1. Supporting Communities of Practice through the Sci-GaIA platform
Jaran Eriksen, MD PhD
Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

2. Background Sci-GaIA Workpackage 2 – health
Aims:
Provide support to emerging communities of practice (COPs)
Specify structures, models, resources and competences needed to be able to host and use Science Gateways within the COP in a sustainable way to make a change defined as production of papers, people trained and time gains in research and healthcare
Focus on two COPs from eI4Africa:
African Pharmacology Science Gateway
Community Health Portal

3. African Pharmacology Science Gateway (APSG) Background and aim:
Many African scientists trained in high-income countries
Often technology transfer required for trained scientists to work at their African home institutions failed
Those who returned and remain in Africa have limited resources to maintain and develop strong research programs and institutions
To Design, Develop, Test, Implement and Evaluate a concept for cost-effective virtual e-infrastructure for African medical science collaboration (e-science) focusing on biomedical and pharmacological sciences and clinical trials for improving African healthcare

4. African Pharmacology Science Gateway (APSG)
May 2013, AiBST & eI4Africa EU/F7 initiated collaboration to establish a pilot African Pharmacology Science Gateway (PSG)
AiBST established consortium of 7 African countries to participate in the development of the APSG concept
Institute
Contacts
Country
Expertise 1
African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST)
Collen Masimirembwa
Milcah Dhoro
Roslyn Thelingwani
Zimbabwe
Genetics
DMPK
Bionalysis 2
Muhimbili University
Omary Minzi
Eliford Ngaimisi
Tanzania
Bioanalysis 3
Makerere University
Jackson Mukonzo
Norah Mwebaza
Sarah Nanzigu
Muhammad Ntale
Uganda 4
Addis Ababa University ,
Eleni Aklillu
Abiy Eyakem
Ethiopia 5
University of Nairobi
Anastasia Guantai
Margaret Oluka
Kenya
Pharmacy 6
University of Ibadan
Chinedum Peace Babalola
Nigeria 7
University of Cape Town,
Collet Dandara
Simbarashe Zvada
South Africa 8
Obafemi Awolow University
Oluseye Bolaji
PSG

5. What is the APSG?
A virtual collaborative community linked to the African Grid Science Gateway
Builds on easily accessible tools, preferably open access for affordability and sustainability
Simplifies collaboration and sharing of resources in Africa
Should promote and implement African medical science collaboration focusing on:
biomedical and pharmacological sciences
clinical trials and clinical drug studies for improving African healthcare

6. Pharmacology Science Gateway Outline

7. Pilot focus areas of APSG

8. Tools currently on/suggested for APSG

9. What can Sci-GaIA offer APSG
Data repository for data from e.g. clinical trials databases
Discussion forum for users
Adapt APSG to needs of potential users

10. Sci-GaIA support for APSG
MURIA group – Medicines Utilization Research In Africa:
drug utilization and rational use of drugs
linked up with APSG
Sci-GaIA forum discussion  MURIA-initiated survey of African scientists in pharmacology (needs, skills, research areas)
Presentation tomorrow!

11. Conclusions Sci-GaIA: engage with new and emerging COPs
support new and emerging COPs on science gateways
support further development of science gateways to COPs’ needs
Sci-GaIA is here for the COPs, contact and interact with us!

12. Thank you!
sci-gaia.eu

13. APSG objectives
To make accessible tools for research and training to ensure vibrancy in the N-S and S-S pharmacology research
To provide an e-platform which will remove/reduce physical barriers in research collaboration across Africa
To promote South-South collaboration, thus harvest on knowledge & technology acquired over years of North-South collaboration
To build critical mass of pharmacology research leaders
To build research capacity through training and mentoring of post-docs and middle career scientists to become independent research leaders

14. Background and aim Community Health Portal (CHP)
In rural Africa healthcare data are usually paper based  challenging to keep information accessible, updated and secure
Limited access to updated scientific literature and guidelines
Health workers work alone – no access to specialists
Drug stock outs large problem at health facilities
ICT could provide solutions for these challenges for both healthcare staff and patients
CHP objectives:
Support health workers and patients in rural Africa
Gather different applications under one hood

15. Pilot applications integrated into the CHP
Drug Management Application
On-the-Job training
On-line real-time Pulse Oximeter

17. Potentials APSG Prototype already created based on COP wishes
COPs to start using gateway for their research
Refine/revisit needs for tools
New tools
Continuous development