- Dates
- 28 March - 01 April 2022
- Location
- Online
- Tuition
- 100 EUR (1 Module), 150 EUR (2 Modules), 200 EUR (3 Modules) - free for students from LMICs and for ISGlobal staff and alumni
- Schedule
- Monday - Friday
- Timetable
- 9:00 - 11:00; 11:30 - 13:30; 14:30 - 16:30
- Mode
- Online - synchronous
- Language
- English
- Length
- 5 days
Registration for the 2022 International Spring School in Global Health has closed.
The online international ISGlobal Spring School offers five modules designed for young researchers, postgraduate, master, doctoral students or other professionals with an interest to explore new topics or continue their learning in the Global Health field.
Each offered module is designed to fully satisfy the needs of international students with a specific interest in implementation science, the effects of climate on human health, the application of e-health technologies, infectious diseases and the epidemiology of the human circadian clock.
The overall objective is to give an in-depth overview on the themes mentioned above with a focus on case-based and participatory learning.
In view of the current health situation and in order to encourage the participation of a greater number of people, the Spring School will take place in an online format using the Zoom platform.
Students who attend a minimum of 80% of the online sessions of a Module will be awarded a Certificate of Participation.
Learning objectives:
- Explore and acquire knowledge in current Global Health issues.
- Describe approaches, concepts and frameworks used in Global Health studies and interventions.
- Apply integrated knowledge from the fields of climate change, e-health, epidemiology, infectious diseases and implementation science to solve global issues.
- Apply key methodologies used in Global Health to better design, conduct, analyse and interpret research studies.
- Expand participant’s personal and professional network by e-meeting people from different nationalities and backgrounds.
Modules
The Spring School includes five modules of 10 hours each (two hours per day over five days).
Modules scheduled in the same time slot are carried out in parallel. Therefore, you can register for a maximum of three modules in total, one per time slot:
- Time Slot 1: from 9 to 11 h CET
- Time Slot 2: from 11.30 to 13.30 h CET
- Time Slot 3: from 14.30 to 16.30 h CET
- Coordinators: Caterina Guinovart and Laura de la Fuente
- Other lecturers: Fiona Vande Velde, Davide Rasella, Pedro Aide, Sheri Bastien, Matiana González, Jeffrey Lazarus, Elisa Sicuri, Mònica Ubalde.
- Aim: To provide a comprehensive overview of the main theoretical and methodological approaches for HIA, applied to different health topics and outcomes
- Learning Objectives: Upon completing the course, students should be able to: (1) Understand Implementation Science (IS), (2) Identify the IS challenges that prevent the optimal impact of a defined health intervention in low- and middle-income countries, as well as in upper income countries, (3) Define research questions that provide key insights and select IS outcomes that need to be measured to solve the challenge, (4) Model the implementation research framework and propose an IS study design to address the research questions, (5) Recognise relevant stakeholders, (6) Translate the knowledge generated into sustainable solutions through stakeholders involvement and policy changes
- Time Slot 1: from 9 to 11 h CET
- Coordinators: Ivana Cvijanovic and Leonardo López
- Other lecturers: Xavier Rodó
- Aim: This module consists of two complementary parts: the first introduces the physical basis of climate science while the second focuses on the climate impacts on human health. The first part is tailored to foster independent thinking and understanding of human induced climate change in different physical and societal contexts, and to serve as a basis for the second part. The topics explored include past and future climate change, natural and anthropogenic drivers of climate change and its global impacts. The second part will focus on the essential aspects of infectious diseases and show how different climatic and environmental factors strongly influenced by human activity can condition these processes. The content of the module will cover the introduction of basic concepts of epidemiology, different historical aspects, development of basic models, and future perspectives.
- Learning Objectives: Obtain basic physical science knowledge about our planet’s changing climate and its impacts on humans:(1) Understand drivers of climate change, especially anthropogenic ones, (2) Be able to recognize ‘fake’ arguments in the climate change debate, (3) Understand how climate change affects human health and wellbeing , (4) Obtain basic knowledge about climatic and environmental drivers of infectious diseases, (5) Obtain basic knowledge about the mathematical descriptors in epidemiology
- Time Slot 1: from 9 to 11 h CET
Module 3. Endemic and Pandemic Infectious Diseases and their Disruptive Impact in Society
Time Slot 2
- Coordinators: Quique Bassat and Elisa López
- Other lecturers: Jose Muñoz, Emili Letang, Carlota Dobaño, Adelaide Sarukhan, Eduardo Celades, Javier Gandasegui, Jeffrey Lazarus, Belen Saavedra, Clara Ballesté.
- Aim: To review and critically appraise the global health and societal impact of infectious diseases, using as examples infections that “have always been with us” (malaria, Tuberculosis, etc.) and emerging infections such as HIV, Ebola or COVID-19 that have more recently appeared.
