WINDWARD ISLANDS RESEARCH & EDUCATION FOUNDATION 2009 Annual Report 16th Anniversary WINDREF Annual Report 2009 Mission Statement ounded in 1994, WINDREF seeks to advance health and F environmental development through multi-disciplinary research and education programs. WINDREF strives for program excellence by promoting collaborative relationships between internationally recognized scholars and regional scientists, and by adhering to the highest ethical and academic standards in the design and conduct of research. Goals To provide a scientific resource center capable of coordinating international collaborative research of the highest caliber in the areas of medical and veterinary public health, anthropology, ecology, marine and terrestrial biology, and ethics. To provide a first rate academic opportunity to scientists from the Caribbean and around the world offering unique research opportunities to enhance the knowledge and welfare of local and international communities. To conduct applied scientific research for the benefit of community and health development at the local, national and international levels. To share relevant scientific information with local and international communities. i WINDREF Annual Report 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Director’s Report: WINDREF Activities in 2009 (Calum N.L. Macpherson, PhD, DIC)..............................................................................1 2.0 WINDREF Organization ...............................................................................................5 2.1 WINDREF Research Institute Board of Directors ..................................................5 2.2 WINDREF St. Vincent and the Grenadines Board of Directors...............................5 2.3 WINDREF Research Institute Scientific Advisory Board........................................5 2.4 WINDREF Research Institute Administration .........................................................5 2.5 WINDREF (USA).....................................................................................................5 2.6 WINDREF (UK).......................................................................................................5 2.7 WINDREF (UK) Board of Trustees .........................................................................6 2.8 WINDREF (UK) Administration..............................................................................6 2.9 WINDREF Senior Research Fellows........................................................................6 2.10 WINDREF Research Fellows ...................................................................................6 2.11 WINDREF Research Scientists ................................................................................7 3.0 Institutional Review Board (IRB) .................................................................................7 3.1 IRB Projects Reviewed .............................................................................................8 4.0 Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)...........................................8 5.0 Current Research Projects ............................................................................................9 5.1 Streptococcal Project.................................................................................................9 5.2 Princess Alice Hospital Restoration in Grenada’s St. Andrews Parish ..................10 5.3 Report on the CAD$1.6 Million Teasdale-Corti CEHP Grant ...............................11 5.4 Persistent Organic Pollutants ..................................................................................13 5.5 Genetic Correlates of the Addictive Diseases: Cocaine, Alcohol and Marijuana Addiction – Grenada, W.I. .......................................................................................13 5.6 Unexpected microbial diversity discovered in the Warm Spring in Grenada.........14 5.7 Safe Paradise Beaches of Grenada..........................................................................16 5.8 Marine Research Related Activities.......................................................................18 ii WINDREF Annual Report 2009 5.9 “Soil Transmitted Helminths” and Streptococci infections among school going children between the ages of 5- 15 years old in the Parish of St. Andrew’s. ......... 20 5.10 Assessing Knowledge, Beliefs, and Behaviors of Medical Students in Grenada Regarding Sun Exposure and Sunscreen Use .......................................................... 22 5.11 Basic Life Support Knowledge and Skill Retention in Pre-Clinical Undergraduate Medical Students...................................................................................................... 23 5.12 Occupational Health Problems among Nutmeg Production Workers in Grenada . 23 6.0 2009 Grants................................................................................................................... 24 7.0 Past, Present, and Future Research Projects ............................................................ 25 7.1 Non-communicable Diseases................................................................................... 25 7.2 Infectious Diseases................................................................................................... 26 7.3 Unique Projects........................................................................................................ 27 8.0 International Conferences Sponsored in Grenada ................................................... 28 9.0 Abstracts/Presentations at International Conferences Invited Plenary/Workshop/Roundtable/Professional Meetings/CME.................... 29 10.0 Publications .................................................................................................................. 31 10.1 Books/Book Chapters............................................................................................. 31 10.2 Journal Publications................................................................................................ 31 11.0 Reviewers for Journals and Boards........................................................................... 35 12.0 Thesis Defenses ............................................................................................................ 35 13.0 Graduate Seminars...................................................................................................... 35 14.0 Contact Information.................................................................................................... 38 iii WINDREF Annual Report 2009 1.0 Highlights of the WINDREF Research Guyana’s Minister of Health, the Hon. Dr. Institute’s Activities Leslie Ramsammy, PhD, DSc (Hon), who is also a senior research fellow at WINDREF, 2009 was another productive year thanks to the input from all senior research fellows, research fellows, and research scientists. Thanks also to our collaborators for their valuable input. Our programs are carried out with the participation and collaboration of many different communities in many countries around the world and I thank them for this cooperation with our various programs. I would like to take the opportunity to welcome Neil Poulter, MD, as a new member of our UK Board of Trustees. Dr. Poulter is Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Dr. Calum currently Professor of Macpherson, Dr. Sonia Chehill, Dr. Omur Preventive Cinar Elci, Dr. Satesh Bidaisee Cardiovascular Medicine and co- presented a seminar at WINDREF on Director of the September 3rd entitled “Caribbean Public International Centre for Health Agency”. As the current chair of the Circulatory Health at steering committee of the Caribbean Public Imperial College, Health Agency (CARPHA), Dr. Ramsammy London. He also serves explained the history and proposed the future as an Honorary Neil Poulter, MD role of the institution, which will be Consultant Physician constructed in Trinidad. Dr. Ramsammy, and Epidemiologist at the Peart-Rose formerly the 61st President of the World (hypertension) Clinic based at St Mary’s Health Assembly and President of the Pan Hospital, London, where he is actively American Health Organization, described the involved in the treatment of patients with agreement reached by the Ministers of Health hypertension and related problems. Some of of the CARICOM nations to create a self- his research activities include the optimal sufficient CARPHA by January 1, 2010. investigation and management of essential A Grant Agreement between The World hypertension and dyslipidaemia; the Bank, WINDREF, and the United Nations association between birth weight and University International Network on Water, hypertension; the cardiovascular effects of Environment and Health addressing exogenous oestrogen and progesterone; the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the prevention of type 2 diabetes; and ethnic Caribbean Region has become effective as of differences in cardiovascular disease. Dr. June 24, 2009. Through the persistent efforts Poulter was one of the first 100 NIHR Senior of Dr. Martin Forde, Department of Public Investigators selected nationally in 2008. Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM), Professor and Track Director for 1 WINDREF Annual Report 2009 Environmental and Occupational Health, the the incidence of both among school-going Caribbean Country Management Unit of The children (aged 5-15 years) in St. Andrew's World Bank has agreed to a US $275,000 Parish. The rural population of Grenada grant to monitor human exposure to POPs in suffers from the impact of rheumatic fever all 15 CARICOM nations