Dr Neo Tapela (Corresponding PI)
The corresponding and lead Principal Investigator for this grant. She gained invaluable experience building an NCD care program in Rwanda that now serves over 6,000 patients. She also served as Special Advisor on NCD to Rwanda’s Ministry of Health, providing technical expertise, and facilitating coordination and stakeholder engagement to develop the nation’s strategic plan for the prevention and control of NCDs. Furthermore, she established Rwanda’s first Cancer Center of Excellence, introducing an oncology electronic medical records system and developing the first national cancer protocols. She has returned to her native country of Botswana, where she holds appointments at Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana’ Ministry of Health’s NCD program. Dr. Tapela’s clinical, programmatic, research, and capacity building skills are outstanding and she has demonstrated the ability to promote political will and strategic vision sharing and action for NCDs. Undoubtedly, many of the responsibilities that will come with serving as the lead PI on this grant will tap into Dr. Tapela’s performance strengths.
Dr Rayne, Sarah
A full‐time surgeon and lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand Department of Surgery. She has been working for the last ten years on research associated to surgery and in particular the social domains of surgical disease. Her current and primary field of research is attendant to the experience of breast cancer for patients in Southern Africa and this includes her current doctoral research of structural and psychosocial barriers to accessing breast cancer care in a peri‐urban environment in Johannesburg and related translational work towards defining the relationship between physical and psychosocial barriers, molecular and histological cancer sub‐types and patient outcomes in breast cancer. Her emphasis in developing a research interest has been in producing relevant, clinically applicable research able to guide public health policy, including recent consultation from NGOs in response to government policy for breast cancer management, guidelines for healthcare providers and insurers, and technical assistance/ grant assessment faculty for a non‐profit foundation. The importance she places on dissemination of knowledge is also reflected in the book she co‐authored on breast disease in Southern Africa, with National Department of Health involvement.
Dr Shulman, Lawrence Nathan
lawrence.shulman@uphs.upenn.edu
Currently at University of Pennsylvania, but formerly of Dana Farber Cancer Institute, a Harvard University affiliated institution. In his capacity as Direct of the Global Cancer Medicine, he has worked closely with Ministry of Health personnel in Haiti and Rwanda to provide cancer care, capacitate in-country personnel to conduct cancer research and promote the utilization of research to inform cancer prevention and care strategies.
Prof Yohana Mashalla
The Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Botswana. He is a qualified and registered medical practitioner and professor of medical physiology. He has over twenty years of experience in teaching undergraduate, postgraduate and supervision of doctoral students; and a researcher. Prof Mashalla also possess a vast experience and skills in management of academic institutions, research management and management of donor funded projects. He also has a vast experience in qualitative and quantitative research; conduct of research involving human subjects and in the monitoring and evaluation of implementation of research projects. He has all through worked closely with ministries of health, education and research and development institutions and NGOs, therefore conversant with relevant policies and operational procedures. During his academic career, he was actively involved in collaborative biomedical research both in basic research and applied research.
Dr Chabner, Bruce Allan
The Clinical Director, Emeritus of the Cancer Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Allen Distinguished Investigator. He works with the Botswana Oncology Global Outreach (BOTSOGO) Program and was a significant contributor to the 2014 establishment of the first medical oncology program at Princess Marina Hospital, one of Botswana’s two referral hospitals. He has developed a program for exchange and training of medical personnel between Botswana and Massachusetts General Hospital, through funding from the Paul G. Allen Foundation.
Dr Lockman, Shahin
An Associate Professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and an Infectious Disease Physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She has been working in Botswana since 1996 and has helped develop the research infrastructure of Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership over the course of her tenure, building it from an organization of under 20 associates to an organization that now employees over 300 individuals. She has mentored over 20 researchers in African and the United States.
Dr Ramogola-Masire, Doreen
An Obstetrician and a Gynecologist, is a seasoned leader who has served as the Country Director of Botswana-U Penn Partnership since 2009 and also holds an Associate Professor appointment at the University of Botswana within the Faculty of Health Sciences. She has pioneered cervical cancer prevention, care and research in Botswana. Drs Ramogola-Masire and Tapela possess significant political capital. Currently Dr. Ramogola- Masire provides technical expertise to Botswana’s national cervical cancer program, as well as Botswana’s HIV guidelines committee. She is a co-PI on the previously mentioned U54 grant with Professor Friedman, and in that role is working directly with junior faculty at University of Botswana to build research capacity around HIV and cervical cancer. Dr. Ramogola-Masire is looking forward to technical support and mentoring from collaborators at University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University.