International Core Services
Mission | Personnel | Services | Contact Info
Feasibility Assessments
Core staff can provide practical guidance for the accomplishment
of research in Botswana: availability of staff for specific assessments,
budget suggestions for shipping infectious agents internationally, etc.
Housing
Provided for faculty, fellows, residents and students who do
research or clinical care in Botswana. Penn currently rents three
furnished apartments that are centrally located near the care
facilities. Availability is on a first-come basis at a subsidized rate;
requests for housing should be directed to Heather Calvert.
Supervision of Research Staff
Core funds are used to support research personnel on site who are
fluent in both English and Setswana. These individuals can obtain
informed consent and assist in collecting protocol-required information
and samples.
Storage and Shipment of Specimens
A trained microbiology technician is available to isolate
organisms from patient samples and ship them to investigators in the US,
or store them for future studies.
Liaison to University of Botswana
Collaborations with local investigators may be of critical
importance to the success of a research project. Investigators are
encouraged to recruit faculty and staff from the University of Botswana; Andrew Steenhoff can be consulted for potential resources.
Regulatory Management
IRB submissions to the University of Pennsylvania, Ministry of
Health of Botswana and local hospital or clinic in Gaborone are
coordinated by Ro Kappes.
She will facilitate submission by completing the necessary application
forms, developing informed consent documents and collecting appropriate
CVs and certifications. Translation of consent forms will also be
arranged. Completion of the NIH checklist and submission of approvals
and investigator documentation will be managed through Ms. Kappes and
Ms. Olivieri. Interested investigators are encouraged to access the
following links for a preview of the application forms and requirements: