The Applied Pharmacometrics Africa Training (APT) fellowship was a turning point in my career, providing a foundation that has shaped my trajectory as a researcher in the field of pharmacometrics. It was a transformative experience. As one of the first cohort of the APT fellows, I had the opportunity to dive into real-world applications of pharmacometrics, working alongside Dr Veshni Pillay-Fuentes Lorente of Stellenbosch University, South Africa to explore the differing cure rates of Trichuriasis using albendazole-ivermectin co-medication in Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire. Our work was eventually published in Drugs in R&D by SpringerNature (https://rdcu.be/dOC3l). The training I received during the APT fellowship was instrumental in preparing me for the prestigious Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF)-Genentech/Roche Research Development Fellowship. The APT fellowship has not only equipped me with new knowledge but has also positioned me to mentor upcoming researchers in pharmacometrics. This journey has been pivotal in reinforcing my commitment to strengthening pharmacometrics research capacity in Africa. In addition to my research, the APT fellowship inspired me to propose a pharmacometrics course for the fifth year pharmacy students at my institution. I believe that by integrating pharmacometrics early into the curriculum, we can foster a new generation of scientists capable of contributing to global healthcare. While we await the approval of the course, I remain hopeful that this initiative will help bridge the gap in pharmacometrics training in Africa, and further building the continent’s capacity for high impact research in clinical pharmacology and pharmacometrics. The fellowship left me with a long lasting impact. I can simply describe the experience as transformative, empowering and unforgettable!
Jacinta Nwogu-Attah