International Child Neurology Association
About the GBOD Fellowships
Applications are invited from interested project supervisors for seed grant funding under the Global Burden of Disease (GBOD) Research Trainee Fellowship program — a new initiative of the International Child Neurology Association (ICNA).
Seed Grant Funding
up to USD 5,000 per project-
USD 2,000Upfront
Paid at the start of the project.
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USD 1,500After one year
Released on an interim report showing the advancement of the project.
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USD 1,500On completion
Paid on receipt of the final report, within two years of receiving the award.
The Process
How It Works
- 1
Project supervisors submit proposals in open competition.
- 2
The Research Task Force Committee scores and selects grants that fulfil the criteria, using a 10-point scoring system. Results are announced on ICNApedia.
- 3
Prospective research trainees apply to the supervisors of the successful proposals.
For Project Supervisors
Proposal Guidelines
- PI / mentor role (append CV) and contact information. The mentor should be an ICNA member and hold an accredited university and hospital appointment.
- Title of the proposal.
- Research site and facilities for the trainee.
- Background and significance.
- Rationale.
- Hypothesis.
- Objectives and specific aims.
- Research plan — epidemiologic study design and methods.
- Statistical analysis.
- Budget (including costs for the study and room and board for the fellow).
- Submission — the proposal should be submitted by email to the ICNA Research Task Force (contact email).
At the Local Site
Practical Considerations
The following should also be addressed within the Letter of Intent:
- Assurance that approval by the research ethics board of the hosting institution will be in place prior to the start of the fellowship.
- An adequate population of the relevant patient cohort at the site (with an approximate estimate of numbers).
- Ready access to patients and relevant clinical files, with any local administrative costs covered.
- Affordable local room and board in place for the research trainee within the allotted budget.
- A project start date negotiated between supervisor and trainee, to begin within one year of the awarded seed grant.
Eligibility
Research Trainee Criteria
- Must be a member of ICNA.
- Should have completed two years of an accredited child neurology training program, or be within five years of completing their training program.
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Once a successful proposal is posted on the ICNApedia website, research trainee applicants must provide the following to the project supervisor:
- Curriculum vitae (CV).
- Reference letters — from the program director or division head, plus two other direct supervisors.
- A statement of motivation for the project (300 words).
- Evidence of completion of a certificate for ethical standards in clinical research, or equivalent.
- Potential times of availability for the research elective.
Applicant selection is decided by the project supervisor and is contingent upon approval by the ICNA Research Task Force.
On Completion
Final Report
- Publication of the study will be due within six months of project completion and will be submitted to JICNA.
- The study data will also be presented at the next upcoming International Child Neurology Congress.
Recognising Our Fellows
Past Awardees
Supervisors: Prof. Irawan M and Prof. Setyohandryastuti
ProjectDeveloping machine learning (artificial intelligence) for the management of children with drug-resistant epilepsy.
Dr Rafli is a neuropediatrician and staff member of the Neurology Division, Department of Child Health at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, specialising in epilepsy and central nervous system tumours. The project aims to improve treatment for children with drug-resistant epilepsy, particularly in developing countries.
ProjectApplication of AI in pediatric neurology — early autism screening and seizure prediction in low-resource settings.
Dr Thi is a lecturer in pediatrics at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy (CTUMP) and a pediatric neurologist at Can Tho Children’s Hospital. He specialises in pediatric epilepsy, seizure disorders, and neurodevelopmental conditions, with expertise in EEG interpretation, and has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications. His research focuses on early autism screening, seizure prediction, and the application of AI in pediatric neurology to improve outcomes in low-resource settings.
ProjectDescriptive study of neurological complications in pediatric oncology.
ProjectThe changing trends in the etiological and clinico-radiological profiles and long-term outcomes of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome among children below 15 years of age — a prospective bicentric study.
Supervisor: Dr Archana Patel
ProjectA Community Health Worker (CHW) approach to improve care for children with epilepsy in Zambia.
The project focuses on establishing a community health worker (CHW) outreach program to help reduce the stigma surrounding children with epilepsy in Zambia, focusing particularly on rural and peri-urban communities who are often the last to access medical care. The program is based on knowledge translation to CHWs, who follow and connect with families of children with epilepsy to review epilepsy education, address common misconceptions, and emphasise medication compliance and clinic follow-up. Outcomes are assessed by pre- and post-intervention clinic questionnaires and community focus groups at the intervention site (Linda compound), compared with focus groups at a control site (Livingstone).
Supervisor: Dr Jo Wilmshurst (South Africa)
ProjectEffects of antiepileptic drugs on bone metabolism.
Dr Kija completed this study during his paediatric neurology specialist training through the African Paediatric Fellowship Program based at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, University of Cape Town, collaborating with the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy (Madison, WI, USA) for analysis of the more specialised bone metabolism screens. The completed work formed the thesis component of his master’s in paediatric neurology. The study reviewed the effects of antiseizure medications (ASMs) on the bone metabolism of children in a sub-Saharan African setting — a hospital-based cross-sectional study in a paediatric epilepsy service with a comparison group assessing vitamin D metabolism. Seventy-five children with epilepsy and 75 comparison children were recruited. Children on ASMs had lower mean vitamin D levels than the control group, and those on enzyme-inducing ASMs showed lower vitamin D, D2, D3 and serum phosphate levels alongside higher parathyroid hormone levels. The findings indicate that children on enzyme-inducing ASMs need screening for vitamin D deficiency, with the literature supporting extending this to all children on ASMs, and underscore the importance of improved vitamin D intake for children in vulnerable settings.
PublicationKija E, Gidal BE, Shapson-Coe A, Cader S, van der Watt G, Delport S, Wilmshurst JM. Vitamin D abnormalities and bone turnover analysis in children with epilepsy in the Western Cape of South Africa. Seizure. 2019 Jul;69:186–192.