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Historical Scope |
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Central America is a region which spans in 7 countries; it has a population of 35 million people, and is a potentially reach source of scientific knowledge and wealth. To a greater extent than in any other Latin American country, Central American scientists must struggle against almost non-existent budgets, laboratory equipment, and communications systems. This reality, coupled with constant conflicts and natural disasters, has contributed to the exodus of some of the best students and scientists who are drawn to opportunities in Europe and the United States. This "brain drain" has spelt disaster for Central American universities and public health systems struggling to participate in the progress of their nations. In order to address their shortcomings in a coordinated manner, the Central American universities and non-profit institutions have initiated joint academic and scientific ventures, often in collaboration with scientists from developed countries and supported by international agencies. These efforts have contributed to an increase in caliber of university scholars involved in a wide range of disciplines, especially in the fields of biology, agronomy and biomedicine. There is still much ground to cover, however, before the universities possess the requisite number of qualified academics necessary for the development of the region. Indeed, the task of making scientific research flourish in Latin America is not easy and its consolidation will take time. Several old habits have to be reversed and there are no magical short-term solutions. However, with creativity and common sense, it should be possible to identify areas where world-class contributions can be made. Graduate programs supported by regional universities as well as by Swedish and other international agencies from the developed countries have been invaluable in the expansion and progress of a trained body of biomedical scientists in Central America. What the region now requires is a concerted effort to promote the formation and growth of a competitive "critical mass" of investigators capable of independent fund raising and research. It is within this context that the Network for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases in Central America (NeTropica) had its genesis. |
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Creation of NeTropica |
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In order to demonstrate the importance and successes of the international cooperative educational efforts and to stimulate continuing research within Central America, current and former students, scientists from Latin America, Europe, United States, and representatives of research funding agencies were invited to a Symposium titled, "The Immune System and its Encounters with Tropical Pathogens." In February 1998, during the symposium, students and tutors of the former MSc. and Ph.D. programs had the opportunity to present past and on-going research projects. Scientists from Central American universities, Germany, France, Latin America, North America, the Karolinska Institute and the Central American graduates and their tutors discussed past and on-going graduate programs. Conferences on tropical pathogenesis were presented by top scientists as part of the continuing interest in the region in understanding old and emerging diseases. Program graduates were introduced to fundraising concepts and the International Foundation for Science and Sida/SAREC. The final aim of the conference was to introduce the formation of the Network for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (NeTropica), which has been partially supported by Sida/SAREC for the period 1999/2003.
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