UB Center for Integrated Global Biomedical Sciences selected to host Zimbabwe Emerging Faculty Development Program

ZEFDP faculty trainees include: Annabel Banda, Gwanda State University (Tropical Entomology /Ectoparasite and Endoparasite/Zoonotic Diseases/Rodents/Insect Ecology), Winnet Enerita Chipato, Harare Institute of Technology (Biomedical Sciences/Microbiology and Molecular biology), Prosper Denhere, Manicaland State University of Applied Science (Health Information Systems), Gregory Dowo, Midlands State University (Botanical Sciences), Rutendo Gutsire, University of Zimbabwe (Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences), Leah Kashiri, University of Zimbabwe (Clinical Scientist- Medical Microbiology, Molecular biologist and Ecologist), Celia Moffat Joel Matyanga, University of Zimbabwe (Pharmacy), Nyasha Mukonowenzou, National University of Science and Tech (Physiology) and Tawanda Tinago, Chinhoyi University of Technology (Molecular ecology/Conservation genetics). 

UB’s Center for Integrated Global Biomedical Sciences (CIGBS), School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, is providing administrative oversight and will develop the curriculum, oversee mentored training, develop micro-credentials and organize a post-training project each faculty trainee will complete when they return to Zimbabwe. “This is a great opportunity to build on our 25-year capacity building collaboration with the University of Zimbabwe funded primarily by the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health,” said Gene Morse, PharmD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and CIGBS director. Along with Charles Maponga, University of Zimbabwe, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Morse is working to develop a new national university network in Zimbabwe. “This program will enable the initial group of emerging faculty, representing seven Zimbabwean universities, to contribute to the initiative and hit the ground running upon return to Zimbabwe,” said Maponga, co-investigator, Zimbabwe Emerging Faculty Development Program.

Additional project contributors include, Gina Prescott, PharmD, Director, Global and Community Outreach, UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dorothy Siaw-Asamoah, PhD, Global Leadership Program, UB School of Management and Mara Huber, PhD, UB Director of Experiential Learning Network and key collaborator, International Institute of Buffalo refugee program.

“We value our longstanding partnership with the Institute of International Education and welcome the opportunity to collaborate with IIE and our colleagues in Zimbabwe on this important initiative, providing mutual benefit to Zimbabwean universities and the UB projects with which they are involved,” said Nojin Kwak, PhD, UB Vice Provost, International Education.

ZEFDP planning committee members include: Gina Prescott, James Mohler, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Matt Entice, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, David Holmes, UB Family Medicine, John Wood, UB International Education, Dorothy Siaw-Asamoah, Mara Huber, and CIGBS members: Trevor Poag and Samuel Gavi.