Stanley Global Collections Initiative
The Stanley Global Collections Initiative on Neuropsychiatric Genetics in African Populations (NeuroGAP), consists of two scientific research projects, a training component (Global Initiative for Neuropsychiatric Genetics Education in Research – GINGER), and an ethics component (NeuroGenE). One of the scientific research teams investigates the genetics of schizophrenia and bipolar disorders (NeuroGAP-Psychosis), whilst the other investigates the genetics of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders (NeuroDEV). The three components that comprise the Stanley Global Collections Initiative – scientific research, training, ethics – work in tandem and are mainly funded by the Stanley Centre for Psychiatric Research at Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
NeuroGenE has appointed local ethics experts at each site where the scientific research projects are collecting genetic data. The local ethics experts consult with the Principal Investigator on each site to provide practical advice on the ethics of neuropsychiatric genetics, alongside offering support to the wider scientific research teams. These experts form part of our ethics working group.
Our collaboration with GINGER promotes capacity building in bioethics research. We run the ethics modules on the Initiative’s two-year Research Fellow training programme, as well as providing introductory research courses in the ethics of neuropsychiatric genetics.