BIG CAT (Beginning Investigator Grant for Catalytic Research)

About

The key objectives of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) are to further research relating to cancers of relevance to Africa; to support training programs in oncology for health care workers and researchers, and to deal with the challenges of creating cancer control programs and to raise public awareness of cancer in Africa.

The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) has been a long-standing supporter of AORTIC’s vision for enhancing cancer research and cancer control in Africa for the three (3) BIG Cat cohorts.

Purpose

The Beginning Investigator Grant for Catalytic (BIG Cat) Research, Cohorts I-III, a collaboration between AORTIC and NCI, was intended to support exploratory data collection by African scientists engaged in cancer research in Africa. The BIG Cat funding was not intended to support longer term research but to catalyze subsequent application for funding from NCI and/or other sources.

The grants are not intended for principal investigators outside of Africa, although collaborative research projects are encouraged. All funds provided must be spent in Africa. Research proposals are encouraged that span the cancer continuum (descriptive epidemiology, prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment including supportive and palliative care and behavioral research).

BIG Cat funding is intended to support research projects i.e., the funding is not intended to enhance or improve healthcare services directly but is for research aimed at forming a basis for reducing the burden of cancer in Africa.

The BIG CAT research funding is intended to support cancer research in Africa by African clinicians and scientists. The grant is $50 000 for a 2 year period.

To date BIG Cat Cohort I –  III have been completed and we are currently initiating BIG CAT Cohort IV & V.

ABOUT:

BIG Cat Cohort IV

AN AFRICAN ORGANISATION FOR RESEARCH AND TRAINING IN CANCER (AORTIC) PROGRAM Administered by AACR and in coordination with the U.S. National Cancer Institute Center for Global Health (NCI/CGH) and supported by Takeda Pharmeceuticals. Please view the Press Release here:  https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/newsroom/news-releases/aacr-and-aortic-announce-four-grants-to-support-early-career-cancer-researchers-in-africa/

BIG Cat Cohort V

AACR and AORTIC Announce Four Grants to Support Early-career Cancer Researchers in Africa.
Read the press release here:
https://www.aacr.org/about-the-aacr/newsroom/news-releases/aacr-and-aortic-announce-four-grants-to-support-early-career-cancer-researchers-in-africa/

BIG Cat COHORT IV AWARDEES (2022)

NAME RESEARCH PROJECT TITLE COUNTRY
BIG Cat Cohort IV
Leonardo Alves de Souza Rios
Pathobiology of HIV-associated lymphomas – Defining the role of HIV-1 Tat
South Africa
Adwoa Bemah Boamah Mensah
Development and evaluation of a mobile app to promote breast cancer screening
Ghana
Abram Bunya Kamiza Evolving genetic factors for cervical cancer in women of African ancestry South Africa
Imran Morhason-Bello
Epigenetic biomarkers of anal HPV infection in women with cervical HPV
Nigeria

BIG Cat COHORT I AWARDEES

NAME RESEARCH PROJECT TITLE COUNTRY
BIG Cat Cohort I
Adebola Adejimi (and C. Asuzu) Cancer & Traditional Healers Nigeria
Chibuike Chigbu Cervical Cancer Nigeria
Pedro Fernandez Prostate Cancer South Africa
Innocent Mutyaba Childhood Cancer Uganda
Michael Mwachiro Oesophageal Cancer Kenya
Karin Richter Cervical Cancer South Africa

BIG CAT COHORT II AWARDEES

NAME RESEARCH PROJECT TITLE COUNTRY
BIG Cat Cohort II
Gabriel Ogun Nasopharyngeal Carcinomas in Nigerians Nigeria
Fred Okuku Impact of clinical guidelines for Kaposi’s Sarcoma in Uganda Uganda
Caroline Dickens Breast Carcinoma Receptor subtypes in HIV+ & HIV- women South Africa
Lindsay Farrant Life-limiting progressive malignant disease South Africa
Elijah Onwudiwe Treatment of women who tested positive to VIA and VILI Nigeria
Seth Wiafe Knowledge, Attitudes & Practices – early detection breast Ghana

BIG Cat Cohorts III Awardees

NAME RESEARCH PROJECT TITLE COUNTRY
BIG Cat Cohorts III
Sengayi, Mazvita Burden of cancers attributable to HIV in South Africa (2005 – 2015) South Africa
Guisseve, Assucena Hormone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 in breast cancer in Mozambique: patterns of expression and relation with etiology, management and prognosis Mozambique
Kayamba, Violet Gastric cancer in Zambia: analysis of risk factors and strategies for early detection Zambia
Kirimunda, Samuel HLA class in burkitts lymphoma diagnosed East African minors Uganda
Masamba, Leo Incidence of neutropaenia and its complications in chemotherapy patients at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre-Malawi Malawi
Kassaman, Diana The cancer related health literacy status, information & education needs of patients in Kenya in respect to cancers of the cervix and breast Kenya