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  Home > Global Situation > The Future > Research & Products

Polio Research Committee Call for Research Proposals

Submission guidelines

The Polio Research Committee (PRC) is currently soliciting research proposals focusing on topics outlined in below tables. Proposals will be reviewed at the next PRC meeting, to be held in May 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Researchers are invited to submit proposals by 30 March 2010 to the Research and Product Development, Global Polio Eradication Initiative, WHO Geneva, email: polioresearch@who.int. The standard research proposal form is available in downloadable format here.

All research proposals should include the following information:

  1. Research question/objectives (eg clarity of questions, reference to published literature and cutting edge science, description of how the results will be utilized)
  2. Qualification of investigators and collaborators (eg track record of researchers, capability of laboratory, necessary contractual arrangements).
  3. Budget request (eg appropriate for work anticipated
  4. Study design and methodology (eg clarity of activities, availability of institutions, feasibility of methods, compliance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines, plans for ethical and regulatory approvals).
     






 

 

RESEARCH AREA ①: UNDERSTAND MUCOSAL IMMUNITY IN INDIA

Background
  • Recent IPV/OPV study and serosurvey in Moradabad indicated the per dose efficacy for mOPV1 is higher (40-60%) than previous estimates. These new data seem to increase importance of understanding vaccine-induced mucosal immunity in addition to humoral immunity in northern India
  • The Polio Research committee (PRC) recommended to:
    a) investigate epidemiology and risk factors of decreased mucosal immunity
    b) evaluate possible intervention to boost mucosal immunity
    c) develop surrogate measurement of mucosal immunity against poliovirus
Examples of proposals to be considered include:

a.Epidemiology and risk factors

   - Understand the rate of excretion among children
      (both below and over 5 years old) in high risk area
      (or population) in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
   - Analyze AFP surveillance data to understand mucosal
      immunity induced by OPV (eg duration and extent of
     shedding, workup of contacts, full workup of a selected
     group for interactions between Sabin and other
     enteroviruses)
   - Investigate risk factors contributing to the decreased
     mucosal immunity (or continued excretion) among
     children under and over 5 years old
   - Evaluate relationship between seroconversion and
     humoral or secretory antibody titer and excretion
   - Evaluate the correlation between waning mucosal
     immunity among population and circulation of virus

b.Intervention to help induce and maintain mucosal immunity

   - Evaluation of different vaccines (OPV and IPV)
     to boost mucosal immunity
   - Evaluation of other intervention (eg nutrition
     or parasite treatment)

c.Surrogate measurement of gut mucosal immunity

   - Validation of new methods or markers to measure gut
     immunity against poliovirus (including oral crevicular
     fluid sIgA, IgG)

Not considered for funding
    - Understanding poliovirus circulation in low season
    - Surrogate measurement not related to gut mucosal
      immunity (eg oral, nasal)
    - Testing interventions without a clear hypothesis of
      the link between intervention and mucosal immune
      function
    - Interventions and diagnostics which cannot be applied
      to the field settings

 

RESEARCH AREA ②: ADDRESS LOW VACCINE COVERAGE IN NIGERIA

Background
  • In some polio-endemic and re-infected countries, here is still room for further improvement in vaccine coverage and/or population immunity.
  • Communication research suggests that there are still gaps in knowledge, attitude and perception among caregivers and vaccinators in many countries.
  • The Polio Research Committe (PRC) recommend to:
    a) evaluate new approaches to further increase vaccination coverage and population immunity
    b) develop and evaluate tools to improve SIA and AFP surveillance management; and,
    c) evluate vaccinator performance and assess ways to improve performance.
Examples of proposals to be considered include:

a.Evaluate new approaches to further increase
     vaccination coverage and population immunity

  - Test different communication and social mobilization
    strategies and evaluate their impact on acceptance
    and coverage.
  - Develop and test an innovative and simpler waz to
    monitor immunization coverage (eg Lot
    Quality Assurance Sampling, use of IT to improve
    monitoring and activities).
  - Test feasibility and effectiveness of new approaches to
    increase the population immunity (eg zinc
    supplementation during SIAs, combination of OPV
    and IPV).

b.Develop and evaluate tools to improve SIA/AFP
   surveillance management

  - Develop and test management tools for assessing and
    optimising staff performance (eg proportion of staff
    time spent on identified priority/high-impact tasks).
 -  Apply operational improvement methods proven in
    private sector ( eg TQC, Six Sigma) to IPD/AFP
    surveillance operation.
 - Conduct external assessment of low-SIA performing
    areas (eg assess operational, attitudinal and
    organizational issues) 

c.Evaluate vaccinator performance and assess ways to
   improve performance

 - Identify best practives with focus on optimising
   vaccinator selection, training, supervision and
   incentive/remuneration.

Not considered for funding:
   -
Test interventions which are not proven anywhere else.
   -Evaluate activities without clear study question
    and/or hypothesis