take the lead on these projects with guidance and support from mentors affiliated with African and European institutions.