title: Building capacity for sustainable research programmes for cancer in Africa.
abstract: Cancer research in Africa will have a pivotal role in cancer control planning in this continent. However, environments (such as those in academic or clinical settings) with limited research infrastructure (laboratories, biorespositories, databases) coupled with inadequate funding and other resources have hampered African scientists from carrying out rigorous research. In September 2012, over 100 scientists with expertise in cancer research in Africa met in London to discuss the challenges in performing high-quality research, and to formulate the next steps for building sustainable, comprehensive and multi-disciplinary programmes relevant to Africa. This was the first meeting among five major organizations: the African Organisation for Research and Training in Africa (AORTIC), the Africa Oxford Cancer Foundation (AfrOx), and the National Cancer Institutes (NCI) of Brazil, France and the USA. This article summarizes the discussions and recommendations of this meeting, including the next steps required to create sustainable and impactful research programmes that will enable evidenced-based cancer control approaches and planning at the local, regional and national levels.
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Department of Obsterics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, PMB 5017, GPO, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Adewole
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, USA.
authors.forename: Damali N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, USA.
authors.forename: Makeda J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Clement
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adebamowo
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, USA.
authors.forename: Kishor
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.affiliation: Institut National du Cancer, France.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berling
authors.affiliation: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, USA.
authors.forename: Corey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casper
authors.affiliation: Mansoura University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Karima
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Elshamy
authors.affiliation: Suez Canal University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elzawawy
authors.affiliation: ARC-NET Cancer Research Centre, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Lawlor
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Legood
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, USA.
authors.forename: Sam M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mbulaiteye
authors.affiliation: University of Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Folakemi T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Odedina
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health, USA.
authors.forename: Olufunmilayo I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Olopade
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Olopade
authors.affiliation: African Cancer Registry Network, UK.
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Parkin
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Rebbeck
authors.affiliation: American Cancer Society, USA.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.affiliation: Union for International Cancer Control, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torode
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, USA.
authors.forename: Edward L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Trimble
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer, France.
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.affiliation: University of Warwick, UK.
authors.forename: Annie M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: University of Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kerr
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005582:Foundations / Q000458:organization & administration; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007390:International Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration; D007391:International Cooperation; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships; D012042:Registries; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration