Research Awards
Supporting Important Research
ISTM is pleased to offer Travel Medicine Research Awards to ISTM Members each year. Grants are awarded through a peer-review process implemented by the ISTM Research and Awards Committee. The awards are designed to stimulate travel medicine research by supporting comprehensive research projects or, for larger projects, providing support for pilot studies to enable researchers to collect data/test hypotheses so that they can then apply to other agencies for more substantive research grants.
Previous Research Award Winners
-  An open-label pilot study to assess pain experience and usability of different injection techniques and devices for the administration of the purified chick-embryo cell-culture rabies vaccine in children aged 4 to 10 years – Stefanie Bracke, Belgium, New Investigator.
- Immunogenicity and boostability of a two- or three dose intramuscular rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) schedule in adults that started immunosuppressive therapy after PrEP: a prospective single-centre cohort study – Jenny Schnyder, New Zealand, New Investigator.
- Study on lipid homeostasis during malaria infection: Malesterol Study – Diego Gayoso Cantero, Spain, New Investigator.
- Establishing a digital dog vaccination and registration database to strengthen dog bite surveillance and dog population management in Rwanda – Richard Nduwayezu, East Africa, LMIC.
- Risk of Animal Exposure and Marine Hazards Among Travellers Visiting Three Popular Tropical Islands in Asia (Bali, Phuket and Maldives) – Anastasia Putri, Thailand, LMIC.
- The Procholrperazine versus Placebo for the Prophylaxis of Acute Mountain Sickness New Investigator – Elan Small, United States of America, Principal Investigator.
- Yellow Fever human infection model – Anna Roukens, the Netherlands, Principal Investigator.
- Inflammatory and immunological responses in asymptomatic Sub-Saharan African migrants with imported Plasmodium falciparum infection– Begona Monge Maillo, Spain, Principal Investigator.
- Burden of schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis in Sub-Sahara African participants in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study – Cornelia Staehelin, Switzerland, Principal Investigator.
- Intestinal Parasite Infections and Related Risk Factors in Expatriate and Local Primary School Children in Bali, Indonesia – Richard Christian Suteja, Indonesia, Principal Investigator.
- Impact of Oral Iron Supplementation on Right Ventricular Function and Exercise Performance at Moderate to High Altitude – A Pilot Study– Lindsay Forbes, United States of America, Principal Investigator.
- The TRAvel VAccine Aids for Decision-making (TRAVAID) Project – Sarah McGuinness, Australia, Principal Investigator.
- Development of a recombinant protein immunoassay for cysticercosis screening in the US – Eva Clark, United States, Principal Investigator.
- Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Risk-Benefit Analysis Tool – Deborah Mills, Australia, Principal Investigator.
- The role of anti-parasitic treatment for returning travelers with persistent abdominal symptoms and negative molecular stool tests – Asaf Biber, Israel, Principal Investigator.
- Chagas Disease in Metro Atlanta and Rural Georgia: A Hidden Affliction Among Latin American Immigrants?, Divya Bhamidipati, United States of America, Principal Investigator
- Are Neglected Zoonotic Arthropod-Borne Viruses on the Move?, Francesca Frentiu, Australia, Principal Investigator
- JEVID – Japanese Encephalitis Vaccination via IntraDermal route, Luis Furuva-Kanamori, Australia, Principal Investigator
- Time independent alterations in human serum protein expression depending on different attitude levels to analyse hypbaric hypoxia signalling pathways, Jochen Hinkelbein, Germany, Principal Investigator
- Genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 at Arbaeen mass gatheing in Iraq, Rashid Harunor, Australia, Principal Investigator
The ISTM devoted special funding for research in resource-limited countries and emerging markets in addition to the annual research grant program already in place. We are happy to announce this year’s recipient of the Low-Middle Income Country Award.
- COVID-19 Antibody Seroconversion Post Vaccination Among Hotel Staff in Bali: Effort to Revive Bali Tourism Post Pandemic, Sri Masyeni Dewa Ayu Putri, Indonesia, Principal Investigator
- Vaccinations in Immunocomprimised Patients, Rabies Antibody Response after exposure prophylaxis – The VIPRAR study, Hannah Garcia Garrido, The Netherlands, Principal Investigator
- Atovaquone Injectable Malaria-Medication (AIM) for Chemoprophylaxis, Patricia Schlagenhauf, Switzerland, Principal Investigator
- Measuring neutralizing antibodies against yellow fever virus ten years after standard (0.5 mL) yellow fever vaccination in elderly population (> 60 years at time of vaccination)., Anna Roukens, The Netherlands, Principal Investigator.
- Prospective evaluation of neurocognitive outcome in travellers and migrants presenting with malaria to GeoSentinel® Sites, Kevin Kain, Canada, Principal Investigator.
- Concomitant administration of yellow fever vaccine with measles, mumps, rubella vaccine in healthy adults – a multi-center prospective observational study, Silja Bühler, Germany, Principal Investigator.
- The SEVTRAV Study-Severe, undiagnosed infections in returning travelers- A GeoSentinel® Collaboration, Eskild Petersen, Denmark/Oman, Principal Investigator.
- Determining optimal, equitable and cost-effective strategies to prevent cases of travel-related infections in VFRs and other travellers at risk, Rachel Savage, Canada, Principal Investigator.
- Imported Doxycycline Responding Illness (IDRI), Daniel Camprubi Ferrer, Spain, Principal Investigator.
- Optimized travel clinic referrals through online international flight booking pathways, Ben Coghlan, Australia, Principal Investigator.
- Harnessing the blood transcriptome to study the effects of multiple vaccinations in travelers, Mirella Salvatore, United States of America, Principal Investigator.
