HIGH IRI News

Advancing Global Health Research

Global Health Researchers from Across the Globe Gather at WashU for the Annual HIGH IRI Institute

Approximately eighty-five researchers from across the U.S., Africa, Asia, Mexico, and beyond recently converged at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) for the annual HIV, Infectious Disease, and Global Health Implementation Research Institute (HIGH IRI). This premier, intensive program empowers early- and mid-career researchers with the powerful tool of implementation science (IS), bridging the critical gap between research insights and real-world healthcare impact.

HIGH IRI’s unique structure provides participants with both rigorous training and personalized mentorship. Each day of the five-day intensive covered a unique theme, providing a holistic exploration of implementation science. Highlights included:

• Day 1: Understanding the Implementation Problem – Current Conceptualizations
• Day 2: Strategies for Implementation – State of the Art
• Day 3: Developing Perspectives: Exploring and Testing Implementation Approaches – Designs and Making the Scientific Case
• Day 4: Emerging Issues in Global Implementation Science – Impact in Implementation Research
• Day 5: A Symposium Day on Building Infrastructure for D&I and Cancer Implementation Research Globally.

A Career-Changing Experience

Nyanyiwe Mbeye, a senior lecturer at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences in Malawi, described her experience as “one of the biggest things that has happened in my career,” citing her interactions with experts who helped enhance her research approach and grant applications. “I learned implementation science approaches that opened my mind to a whole new perspective!” Mbeye said.

For Lauren Brown, an assistant professor at Meharry Medical College, HIGH IRI was transformative. “The feedback and excitement I received charged me to envision how my work can evolve to reach its fullest potential,” Brown shared. Her “eureka moments” included discovering frameworks for her research, advancing analytical methods, and connecting with an expert mentor. “I left with a deep realization that this institute will always be a part of my identity because these are my people…It has been one of the most important and fulfilling professional experiences of my career. I tell all my favorite colleagues to apply for HIGH-IRI. The connections I’ve made, the excitement within the community, and the critical knowledge distilled from our time together…priceless!” Brown said.

Symposium Day: A Dual Focus on Building D&I Infrastructure and Global Oncology

Symposium Day featured dual symposiums with broad implications for D&I science. One symposium covered the foundations for establishing a center for dissemination and implementation by exploring the administrative and scientific considerations necessary for building a sustainable D&I hub. These centers, which are becoming essential at universities, enhance institutional capacity for high-impact implementation research.

The second symposium was dedicated to cancer implementation research, held in collaboration with WashU’s Global Oncology Initiative and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Global Oncology Initiative aims to create global strategies for improving access to cancer treatment and survival outcomes in underserved regions. From expanding global cancer research to training and mentorship programs, the initiative seeks to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income settings.

High-Impact Skills and Lifelong Connections

Participants left with more than new skills; they gained a global network of colleagues committed to advancing health outcomes worldwide. Through workshops, expert panels, and a mini-bootcamp for personalized D&I project consultations, the 2024 HIGH IRI cohort built lasting connections and solidified their role in the global health research community. With their new expertise and support systems, these researchers are poised to drive impactful change in public health on a global scale

2024 Grant-O-thon Grant Writing Workshop

Announcing the return of the Grant-o-thon Grant Writing Workshop from April 9^th to May 14^th, 2024. This interactive workshop is designed to boost the grant-writing capabilities of early-career researchers, spurring US NIH research grant applications. The workshop also serves as a platform for fostering collaboration among research teams and provides participants with an opportunity to gain mentoring experience and develop mentorship abilities in health research.

HIGH IRI Faculty Joe Tucker, Juliet Iwelunmor, and Nadia Sam-Agudu will also be guest lecturers during this workshop.

More details about the speakers and topics are available on their website. Contact yusha.tao@seshglobal.org or yusha_tao@med.unc.edu with any questions or concerns

2024 IAPAC Continuum Pre-Conference Session: Reconceptualizing Acceptability & Its Application to HIV Care & Prevention

Mark your calendars for this pre-conference session on June 9, 2024 from 9:00 – 10:30 am. HIGH IRI faculty Radhika Sundararajan and Whitney Irie will be showcasing their brilliance along with Cory Bradley of Northwestern University. Learning Objectives Include:

• Understanding the nuances of measuring acceptability in the context of HIV programs
• Exploring how acceptability measures can reflect choice architecture and structural violence
• Differentiate between desirability and tolerability in acceptability measures
• Identify alternative measures and strategies for assessing acceptability in HIV initiatives

BMC Global and Public Health – Call for Papers

BMC Global and Public Health is calling for submissions to a collection on implementation science in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Implementation science, crucial for achieving health-related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focuses on bridging the gap between evidence-based practices and their real-world application by practitioners and policymakers. This interdisciplinary approach aims to maximize the impact of evidence-informed interventions, acknowledging the contextual differences between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. While theories and frameworks from HIC may not directly apply to LMIC contexts, there is a need to amplify insights from LMIC implementation science studies to ensure progress towards global health goals.

HIGH IRI Faculty Olakunle Alonge will be a guest editor.

Submissions are due by December 19, 2024

University of Colorado

Dissemination and Implementation Scientist

JOB DESCRIPTION: The University of Colorado School of Medicine (CU SOM) seeks an experienced Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) Scientist, ideally at the associate professor level, to be a core member of an active and growing D&I research, training and consultation program.

This position will be predominantly research and research methodology consulting,
although some teaching in our graduate certificate program in D&I is included. The position is open to applicants with postdoctoral PhD level training and substantial expertise in D&I science. The position will involve partnership with diverse programs, departments and
disciplines across the CU SOM, as well as other schools, community and academic partner
organizations. The position is within the D&I Science Program of the CU and Children’s Hospital Colorado Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS) and an academic home in the Department of Family Medicine or other CU SOM Department mutually determined by the candidate and home department. A specific content area of interest within the area of D&I science is not required; although we are especially interested in applicants with expertise in:

1. Systems science and learning health systems;
2. Dissemination science, including health communication and social marketing; or
3. Health equity and alignment with areas of current ACCORDS D&I program strengths

Boston College

Research Program Manager, Social Work

JOB DESCRIPTION: The Research Program Manager’s primary role is to provide oversight for and manage the research portfolio of Dr. Whitney Irie. The Research Program Manager will:

1. Ensure effective implementation of sponsored research studies;
2. Train and supervise research personnel (including graduate research assistants); and
3. Monitor appropriate budget spending for each project in coordination with the Assistant Director of Fiscal and Grant Administration at the Boston College School of Social Work.

The Research Program Manager will oversee the management and implementation of funded research studies led by Dr. Irie in the School of Social Work. The Research Program Manager will develop and institute procedures to ensure effective implementation of the sponsored research to meet study goals, serve as a primary liaison with research partners, train and direct graduate research assistants, and ensure timely development of research deliverables.

Contact Whitney Irie at whitney.irie@bc.edu for more info.

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