As a Theme, we have adopted two overarching Approaches in the design of our Methods. These:
1. We support CEM researchers to identify important questions, design excellent studies and successfully conduct these studies in appropriate facilities.
2. We enhance the quality of our work, by sharing information, catalysing collaboration, and welcoming new investigators to the Theme.
Support for clinical and experimental researchers
Identify important questions together.
MLW focuses on research to impact health and training the next generation. An important question in our context, therefore, addresses a major societal challenge in health and wellbeing, with the intention of finding an immediate solution to the challenges and/or improve our fundamental understanding of host-pathogen interactions in relevant populations to aid the development of novel interventions. Interdisciplinary discussions achieve this strong discovery-and-translation focus to ensure that clinicians and community stakeholders articulate the health challenges we face to scientists and understand from scientists the potential of modern science to resolve these challenges. The CEM Theme includes all ages (including Maternal and Child Health) and leans strongly on Population Health and Maternal & Child Health to understand disease burden, and on Infection Biology and Vaccines to understand pathogenesis and prevention. We also depend on Social Sciences to understand community priorities, acceptability, and intervention uptake.
The critical interdisciplinary conversations to define questions that matter occur formally in MLW in the Theme Symposia, Cutting Edge, and Project Progress presentations and informally as we chat over coffee, eat lunch together and celebrate success at social events. This is why CREATOR is critical. It will facilitate formal and informal interactions and allow a wide range of Research Group Heads plenty of opportunity to mentor Theme Trainees as they frame their research questions and apply for Early and Mid-Career Fellowships.
Design excellent studies
After framing important questions, excellent study design predicts successful research. The CEM Theme relies most importantly on senior local and international collaborators to achieve the right study design and MLW support from CRSU, SRSU, and Grants to get the subsequent planning right. Senior collaborators and mentors use experience from previous studies and trial experience. The Research Support Units use good governance structures and grant advice.
Good study design is tested by presentation at Project Progress and peer review at RSG.
Successfully conduct these studies in appropriate facilities
Over 3 decades, MLW has developed excellent facilities that provide outstanding and unique opportunities for Clinical and Experimental Medicine studies. These include, but are not limited to:
• Clinical Investigation Unit with capacity for bronchoscopy and endoscopy studies
• Paediatric Research Ward and Respiratory High Dependency Unit
• Clinical Research Rooms
• Health Centre facilities (Gateway, Ndirande, Bangwe, Chilomoni, Zingwangwa, Limbe)
• Chikwawa Field Site (Chikwawa District Hospital and surrounding areas)
• Laboratories including microbiology, immunology, clinical laboratory sciences and molecular biology.
The continued excellence of these resources for research is critically dependent on outstanding working relationships with QECH, local DHOs, Malawi research regulators, community leaders and stakeholders and partner Higher Education Institutions (national, regional, and international).
Within MLW, the Facilities, Communications and Research Support Units are critical to maintain the infrastructure, SOPs and relationships that matter. An adequate level of Core Funding allows Facilities, Communications, and the wider SMT/RSG to function effectively.
Enhance the quality of our work.
When we use the word “quality” we imply impact in research and career progression to leadership among our trainees. There are 3 Theme functions that are critical to achieving impact and new leaders.
Sharing information
We expect our research to be visible internally, nationally, and internationally to our peers and policymakers. We will enhance research visibility by supporting publication with press releases and social media work, including training researchers in these skills. Research linkage to Policy can be catalysed by our Policy Unit, again with the training of researchers.
Training opportunities and the experience of applying to them must be visible to trainees and their mentors. This is a function of the Training and Development Committee and the committed resolve of all investigators to share opportunities.
Catalysing collaboration
To catalyse collaboration, the Theme needs to clearly see all the Research Groups and Theme activities in MLW. If a new project is entirely novel, collaboration will by necessity be appropriately sought outside MLW.
This catalysing of collaboration (matchmaking!) is achieved through sharing Research Proposals (RSG), Annual Theme Reports, Publications (paper publication board and virtual MLW library), and the Presentations (symposia, CE, PP) mentioned above.
Welcoming new investigators to the Theme.
The future is built not on the leaders of today, but on the Trainees and Collaborations. From undergraduate interns to visiting Professors, and across every discipline of science, teaching, medicine and technology, new Investigators must be welcome. This is not automatic and requires repeated invitations, visits, videos, and talks at other locations. It also requires a clear welcome strategy by Operations – we have a Security policy, but we also need a Welcome policy. This is again where CREATOR is critical – access cards, meals, library, and internet will attract curious enquirers, and brilliant talks and opportunities will encourage them to join us. Good induction and training will make the Departments the true resources that they can be to new and established scientists. Collegiate working relationships will generate a problem-solving approach and parsimonious, effective, and efficient use of resources.