Global Public Health Research Week
SYMPOSIUM May 20-21, 2009
Translating Knowledge into Action in Global Public Health
PROGRAM
Centre for Global Public Health R070 Med Rehab Building, 771 McDermot Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0T6 (204) 272-3123
Translating Knowledge into Action in Global Public Health Background
Public Health has been defined as “the combination of skills, sciences, and activities directed to
the maintenance and improvement of the health of all of the people through collective or
social actions.”1 Academic institutions have historically played a central role in public health
progress through the creation and synthesis of knowledge, translating knowledge into public
health action and building capacity for carrying out these knowledge-based activities. This
central public role for academic institutions was explicitly noted by the Institute of Medicine in
its report on the future of public health: “Schools of public health should fulfill their potential
role as significant resources to government at all levels in the development of public health
policy.”2 The past two decades have been characterized by the rapid “globalization” of public
health. Increasingly, geographic and social barriers between diverse global populations are
disappearing, and many of the world’s most complex public health challenges are becoming
“globalized”. Accordingly, public health structures that previously had focused primarily on
local and domestic concerns are now expanding their focus to global issues. In addition,
substantial new multilateral programs and systems have been established to address global
public health issues. Not surprisingly, many academic public health institutions have perceived
the challenges posed by new global public health realities and have established dedicated
global health programs.
In this dynamic state of affairs, there is merit in examining the role of academia in global public
health. Several issues can be addressed: key knowledge gaps can be articulated leading to the
development of prioritized research agendas; potential synergies between institutions and
scientific disciplines can be identified and elaborated; processes can be identified and
developed to accelerate the translation of knowledge into public health action; networks of
organizations and institutions in different global contexts can be established to facilitate
knowledge exchange and capacity building; and innovative academic training programs can be
developed to meet current and future human resource needs.
The University of Manitoba (UM) is already a leader in key aspects of global public health.
With projects ranging from basic research to service delivery, global public health has
contributed substantially to the UM’s achievements in research, public service, education and
knowledge translation. Recognizing its historical strength in this field and the substantial
opportunities to help meet new global health challenges, the UM recently established a new
Centre for Global Public Health (CGPH). CGPH is intended to bring together three streams of
public health activity: 1) research; 2) public health service; and 3) knowledge translation and
capacity building.
As part of its development process, the CGPH has organized a “Global Public Health Research
Week” with the theme of “Translating Knowledge into Action in Global Public Health”.
1 Last JM. A Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2nd Edition, New York: Oxford, 1988:107. 2 Institute of Medicine. The Future of Public Health. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1988:41.
The overall purpose of this event is to increase awareness of those within and outside of the
University of Manitoba about the University’s role in improving global public health, and to
examine how the CGPH and its global partners can continue to advance the contribution of
academia to global public health.
There are three main activities scheduled. On Tuesday, May 19th
there is an “Open House” to
foster interaction between UM faculty and global public health partners from projects around
the world. The second and main activity is a 2-day symposium on “Translating Knowledge into
Action in Global Public Health” (May 20-21). The objectives of the symposium are to:
1. Share experiences and results of public health research and knowledge translation in
the global context.
2. Identify opportunities for research and knowledge translation in global public health.
3. Foster the development of networks for research, program innovation and capacity
building.
The symposium is organized around four thematic sessions.
• Theme 1 – Scientific discovery and global health issues – Drawing on examples from
the UM’s global research, this theme will examine how discovery-oriented research has
and can help to address global public health issues.
• Theme 2 – Translating theory into program strategies – Theoretical insights and
empirical data will be explored to illustrate the challenges and opportunities inherent
in translating science into practice.
• Theme 3 – Program innovation – Diverse public health programs will be used to
illustrate principles of evidence-based approaches to program implementation and
scale-up.
• Theme 4 – Community mobilization and involvement – Innovative approaches to
mobilizing and involving communities in public health programs will be presented and
discussed.
