Operation Tar Heel highlights Carolina’s global health reach
Dignitaries from three African nations and the N.C. National Guard learned about research advances here and abroad.
A steady stream of uniformed members of the North Carolina National Guard and the forces of Malawi, Botswana and Zambia filed into the Bioinformatics Building on Carolina’s campus, ready to take part in Operation Tar Heel.
Their mission on this late-July Tuesday? Take in expertise from researchers at the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases.
The U.S. National Guard’s State Partnership Program, which builds working relationships with foreign nations, awarded the N.C. National Guard state partnerships with these three countries because of Carolina’s work in Malawi (35 years) and Zambia (15-plus years).
A mainstay in Malawi
One of the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases’ goals is to conduct research and make a lasting impact.
“We can’t just parachute research,” said Dr. Myron Cohen, the institute’s director. “Parachute research means you walk out without delivering anything. That’s not what we do. We’re permanent once we go to a country.”
For example, the institute has long operated Project Malawi in tandem with the country’s Ministry of Health. Decades of work that started out with research on HIV and diseases spread through sex has expanded to noncommunicable diseases.
Dr. Amy Brownlee spoke about Carolina’s role in growing the cancer pathology infrastructure in Malawi. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)
A major health problem Malawi faces today is that more people are developing cancer later in life, assistant professor Dr. Amy Brownlee explained in an interactive presentation.
“The cancer burden is not only rapidly growing in this area, it’s very deadly for people living in sub-Saharan Africa,” Brownlee said.
Brownlee is also a pathologist. When Carolina helped open Malawi’s first public pathology lab in Lilongwe in 2011, the country only had one pathologist for its population of around 16 million.
Brownlee and her team help in Malawi by participating in weekly telepathology conferences that lead to diagnoses made over Zoom. Using digital microscopy, pathologists at Carolina can quickly analyze imaging, up to eight cases in a typical weekly meeting, Brownlee said.
Applying lessons stateside
Research findings made abroad can also help with treatment stateside. Pathology research in Malawi, for instance, can provide findings on HIV-associated cancers, Brownlee said.
Another project with potential for global benefits is Dr. Jeff Stringer’s artificial intelligence-powered plan to downsize obstetric ultrasound, making it more accessible and affordable.
In the U.S., Stringer said, during the average pregnancy, the patient has between four and five ultrasounds to detect a long list of potential health concerns. “A lot of places across the continent of Africa just do not have these,” Stringer said.
Dr. Jeff Stringer’s research on making obstetric ultrasound more accessible and affordable could have benefits worldwide. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)
His solution is being tried in Zambia. Here’s how it works: A local health professional uses a hand-held ultrasound device to produce imaging accessible on a tablet. From there, an AI algorithm can read the video to make diagnoses.
“These are computer algorithms that can take pictures and understand what they’re looking for,” said Stringer.
This more convenient method could be used anywhere.
“We have patients who travel hours to get a scan, depending on where they live in North Carolina. We’re trying to build something that is relevant to both sides,” said Stringer.
Other research covered at the event also has bilateral benefits. Dr. Billy Fischer’s on-site work during an Ebola outbreak in Liberia played a role in Carolina becoming one of only two Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers in the Southeast. Dr. Ross Boyce, former U.S. Army captain, has conducted research on vector-borne diseases in both North Carolina and Africa.
Now with the N.C. National Guard in the fold, Cohen said the institute is “thrilled about this opportunity to expand our relationships.”
Dr. Billy Fischer (far left) presented on lessons learned from Ebola outbreaks in Liberia. Dr. Ross Boyce (left in right photo) presented on vector-borne diseases seen in North Carolina and Africa. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)
