Middle East and North African (MENA) region news, resources and funding for global health researchers
A growing number of research and research training collaborations are being established between U.S. scientists and those based in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Some involve NIH extramural funding, others result from Visiting Scientists who come to the NIH campus. An increasing number of NIH scientists are also traveling to the region to meet with their counterparts and collaborate on research questions of common interest.
This growth in investments and engagement, despite budgetary and political challenges, is significant since the region offers much potential with a disease burden similar to that in the U.S. - high rates of diabetes, heart disease, mental disorders and cancers. The region also offers unique potential given genetic background, family structures and relatively high occurrences of some diseases considered rare in the U.S. that are difficult to research without foreign partners.
Countries and Territories in Region
Algeria, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Gaza, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Grant Awards in Region
Top News
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Through DS-I Africa, NIH is Fostering a New Health Data Science Community
co-authored by Fogarty's Dr. Laura K. Povlich
National Library of Medicine director's blog, February 9, 2022 -
NIH awards $75M to boost data science in Africa
Sept/Oct 2021
Global Health Matters - Data science potential for Africa examined during NIH virtual symposium
Sept / Oct 2020
Global Health Matters -
World Report shows scant research conducted in Middle East region
Jul / Aug 2019
Global Health Matters -
Experimental MERS treatments enter clinical trial
NIAID/NIH news, May 18, 2018 -
MERS antibodies produced in cattle safe, treatment well tolerated in Phase 1 trial
NIAID/NIH news, January 10, 2018 -
Energizing psychiatric research in Egypt, India
Nov/Dec 2017
Global Health Matters -
South Korea, US [NIH] to jointly develop vaccine, cure for MERS
KBS World Radio, Korea, October 17, 2015
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Scientists aim to defeat Middle East respiratory virus
Jul / Aug 2015
Global Health Matters -
Syria: health in a country undergoing tragic transition
International Journal of Public Health, July 2014 -
Population health and burden of disease profile of Iran among 20 countries in the region: from Afghanistan to Qatar and Lebanon
Courtesy of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)
Archives of Iranian Medicine, May 2014 - Grantee news:
Egypt: 2014 Field Report - Initiatives, prescriptions and imperatives to overcome Egypt's most pressing emergency medicine problems
Emergency Physicians International (EPi), June 5, 2014 -
Health in the Arab world: a view from within
The Lancet Global Health Series, January 2014
Related Fogarty News and Information
Fogarty Contact
Stacy Wallick, M.P.H.
International Program Officer
Division of International Relations
Fogarty International Center
National Institutes of Health
Building 31 Room B2C11
Bethesda, MD 20892-2220
Telephone: 301-496-2091
FAX: 301-480-3414
Email (preferred):
Stacy.Wallick@nih.gov
NIH News & Resources
US Government Resources
- U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID):
Online Resources
Updated June 16, 2022