Program Description

The Minority International Research Training (MIRT) Program, based at Howard University, has its foundation in the Leadership Alliance which is composed of 28 universities including eight Ivy League schools, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, NYU, three schools in the CUNY system, and eleven Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs). The major objective of MIRT is to enhance the professional status and research capability of nine (9) minority undergraduates, three (3) predoctoral students and three (3) young faculty in all areas of biomedical research. To achieve this objective MIRT trainees will be involved in collaborative research at two leading European and four African Universities.

International Training Sites	Specialties/Sponsors
University of Lausanne, Switzerland	Cellular/molecular biology; Pathology, Artificial Organs and Biomaterials; Neurological Diseases Sponsor: Patrick Aebischer M.D.
University of Siena, Italy	Cellular and Reproductive Biology; Germ cell apoptosis and endocrine control of germ cell development; Microscopy Sponsor: Professor Baccio Baccetti
University of Ghana-Legon Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research, Ghana	Biochemistry of Natural Products; Plant Phytochemistry Sponsor: Marian Addy, Professor of Biochemistry
University of Addis Ababa Pathobiology Laboratory	Studies on Leishmaniasis and Schistosomiasis; Malaria research; Parasitology Sponsor: Dr. Nega
Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) Bamako, Mali	Trypanosomiasis; Tse tse fly studies; animal infectious diseases; Parasitology Sponsor: Oumar Diall, DVM, Director General
University of Yaounde I Cameroon	Malaria vaccine development and research; Parasitology; Immunology Sponsor: Professor Rose Leke

Programs

Mirt: Outstanding undergraduates and predoctoral students have the opportunity to conduct research in all areas of the biomedical sciences with emphasis on cellular and molecular biology and collaborate with scientists at leading institutions in Europe, United States and Africa.

UREP: Through the Undergraduate Research Enhancement Program (UREP) selected undergraduates in discipline-based working teams of 2-4, led by a faculty team leader, will conduct research in one of the international research laboratories for 8-12 weeks during the summer.

PEP: The Predoctoral Enrichment Program (PEP), provides doctoral candidates the opportunity of working in cutting-edge fields and to pursue guided or independent research on one aspect of their dissertation.

FASTT: Selected minority faculty will engage in research in collaboration with the foreign mentor for a 3 month period either as a researcher or a team-leader under the UREP program.

ASCB Involvement: Underpinning the research program is an opportunity for each student participant to present his/her research data and findings in national and international poster/platform or workshop presentations to students in the consortium. Presentations will be made at the annual meetings of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) under a program sponsored by the Minorities Affairs Committee.

SELECTION OF TRAINEES

Students will be selected from a pool of students at the 28 Leadership Alliance universities. Since the program is designed to train leaders in the fields of cellular and molecular biology, trainees will be selected based on proven competence in these areas, strong academic record and recommendations from competent faculty. Since trainees are expected to start research upon their arrival in foreign laboratories, it is imperative that they show evidence for research skills or technical proficiency in an area of cellular/molecular biology. Medical students showing research competence and interest in a biomedical research career will be considered under the PIE program. Based upon their academic background and competence students from non-Alliance universities will be considered. MIRT trainees will be placed in international labs where they can conduct research in their areas of expertise. Selection of trainees will be made by an Advisory Committee composed of United States and foreign faculty. Students accepted for the MIRT must attend and participate in a 3-5 day Pre-Travel course at Howard University dealing with bioethics, laboratory safety, ethics of data handling, foreign living conditions and languages, and other subject matters. Upon completion of their program, trainees are expected to write a detailed report showing experiments conducted and data derived from the research. They are also required to present their finding orally to the group of MIRT trainees and as a poster at the annual ASCB meetings.

Participants have the option of living in a university dormitory, flat, or International Students House.

Participating Institutions

Brooklyn College, Brown University, Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Columbia University, Cornell University*, Dartmouth College, Delaware State University, Harvard University, Howard University, Hunter College, Johns Hopkins University*, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Morehouse College, Montana State University, Morgan State University, New York University, Prairie View A&M University, Princeton University, Southern University of Baton Rouge, Spelman College, Stanford University, Tougaloo College, University of Pennsylvania*, University of Puerto Rico, University of Texas at San Antonio, Xavier University of New Orleans, Yale University

* Schools with MIRT Programs

YEAR TWO THOUSAND REPORT
MIRT TRAINEES CONDUCT RESEARCH IN ITALY, ETHIOPIA, GHANA, AND MALI

Supported by a Minority International Research Training grant (MIRT) from the NIH/Fogarty International Center, Chanda Macias (Howard) and Marcus Hodges (St. Augustine College) were able to conduct research in cell and molecular biology at the University of Siena. Working in Professor Baccio Baccetti's Laboratory of Germinal Cell Biology, both Chanda and Marcus pursued projects either on infertility in humans or prostate cancer. Using a collagen-matrix model developed in the cell biology laboratories at Howard, Chanda studied the invasion (attachment and metastasis) of collagen matrices by human prostate carcinoma cell lines. Marcus implanted germinal and Sertoli cells on the collagen matrix in an effort in in vitro organ manufacture of the rodent seminiferous tubule. Both Chanda and Marcus moved into an apartment in the laboratory allowing them 24 hour access to the their research, gained valuable hands-on research experience using state-of-the-art laboratory techniques, and continue to collaborate with scientists in the Siena laboratory. An abstract on this research is being prepared for presentation at the 2000 American Society for Cell Biology meetings.

