Strategic Workshop, Durban, South Africa, 16th-20th July 2018

This meeting brought together a multi-disciplinary, international group of principal investigators who aim together to submit successful global health funding applications. This workshop was funded through University of Bristol Global Challenges Research Funding and Academy of Medical Sciences GCRF Networking Funding and hosted by the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Out network members are currently representatives of four Sub-Saharan Countries; South Africa; The Gambia; Uganda and Zimbabwe. The workshop combined 5-days of scientific and strategic presentations to introduce the network members to each other, to identify key research areas and themes, describe our equipment and data resources for future research plans and to provide early- and mid- career researcher’s opportunity to discuss future plans, personal funding awards and career progression. The final part of the workshop was to shape a grant application based on our discussions and previous work.

The workshop was extremely valuable, production and an excellent success, bringing together a network of people who until now have only met virtually.

Aims

To build a professional collaborative network which will underpin future research funding applications
To gain an understanding of each individual researcher’s skills, resources, priorities, and current research collaborations and networks
To review the group’s portfolio of currently funded / active research activity, with timelines for outcomes
To review our most recent/ preliminary/ early/ pilot data that could inform a grant proposal
To review the grant applications the group has submitted (in the last 2 years) but which have not been funded, and to assess why the application was not successful and lessons learned
To list all possible sources of funding for SAMSON associated projects and determine timelines for each
To decide upon the key research questions we as a collaborative which to address in the next 5 years
To agree the structure of future grant proposals and develop individual action plans and timelines
To develop the content of the work-packages which will fit within our future grant proposals
To plan our next meeting in 2019 (funding in place for this)
To draft an Editorial / Position Statement from the ‘SAMSON Working Group’ which outlines the MSK research priorities for the SSA region

Workshop attendees

Name	From	Area of Expertise
Dr Celia Gregson	Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Bristol Medical, School, University of Bristol, UK	Clinical Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Disease
A/Prof Kate Ward	MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, UK	Lifecourse Musculoskeletal Health
Dr Sarah Drew	Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Bristol Medical, School, University of Bristol, UK	Qualitative Research Methodology
Dr Nyasha Mafirakureva	Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK	Health economics
Prof Rashida Ferrand	London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)/ Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI), Zimbabwe	Epidemiology, Adolescent health & HIV
Dr Landing Jarjou	MRC The Gambia, Keneba	Nutrition
Dr Flavia Matovu Kiweewa	Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration (MU-JHU), Kampala, Uganda	Musculoskeletal Health Research
Dr Erisa Mwaka	Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda	Orthopaedics
Prof Bilkish Cassim	University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban, SA	Ageing
Dr Farhanah Paruk	University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban, SA	Ageing & Rheumatology
A/Prof Lisa Micklesfield	MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU) at the University of the Witwatersrand, SA	Physical activity & mid-life cardio-metabolic
Prof Mkhululi Lukhele	University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA	Orthopaedic Surgery
Dr Kogie Naidoo	Centre of the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, SA	HIV
Dr Adeil Chikobvu	University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA	Statistics and Health economics
Dr Tamsanqa Mazibuko	University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA	Orthopaedic Surgery
Dr Susan Brown	University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban, SA	Endocrinology
Prof Daya Moodley	University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban, SA	Women’s Health