Each session features a keynote speaker, presentations from the UM’s global health projects
and a focused panel discussion. Congruent with the UM’s historical strength in research and
programs related to sexually transmitted infections and HIV, much of the symposium’s content
will be oriented around those topics.
The third main activity is a special “Global Public Health Evening” on Thursday, May 21st
which
will provide an opportunity for the wider UM and local community to focus attention on global
public health issues. The centerpiece of the evening will be a screening of three special
documentaries focusing on communities in India and Kenya involved in programs with the UM.
For more information contact:
Joyce Slater at 977-5678 or [email protected]
“Translating Knowledge Into Action in Global Public Health”
Everyone Welcome!
There is no charge for this event, but please register at [email protected]
or call 789-3710
All daytime events at the Bannatyne Campus, 727 McDermot Ave.
(Brodie Centre entrance)
AGENDAAGENDAAGENDAAGENDA
Wednesday, May 20 (Bannatyne Campus)Wednesday, May 20 (Bannatyne Campus)Wednesday, May 20 (Bannatyne Campus)Wednesday, May 20 (Bannatyne Campus)
8:30 am
9:00 am
Registration
Welcome & Introductions – Dr. Dean Sandham, Dean of Medicine
Theatre A
Theatre A
with break Inaugural Address – Dr. David Barnard, President - University of Manitoba
Key scientific discoveries in public health: the University of Manitoba’s
contribution – Dr. Allan Ronald
Introduction of Symposium – Dr. James Blanchard
Session 1 – Scientific Discovery and Global Health Issues
Male circumcision for HIV prevention: from science to public health practice
– Dr. Stephen Moses
Understanding the mechanism of natural resistance to HIV infection
– Dr. Keith Fowke
Keynote: New horizons for science in STIs and HIV – Dr. Thomas Quinn
Panel Discussion:
• How has basic science research improved global public health, and
what are key knowledge gaps?
• How do global health research programs advance science?
12:30 pm Lunch Joe Doupe Concourse
1:30–4:50 pm Session 2 – Translating Science into Public Health Programs Theatre A
with break Keynote: Behaviours central to STI/HIV spread: issues of redundancy,
synergy and conditionality – Dr. Sevgi Aral
Keynote: From theory to practice in global public health
– Dr. Geoffrey Garnett
Theoretical and empirical findings from the field
• A series of short presentations on the epidemiology and transmission
dynamics of HIV/STIs in Asia
Panel Discussion:
• What do we know that has not yet been translated into programs?
• What are key knowledge gaps?
Closing remarks for Day 1
Thursday, May 21 (Bannatyne Campus)Thursday, May 21 (Bannatyne Campus)Thursday, May 21 (Bannatyne Campus)Thursday, May 21 (Bannatyne Campus)
8:30 am
9:00 am
Registration
Session 3 - Innovations in Program Design and Implementation
Theatre C
with break Overview of HIV programs in India – Mrs. Vandana Gurnani/Dr. Reynold
Washington
Programs, science and global public health – Dr. James Blanchard
Program innovations in HIV prevention and control
• A series of short presentations on various aspects of HIV programs in
Asia and Africa
Panel Discussion:
• What are the principles for designing effective programs and
services?
• What more do we need to know for program implementation?
12:15 pm Lunch Joe Doupe Concourse
1:30–3:30 pm Session 4 – Community Involvement in Public Health Programs Theatre C
with break Experiences in community mobilization and leadership development
• A series of short presentations based on experiences with programs
in India
Panel Discussion:
• What are the principles for involving communities in program
leadership and delivery?
• What are the challenges for community mobilization and leadership
development?
Symposium Summary and Closing Remarks
CANADIAN PREMIERECANADIAN PREMIERECANADIAN PREMIERECANADIAN PREMIERE
7:00 P.M. Thursday, May 21
Special Global Public Health Evening
Robert B. Schultz Theatre
St. John’s College, 92 Dysart Road
(Fort Garry Campus)
“Reaching Out: Global Public Health Stories from the
University of Manitoba”
A series of short documentary films followed by a reception.
