The Sub-Saharan African MuSculOskeletal Network - SAMSON
SAMSON is a research network across West, East and Southern Africa.
SAMSON aims to:
- Build sustainable capacity in Musculoskeletal Health Research by creating a collaborative research platform
- Share learning in Musculoskeletal Health Research through the life course to reduce the burden of Musculoskeletal disease
- Inform health policy, promote training, research capacity development, knowledge transfer and public engagement through the life course for Musculoskeletal disease
- Provide guidance to standardise methods for Musculoskeletal assessment across Sub-Saharan Africa
Photo: Ian Farrell, © MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Epidemiological and Statistical Methods and Musculoskeletal Research Training Workshop, Harare, Zimbabwe. 11th - 13th March 2019
This three-day workshop built on the successes of our 2018 research training workshop, to deliver a two-day international, multi-disciplinary programme of epidemiology and statistical training. Day three was dedicated to training in the practical conduct of forearm pQCT and the analysis of bone age on hand and wrist radiographs. This workshop was funded through a University of Bristol GCRF Global Impact Acceleration Account grant from the UKRI entitled ‘Musculoskeletal Knowledge Exchange between Zimbabwe and Bristol; a SAMSON initiative’.
Strategic Workshop, Durban, South Africa, 16th-20th July 2018
This meeting brought together a multi-disciplinary, international group of principal investigators who aim together to submit successful global health funding applications. This workshop was funded through University of Bristol Global Challenges Research Funding and Academy of Medical Sciences GCRF Networking Funding and hosted by the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Musculoskeletal Research Training Workshop, Harare, Zimbabwe, 19th-22nd March 2018
This 4 day workshop was designed for researchers in Zimbabwe who are working, or planning to work, in the field of musculoskeletal health research.
Research Outputs by SAMSON partners
Lancet Global Health Commentary - 'Fragility Fractures in Sub-Saharan Africa'
Vitamin D and musculoskeletal health outcomes in children and adolescents; a systematic review
Sarcopenia prevalance in The Gambia
Disability, social functioning and school inclusion among children living with HIV in Zimbabwe
The Gambian Bone Ageing Study Cohort Paper
Older age at initiation of antiretroviral therapy predicts low bone mineral density in children with perinatally-infected HIV in Zimbabwe
SAMSON partners include:
Makerere University, Uganda
MRC Unit The Gambia
The Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI), Zimbabwe
The University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN), South Africa
The University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
University of Bristol, UK
MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology, University of Southampton, UK
Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences
SAMSON is open to new partners. This website is currently under development and we welcome user feedback.