This year the ISTM devoted special funding for research in resource-limited countries and emerging markets for the first time. This funding is in addition to the annual research grant program already in place. We are happy to announce this year’s recipient of this funding.
- The Incidence and Cost of Travel Related Dengue Case Among International Travellers During Visit to Bali, Indonesia, Wayan Citra Wulan Sucipta Putri, Indonesia, Principal Investigator.
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Traveler’s Diarrhoea among International Travelers to Kenya from Western and Asian countries, Daniel Munyambu Mutonga, Kenya, Principal Investigator.
For the first time this year, ISTM has offered the possibility for ISTM Interest and Professional Groups to apply for Research funding. This year, we are happy to announce the ISTM Pharmacist Professional Group has received this funding for their proposal.
- Review of mobile applications for travel medicine for practitioners and patients, Sheila Seed, United States of America, Principal Investigator on behalf of the ISTM Pharmacist Professional Group.
- Measuring neutralizing antibodies against yellow fever virus ten years after intradermal yellow fever vaccination with 1/5th-fractional dose, Anna H.E. Roukens, The Netherlands, Principal Investigator.
- Elucidating metagenomic markers of prolonged diarrhoea in returned travellers, Katherine Gibney, Australia, Principal Investigator.
- The Association Between the Proportion of Pharmacists Authorized to Administer Injections and the Proportion of Patients Adherent to Multiple-Dose Travel Vaccine Regimens: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis of Administrative Data in Alberta, Canada, Sherilyn Houle, Canada, Principal Investigator.
- Do Multiplex Molecular Diagnostics improve outcomes for Travellers in a Resource-poor Setting with Travellers’ Diarrhea and Respiratory Illness?, Prativa Pandey, Nepal, Principal Investigator.
- Real-time remote monitoring of malaria chemoprophylaxis adverse events through Smartphone application (Trip App), Natalia Rodriguez Valero, Spain. Principal Investigator.
This year the ISTM devoted special funding for research in resource-limited countries and emerging markets for the first time. This funding is in addition to the annual research grant program already in place. We are happy to announce this year’s recipient of this funding.
- Pathogens Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing on Travellers’ Diarrhea Cases in Bali, Indonesia, Arak Agung Sri Agung Aryastuti, Indonesia, Principal Investigator.
- Inhaled Budesonide for Altitude Illness Prevention. Dr. Christopher Davis, United States of America, Principal Investigator.
- Persistence of neutralizing antibodies after immunization against Yellow Fever (YF) in HIV-infected patients. Dr. Charlotte Martin, Belgium, Principal Investigator.
- Differential Vaccination Requirements of newly arrived Eritrean asylum seekers – an informative sample analysis. Dr. Cornelia Staehelin, Switzerland, Principal Investigator.
This year the ISTM devoted special funding for research in resource-limited countries and emerging markets for the first time. This funding was in addition to the annual research grant program already in place. We are happy to announce the first recipient of this funding.
Association of Dengue Serotype-Genotype and Disease Severity in Foreign Travellers Admitted at Kasih Ibu Hospital, Bali, Indonesia. Dr. Dewa Ayu Sri Masyeni, Indonesia, Principal Investigator.
The ISTM also dedicated special funding for Zika Research. The 2016 Zika Research Award Winners are:
Persistence of Zika Virus in Semen After Acute Symptomatic Infection: a European clinical and laboratory observational prospective cohort study. Dr. Denis Malvy and Dr. Matthieu Mechain, France, Principal Investigators.
The Research and Awards Committee wishes to announce the winning projects for the 2014-2015 Research Awards. Four proposals were able to be funded:
- Economics, knowledge, attitudes and practices of West African bushmeat in Minnesota and in VFR travellers. Dr. Jonathan D. Alpern, United States of America, Principal InvestigatorInternational pediatric travellers: risk perception, incidence of disease and adherence with recommendations at a tertiary care centre based travel clinic. Dr. Shaun K. Morris, Canada, Principal InvestigatorDevelopment and validation of a novel molecular schistosomiasis viability assay for assessment of treatment success. Dr. Mirjam Schunk, Germany, Principal InvestigatorELDEST-study: morbidity in elderly travellers during a short-term stay abroad, a prospective cohort study. Ms. Jessica Vlot, The Netherlands, Principal Investigator
The winning projects for the 2013-2014 Research Awards. Three proposals were able to be funded:
- ELDEST-study: morbidity in elderly travellers during a short-term stay abroad, a prospective cohort study. Ms. Jessica Vlot, The Netherlands, Principal Investigator
- Single visit pre-exposure Rabies vaccination with a new intradermal jet injector: dose finding in healthy adults (R5). Dr. Emile F. F. Jonker, The Netherlands, Principal Investigator.
- Yellow fever vaccination under low dose methotrexate therapy – a pilot study. Dr. Sabine Schmid, Switzerland, Principal Investigator.
- Immunogenicity of co-administered yellow fever (YF) and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines in pediatric travellers aged 9-15 months from yellow fever non-endemic countries: A pilot study. Dr. Stefan Hagmann, United States of America, Principal Investigator.
The winning projects for the 2012-2013 Research Awards. Four proposals were able to be funded:
- Determinants of infectious disease incidence and risk behaviours in Australian travellers visiting friends and relatives – a prospective cohort study. Dr. Bradley Forssman, Australia, Principal Investigator
- Flaviviruses, Alphaviruses and Phleboviruses as etiological agents of febrile syndrome in travellers. Mr. Joaquim Gascón, Spain, Principal Investigator
- Illness and injury to long-term aide workers to developing countries. Dr. Jenny Visser, New Zealand, Principal Investigator
- Acute lipid profile changes in malaria patients – a gateway towards novel antimalarial drug class identification? Dr. Rosanne Willemijn Wieten, Principal Investigator