ASCEND descends on Sri Lanka
ASCEND was launched in Malaysia in 2011 focusing on high-quality research training of Asia’s future leaders in the prevention and management of NCD
Researchers convened in Sri Lanka today as part of a major global research network in the prevention and management of Non-communicable Chronic Disease (NCD) across Asia, the leading cause of death in the region.
An international network of researchers and institutions joined Sri Lanka’s Health Minister The Honourable Maithripala Sirisena, and acting Australian High Commissioner Ms Sonya Koppe to launch a second Asian Collaboration for Excellence in Non-Communicable Disease (ASCEND) research training program in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Supported by a US$1 million grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the United States, ASCEND was launched in Malaysia, by the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Monash University, in 2011. The program focuses on high-quality research training of Asia’s future leaders in the prevention and management of NCD, such as diabetes and heart disease.
The Australian High Commission, which aims to strengthen educational and research collaboration between Sri Lanka, Australia and Asia, will co-host a welcome reception for 26 newly inducted research trainees in Sri Lanka this evening.
ASCEND Program Director Professor Brian Oldenburg, from the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, said strengthening the capacity of research focused on NCD is an urgent global priority.
“Forecast to cause more than 44 million deaths worldwide in the next 10 years and currently contributing to half the disease burden in Asia alone, NCD is a global epidemic,” Professor Oldenburg said.
“Monash University’s Sunway and Melbourne campuses, together with ASCEND partners, are working to provide high quality research training to more than 50 researchers in Asia over five years.
“Trainees from the 2011 cohort have already progressed into doctoral and other research training degrees in Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia and at Monash University in Australia.”
The ASCEND Research Network commenced in Malaysia with a cohort of 25 trainees from India, Sri Lanka, China and Malaysia. The second cohort of 26 trainees from Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia and Hong Kong will commence their training in Sri Lanka participating in a three-week intensive program before developing their own research projects targeting NCD prevention and management in their own country.
ASCEND partners include Monash University Sunway (Malaysia), the University of North Carolina (US), University of Colombo (Sri Lanka), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (Sri Lanka).