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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 & products
 

 

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 Nigeria, an observed gap has been noted between the reported vaccination coverage rate (eg 80-100%) and epidemiology (continuous circulation of poliovirus).
  • Anecdotes from the field and estimates from other surveillance data, suggest that the actual vaccination coverage may be significantly lower. Also, the early communication research suggests there are still gaps in knowledge, attitude and perception among caregivers and vaccinators
  • The Polio Research committee (PRC) recommended to:
    a) better estimate programme performance in different states in Nigeria
    b) understand the reasons and risk factors for low coverage in some area
    c) identify and test innovative ways to improve coverage (eg new operational model)
     
 Examples of proposals to be considered include:

a.Understand the programme performance

   - Develop and test an innovative and simpler way to
     measure immunization coverage (eg Lot Quality
     Assurance Sampling, use of Geographic Information
     System to monitor activities)
   - Assess the seroprevalence rate among children less
     than 5 years old
   - Understand prevalence of excretion among children
     in high risk area (or population)

b.Understand the reasons and risk factors for low coverage in some areas

   - Understand needs and attitudes of vaccinators and/or
     decision makers
   - Understand the current gap in immunization operation
     (eg planning, implementation, monitoring)
   - Determine organizational or operational risk factors
     for low coverage in some areas

c.Identify and test innovative ways to improve coverage

   - Test different communication and social mobilization
     strategies and evaluate their impact on acceptance
     and coverage
   - Test a new operational model of vaccinations
   - Apply an operational model which is successful in other
     public sector/private sector campaigns

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