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New initiative facilitates creation of partnerships to benefit developing countries

Research into tackling two major public health problems related to childhood health and nutrition in Ghana has just been given a boost by an important federal grant.

Dr. Grace Marquis, Canada Research Chair in Social and Environmental Aspects of Nutrition and a professor at McGill University鈥檚 School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, is one-half of a research team that will be part of a program to help create international research partnerships between Canada Research Chairs and researchers from developing countries.

The International Research Chairs Initiative (IRCI) is a collaboration between Canada鈥檚 International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canada Research Chairs Program. Launched in December 2007, it solicited applications for joint research between Canada Research Chairs and their counterparts at universities in the developing world.

Dr. Marquis and Dr. Anna Lartey, IDRC Research Chair in Nutrition for Health and Socio-economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa and a professor at the University of Ghana, were one of eight teams selected to receive up to $1 million over five years, each to address a key development challenge.

The project on child health and nutrition in Ghana will focus on two seemingly contradictory priorities: the need for improved child nutrition, especially in vulnerable and in HIV-affected households, and the need to reverse increasing rates of childhood obesity in urban areas, brought about by easier access to fast foods and less exercise.

The team will develop integrated interventions to improve child nutrition by involving community, governmental, non-governmental and private partners. It will develop and test ways of improving nutrition and young mothers鈥� care-giving knowledge and skills in HIV-affected communities, increasing household food security and providing support mechanisms. It will also assess the extent of childhood obesity and its risk factors and develop educational tools to encourage healthy weight and eating habits among school-aged children.

鈥淭his important initiative will support a continuation of the collaboration between Dr. Lartey and myself, and the University of Ghana and 香蕉视频,鈥� Dr. Marquis said. 鈥淭he IRCI will allow us to implement with our partners evidence-based interventions to improve young child nutritional status and health in impoverished communities. It will also provide many training opportunities for graduate students at both universities and will contribute to the formation of the future leaders in nutrition research for sub-Saharan Africa.鈥�

The central objective of the IRCI is to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies in low and middle-income countries through strengthening the research capabilities of universities in these countries. With this objective in mind, chair-holders will be researchers and mentors whose work, given additional funding and institutional support, holds significant potential for scientific advancement and application. It is expected an IDRC Research Chair will play a catalytic role in addressing key development challenges through collaborative research, and mentoring the next generation of scholars and practitioners.

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For more information on the IRCI consult: