ISTM Research Committee

Charter

• The Research Committee has responsibility for coordinating and facilitating the promotion of scientific research in the field of Travel Medicine for the ISTM
• The Research Committee is charged with assessing proposals for ISTM research grants and designating proposals for ISTM funding
• The Research Committee is charged with coordinating with the Development Committee to attract additional funding for research to be managed and granted by the ISTM
• The Research Committee is charged with considering additional vehicles for the promotion of Travel Medicine Related Research such as ISTM sponsored awards or coordination with other organizations

Members

• Main Research Committe:
  • Anne McCarthy, Canada, Chair
  • Irmgard Bauer, Australia, Co-Chair
  • Pat Schlagenhauf, Switzerland
  • Annelies Wilder-Smith, Singapore
  • Susan McLellan, USA
  • Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Austria
  • Christie Reed, USA
  • Lin Chen, USA
  • Elizabeth Talbot, USA
• Clinical Trials Network
  • Charles Ericsson, USA
  • Tomas Jelinek, Germany
  • Anne McCarthy, Canada

Main Achievements

The committee provides moderate grants (usually $5,000 - $10,000 maximum) through a peer-reviewed comprehensive process. These grants are designed to stimulate travel medicine research by supporting comprehensive research projects or, for larger projects, providing support for pilot studies to enable researchers to collect data/test hypotheses so that they can then apply to other agencies for more substantive research grants.

Award recipients are expected to provide updates to the committee chair every 6 months. The research project should be completed within 2 years of money receipt, and published within one year of project completion. All awardees are expected to present their data to the scientific community, and are encourage to publish their findings in the Journal of Travel Medicine.

As of 2006, there will be an annual research grant award competition, where a maximum of $10,000 grant(s) will be awarded. Grant applications will be accepted from 31 October to 31 December 2005, and awards will be announced in May 2006. A new grant application form is available on the ISTM website under "Research Grants".

Future Plans

The Clinical Trails Network has been set up to encourage collaborative research in travel medicine. A research study spearheaded by Dr. Charles Ericsson is ongoing in pre-travel clinics with multinational sites contributing, the goal is to recruit 500 participants.

Travelers' Preferences for the Management of Diarrhea.
Charles D. Ericsson, MD (PI)
Tomas Jelinek, MD (Co-PI in Germany)
Anne McCarthy, MD (Co-PI in Canada)

For further information or to participate in the research project, please contact Dr. Ericsson.