BridgELSI Project

About the Project

The Bridging Gaps in the ELSI of Data Science Research (BridgELSI) Project is a collaborative research ethics study and training project that is focused on bridging the gaps in current governance framework on ethical oversight of data science health research by engaging key stakeholders to evaluate and co-develop novel governance framework for the Ethical Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) of data science health research in Nigeria. The project will implement short and medium-term training on ethics of data science for data scientists, ethicists and ethics committees, and strengthen the ethical working environment for data science health research in Nigeria.

The project brings together talented and highly productive researchers at the Center for Bioethics and Research (CBR), Nigeria, George Washington University, DC and University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), USA. BridgELSI is funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) Award Number 1U01MH127693-01, as part of the recently launched DS-I Africa sponsored projects.

Project Objectives

Rigorously evaluate current governance frameworks for data science health research in Nigeria and work with key stakeholders to co-develop novel governance frameworks;

Aggregate and analyze current frameworks for oversight of data science health research in Nigeria;
Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KII) of stakeholders on their knowledge and perceived efficacy of current governance framework and their ideas on novel governance framework for the protection of participants in data science health research in Nigeria;
Develop a novel model ethical governance framework for data science health research in Nigeria which is portable to other African countries with similar legal systems;

Prospectively survey the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of key stakeholders to current and emerging ELSI of data science health research in Nigeria.

Methodology

Qualitative and quantitative research methods are adopted for the study. We will content-analyze laws, guidelines, policies and frameworks on current and emerging data science health research in Nigeria. Also, semi-structured KII guidelines will be developed and used to collect needed data from stakeholders in the study. In addition, one-way ANOVA, Wilcoxon rank sum, Fisher’s exact, 𝜒² tests, and multivariable logistic regression analysis will be conducted to analyze quantitative data in the study at p-value of 0.05.

The Team

The study personnel are experts in various fields (including bioethics, biostatistics, research ethics, law, program evaluation, qualitative and quantitative methods, epidemiology and public health).

MPI Professor Temidayo Ogundiran

Professor of Surgical Oncology and Director of Training, CBR, Nigeria

MPI Dr. Clement Adebamowo

Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health and Associate Director (Population Science), Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore

Professor Ayodele Jegede

Professor of Medical Sociology and Bioethics, and leader of the Atlas.ti certified training center at CBR

Dr. Shawneequa Callier

Associate Professor at Law at George Washington University, Washington DC and Special Volunteer at the National Institutes of Health Center for Research in Genomics and Global Health

Dr. Sally Adebamowo

Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, and member of the Population Science Program at the Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore