Ann Arbor, The presidents of the Aga Khan University (AKU) and the University of Michigan (U-M) are set to meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Monday to inaugurate a new stage of their collaborative efforts in global health equity, building upon a partnership that has already secured over $7 million in research funding from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). This partnership, rooted in data science, aims to ameliorate health outcomes in the resource-scarce regions of sub-Saharan Africa.
According to a news release by the Aga Khan University, the partnership began in 2019 and was solidified with a Memorandum of Understanding in 2021. Early accomplishments include the launch of the UZIMA-DS data hub, a Kenyan-led initiative supported by a $6.5 million NIH grant. UZIMA-DS is developing a scalable platform utilizing advanced data assimilation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to tackle critical health issues in Africa, with a focus on maternal and child health as well as mental health in adolescents and young adults.
Since its initiation, the AKU-U-M partnership has grown to encompass a range of extensive population-level research initiatives. These include the Longitudinal Study of Health and Aging in Kenya (LOSHAK) and a project aimed at enhancing colorectal cancer diagnostics across Africa through AI and machine learning technologies. LOSHAK is generating vital data on aging in a region facing a tripling of its over-60 population by 2050. The colorectal cancer project addresses a severe shortage of specialists and technology necessary to combat the fifth-most common cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. These large-scale initiatives are further testament to the partnership’s success, as they have garnered support from the highly selective NIH.
The forthcoming meeting in Ann Arbor will include AKU President Sulaiman Shahabuddin and Provost Carl Amhrein, along with U-M President Santa Ono, Joseph Kolars from the Center for Global Health Equity, and distinguished U-M faculty and staff. This collaboration has already yielded crucial joint research endeavors, with plans to delve deeper into data science applications across various health domains, including maternal and child health, cancer, mental well-being, aging, and the interplay between climate change and health.
The next phase of this collaboration will see the creation of the AKUM Collaborative Platform for Improving Health, aimed at bolstering health outcomes across Africa and Asia. Through this initiative, U-M and AKU will engage in mentorship and development programs for early career AKU faculty and administrative staff, fostering a robust research environment.
U-M’s distinction as the top public research university in the US, with $1.45 billion in research funds for the 2022 fiscal year, positions it as an invaluable partner for AKU, renowned for its influential health science research. AKU’s medical facilities in Kenya and Pakistan serve 2 million patients annually and have earned accreditations from prominent US institutions, highlighting its commitment to quality healthcare.
The creation of the AKUM Collaborative Platform is set to mutually benefit both universities, aiding them in fulfilling their missions to improve quality of life and advance innovative health solutions in low- and middle-income countries through equitable partnerships.