- Learning Objectives: (1) To understand the basic concepts of epidemiological transition and interplay between infections, mortality and development(2) To become familiarized with the epidemiology, burden and basic characteristics of a few important IDs, namely: 1) Malaria, 2) Tuberculosis, 3) HIV, 4) Neglected tropical infections; 5) Emerging infections with pandemic potential(3) To understand diagnosis, management and control strategies for IDs, both in endemic and epidemic contexts, or emergency situations(4) To review the importance of preventive strategies (including vaccines) for the prevention of IDs, and their impact throughout the years(5) To understand preparedness needs for future pandemics
- Time Slot 2: from 11.30 to 13.30 h CET
Module 4. Circadian disruption, night shift work, artificial light at night and human health effects
Time Slot 3
- Coordinator: Manolis Kogevinas and Kyriaki Papantoniou
- Other lecturers: Kurt Straif, Barbara Harding, Anna Palomar, Debra Skene, Anne Hélène Garde.
- Aim: By the end of the course participants should have an overall knowledge on the main health issues related to circadian disruption; be able to critically evaluate the main study designs used in epidemiology of circadian disruption; be able to critically evaluate key aspects in exposure assessment in human studies; know key pathways involved in the elevated health risks; and be able to discuss key prevention measures in the workplace
- Main topics: Introduction to the circadian system and circadian disruption; Occupational causes of circadian disruption: night shift work; Environmental causes of circadian disruption: light at night; Lifestyle, meal timing and time restricted eating; Exposure assessment/1. Measuring night shift work, chronotype in human studies (questionnaires and pay roll data); Exposure assessment/2. Measuring light exposure in human studies (sensors and satellites); Mechanisms: Timing of central (SCN) and peripheral clocks; Use of biomarkers and exposome approaches in the study of circadian disruption; Prevention in the workplace; Risk assessment
- Additional requirements: Knowledge of Stata o R (for one of the practicals).
- Time Slot 3: from 14.30 to 16.30 h CET
- Coordinator: Guillaume Chevance
- Other lectureres: Dario Baretta
- Aim: This module aims to provide practical tools to analyse time series data collected in both observational and interventional studies. This module will cover topics from simple notions related to time series (i.e., auto-correlations; stationarity) to statistical procedures to identify changes in outcomes over time, test differences in the frame of experimental studies (e.g. N-of-1 trials, MRTs) and also look at associations between two time series.
- Additional requirements: For the practical part, having the (open source / free) statistical software R and R Studio installed on your computer. See for example: https://www.dataquest.io/blog/tutorial-getting-started-with-r-and-rstudio/; Previous experience with R
- Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of the module, participants should be able to: (1) understand basic features of time series, (2) handle time series in different contexts and (3) run statistical models relevant to time series.
- Time Slot 3: from 14.30 to 16.30 h CET
Fees and Application
Fees:
Participants can select a maximum of three modules:
- One module: 100 Euros
- Two modules: 150 Euros
- Three modules: 200 Euros
This course is offered free of charge for:
- Participants from low- and middle-income countries (according to World Bank classification)
- ISGlobal Alumni members registered in the LinkedIn Group
- ISGlobal Staff
Requirements:
The Spring School is open to Postgraduate students, Master or Doctoral students and young researchers, or any other professionals interested in the topic.
Candidate must have:
- A Bachelor or Master's Degree in epidemiology, computer science, bioinformatics, public health, global health, environmental sciences, biostatistics, biomedicine, or a related discipline.
- Advanced level of English
- Any module-specific requirements (see the Module descriptions)
Application:
The application period for the 2022 International Spring School has closed.
Interested candidates must (1) complete the application form and (2) submit:
- A current C.V. (.pdf format)
- A letter of motivation (.pdf format) that explains why you want to take the course modules that you have registered for (NOTE: a maximum of 3 modules can be taken in total, one for each time slot).
Please note that in order to have your application considered, you must clearly name your files as follows: (Surname_Name_CV) / (Surname_Name_Motivation letter). Documents with incorrect name files will not be accepted.
The revision of applications and notification of admissions will be done on a rolling basis. You can expect to be contacted within approximately five days after sending your application.
Deadline for applications: 28 February 2022
The Spring School is supported by funding from our “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019-2023” Program (CEX 2018-000806-S) from the Spanish State Research Agency, a body affiliated with the Ministry of Science and Innovation.
All Spring School students and ISGlobal staff are invited to attend the following keynote lectures and the closing debate.
Keynote Lectures
The Health Argument to Tackle Climate Change and Pollution
Dr Maria Neira
Director of Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at World Health Organisation (WHO)
Date: Monday, 28 March
Time: 16.45 h (CET)
The Mesoamerica Health Initiative: A Results-Based Financing, Regional Integrated Intervention
Dr Jaime Sepúlveda
ISGlobal Visiting Professor and Haile T. Debas Distinguished Professor of Global Health and Executive Director of UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences
Date: Thursday, 31 March
Time: 16.45 h (CET)
Closing Event: Debate
Shaping a Successful Career in Global Health: Panel Discussion
Date: Friday, 1 April
Time: 16.45 h (CET)
Moderator: Dr Giulia Pollarolo, 2022 Spring School Coordinator, Severo Ochoa Programme Manager, ISGlobal
Panelists:
- Dr Adetoun Mustapha, Adjunct Research Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research
- Dr Cristian Casademont, Medical Director, Médecins Sans Frontières | OCBA
- Dr Denise Naniche, Scientific Director/Research Professor, ISGlobal
- Dr Elisabeth Cardis, Research Professor/Head of the Radiation Program, ISGlobal
The aim of the debate is to engage in a discussion about career development in a global context, strategies for pursuing careers in global health, main competencies required and challenges to overcome.