Open to the public. Tickets by donation at door.
All proceeds to the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust Orphans and Vulnerable
Children Fund.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERSKEYNOTE SPEAKERSKEYNOTE SPEAKERSKEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dr. Sevgi Aral, PhD Dr. Aral is the Associate Director for Science, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, U.S. She is responsible for the oversight and direction of all scientific activities including the intramural and extramural research programs and science-program interactions. She serves as a clinical professor in the School of Medicine, at the University of Washington, and is a mentor for both trainees and colleagues needing help with social science perspectives bridging the gap between clinical epidemiology and behavior. Dr. Aral’s research is in the areas of risk and preventive behaviors, gender differences, societal characteristics that influence STD and HIV rates, contextual issues and effects of distinct types of sexual mixing on STD spread.
Professor Geoffrey Garnett, PhD Geoff Garnett is Professor of Microparasite Epidemiology at Imperial College London, where he is Theme Leader for Public and International Health and Director of a Masters Course in Epidemiology. His main area of research is the epidemiology and control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Since 1990 Dr. Garnett has worked on the broad area of HIV and STI epidemiology, with projects on the demographic impact of AIDS; modeling sexual partner networks; and the epidemiology of HIV, gonorrhoea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, herpes-simplex virus (HSV) and human papillomavirus (HPV). Recent work has focused on the potential impact of HSV and HPV vaccines and the epidemiological consequences of antiretroviral treatments. As Chair of the UNAIDS Reference Group on Estimates, Models and Projections, he has played a part in developing the methods used in HIV surveillance globally.
Dr. Thomas Quinn, MD, MS Dr. Quinn is the Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health, in Baltimore, U.S. His research includes investigation of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical features of HIV/AIDS internationally. He has also examined the viral kinetics and transmission probabilities of HIV among discordant couples with the subsequent design and application of interventions including therapy to prevent transmission of HIV. Molecular studies have mapped the molecular epidemic of HIV on a global basis, linking virologic changes to the spread of HIV and measuring the demographic impact of the epidemic. As a global leader in the implementation of clinical care programs for HIV, STDs, and other infectious diseases, Dr. Quinn has advocating for improved clinical education for African physicians and implementing public health policy from these and other research findings. He currently directs several field-based programs in Africa and Asia, utilizing community-based STD treatment linked with HIV prevention projects. Dr. Quinn is a founding member of the Academic Alliance for AIDS Care and Prevention in Africa, and is the founding director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health.
The Centre for Global Public Health (CGPH) was established at the University of Manitoba in
the Department of Community Health Sciences in June, 2008, in collaboration with the
Department of Medical Microbiology. CGPH is intended to enhance the contribution of the
University of Manitoba to the improvement of public health systems, programs and activities in
diverse global settings. A cornerstone of CGPH is the design and implementation of
international health and development projects in several countries including India, China,
Kenya and Pakistan, primarily in the areas of HIV and STI prevention. CGPH will integrate its
international health and development projects with two additional priority activity areas:
applied public health research and knowledge translation.
A program of applied public health research will support existing and future projects both in
global and domestic public health. CGPH will partner with researchers from Manitoba and
around the globe to conduct cutting edge public health research.
Through education and knowledge translation, CGPH is committed to creating an exceptional
environment for training and mentoring graduate students, fellows and trainees, as well as
providing opportunities to participate in international health and development, and research
projects. CGPH will promote the translation of knowledge gained in global public health
research and projects for application in international and domestic public health settings. A
pro-active technical assistance program will also be developed, whereby CGPH faculty and
students will provide capacity building and technical assistance to academic, governmental and
non-governmental organizations in global public health programs. CGPH will also facilitate the
development of key public health knowledge networks with experts from around the globe.
Contact information:
Centre for Global Public Health
University of Manitoba
R070 Med Rehab Bldg.
771 McDermot Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3E 0T6
CANADA
Ph: (204) 272-3123