The MIRT program offered both students tremendous opportunities to be immersed in the Italian culture. Close and sincere friendships were developed with laboratory partners who unfortunately preferred to communicate in English, rather than in Italian. Arriving at the time of the Palio when Siena was for more than one week transformed into a medieval town, Chanda and Marcus were fully involved in the highly spirited and local celebrations. Marcus, an expert on the trombone, particularly appreciated the Siena music festivals all summer. On week-ends both students took the opportunity to visit cultural sites in other Italian cities. "This was an experience of a lifetime; we are ready to go back to Siena, tomorrow", says Marcus and Chanda. "The academic and cultural bridges established between Howard University and the University of Siena are permanent and we are ready to accept competent MIRT students in our labs at anytime" says Professor Baccio Baccetti, Director of the Institute.

Three Howard University students pursued research in the Leishmaniasis and Shistosomiasis laboratories at the Pathobiology Institute, University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Under the guidance of Professor Nega these students gained hands-on exposure to current research on these deadly human diseases that have reached epidemic states in regions of Southern Ethiopia. Not only were they exposed to highly controlled laboratory studies on these insect and snail transmitted parasites, they were afforded field trips to the regions of greatest infection to see the intensity of the diseases on the human population first-hand. The students involved included Tara Smith (Junior Chemistry major), Rashida Moore (Senior Biology major), Serawitt Gedamu (Pharm D student) and Bereded (Fourth Year Howard Dental student). Tara Smith, by her dedication to research, was the heroine on this project. The faculty sponsor, Dr. Amha Asseffa (Department of Biochemistry) conducted his research at the Army Institute of Research completing a malaria research project started in previous years. The MIRT trainees were fully immersed in the Ethiopian culture and had an opportunity, in spite of the war in the Northern region, to visit sites like Debreset, Awasa, Shashemani, Bahr Dar and other towns in Central and Southern Ethiopia.

Michael Simmontacchi-Gbologah (Junior, Chemistry major) and Dwamena Afari (postbaccalaureate student at Harvard School of Public Health) studied at the University of Ghana-Legon under the general guidance of Professor Marion Addy (Chair of Biochemistry). Both Michael and Dwamena lived in the International Dormitory on campus and conducted their research at the Noguchi Memorial Medical Research Institute. Working with Dr. Addy's graduate students and scientists at the Noguchi Institute and in collaboration with the Ghanaian Center for Scientific Research in Plant Medicine (CSRPM) in Mampong-Akwapim their research dealt with the search for antimicrobial agents other than the traditional antibiotics, for effective treatment of bacterial diarrhea. Like most parts of the world, the traditional antibiotics are largely becoming ineffective for treatment of acute diarrhea in Ghana because of widespread bacterial resistance.

A second aspect of their research involved the characterization of several plant extracts used by the "traditional healers and natives" for the treatment of diarrhea. Guided by U.S. sponsor Dr. Broderick Eribo (Howard University microbiologist) and scientists at the Noguchi Institute, Michael and Dwamena went on fieldtrips to the villages to obtain samples following interviews with traditionalists. One plant, Psidium guajava was widely used by natives to prevent diarrhea. The students successfully extracted a wide-spectrum antibacterial agent from the leaves of this plant. From the crude extract column chromatography techniques were used to further fractionate the active antimicrobial agent. Samples were brought back to Howard, to further analyze these fractions by gas spectroscopy and a manuscript is being prepared for presentation at the American Society of Microbiology.

Michael and Dwamena had an opportunity to go "home" to Ghana, as both had relatives living in Lagos. In addition to the rich cultural environment provided by the campus life at the University of Ghana, the students also took the opportunity to visit historical sites such as Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Castle and the Cape Coast province. They are prepared to revisit the University and Ghana where they built strong and lasting friendships.

Three students including Chuka Asike (Junior Biology major), Tiffany Charley (Senior Chemistry major) and Kassim Traore (Predoctoral student, Biochemistry) studied at the Central Veterinary Laboratory, Bamako, Mali under the sponsorship of Dr. Oumar Diall D.V.M. (Director General). In spite of successes in previous years, for several reasons this year's experience in Mali was a failure and the site is under reconsideration.

The University of Yaounde-Cameroon may be activated for 2001.