Project: Trials of Excellence in Southern Africa II

Acronym	TESA II (Reference Number: EDCTP-RegNet2015-1051)
Duration	01/09/2017 - 31/08/2020
Project Topic	Trials of Excellence in Southern Africa (TESA) network was established during the first programme of EDCTP with the objective of creating a framework for collaboration, capacity building and training among 9 institutions from 6 different Southern African countries. In the present project, 13 institutions from 8 different Southern African and 3 European countries came together to strengthen and enhance the capacities for clinical research in Southern Africa built during TESA 1, as well as to increase the collaboration and North-South and South-South networking activities among member institutions. There is a need to establish three specific referral laboratories (SUN-TB / BHP-HIV / CISM-Malaria) and a referral data centre (CISM) within the network, in order to optimize the use of resources while ensuring access. These platforms will serve as training platforms and quality control sites for less advanced partners. Career development will be a central activity of the network. Researchers need well established training programs to acquire and develop skills while avoiding “brain drain”. Besides training programs designed to ensure career development and retaining research talent and knowledge, African hosting institutions for senior researchers, must have the capacity, the resources (infrastructure, equipment, human) and the financial viability to ensure the return of investment in research personnel. Clinical trials and other research studies being conducted at experienced sites will serve as a backbone/platform for training activities. A model of “on the job” training will be implemented. Along these lines, different clinical trials have been identified within the network to be offered as a training opportunity for TESA researchers. The consortium has a proven track record of productive R&D on EDCTP priority PRDs that have been established over the past decade between African and European countries participating in the previous TESA consortium. Most of the successful research programs in Africa are currently being carried out by consortia or networks. TESA cannot be unaware of this reality. We will take advantage of the goodwill that exists across all African and European partners, and will collaborate with different networks that currently operate in the region. Among those, the Virtual Network for African AIDS Vaccine, MOSASWA (Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland Cross-Border Malaria Initiative), ARISE (Africa Research Initiative and Support Network) and ECRIN (European Research Infrastructure). Most of these networks are already specialized in specific fields. TESA will take advantage by establishing partnerships with these networks.
Network	EDCTP2
Call	Coordination and Support Action: EDCTP Regional Networks

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	Fundaçao Manhiça	Coordinator	Mozambique
2	Biomedical Research and Training Institute	Partner	Zimbawe
3	Blantyre Health Research & Training Trust	Partner	Malawi
4	Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership	Partner	Botswana
5	European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network	Partner	France
6	Fundación Privada Instituto de Salud Global Barcelona	Partner	Spain
7	Health Research Centre of Angola	Partner	Angola
8	LT Clinical Research (Pty) Ltd	Partner	South Africa
9	Stellenbosch University	Partner	South Africa
10	Stichting Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development	Partner	Netherlands
11	Uganda National Health Research Organisation	Partner	Uganda
12	University College London	Partner	United Kingdom
13	University of Cape Town Lung Institute (Pty) Ltd	Partner	South Africa
14	University of Namibia	Partner	Namibia, Republic of
15	University of Zimbabwe	Partner	Zimbawe
16	University Teaching Hospital	Partner	Zambia