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Educational Activities in Latin America
Microbial Pathogenesis Course in Chile
We read with interest the article and letter published in the May 2000 issue of ASM News, describing and commenting on the recent minicourse on microbial pathogenesis taught in Chile. In Daniel Sordelli's letter (p. 261), he comments that "in my 25 years of involvement in microbiology I do not recall any educational activity of this kind being offered by an American or European institution to students in Latin America." We would like to correct this statement. In 1991, with financial support from the British Council, we initiated dialogue with colleagues in Chile to determine how the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee in Scotland might help to develop the postgraduate training programs at the University of Concepcion in Chile. In 1995, the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy together with the Royal Society supported the delivery of a course on Molecular Microbiology at the University of Concepcion. Twenty postgraduate students from universities throughout Chile and including participants from Bolivia and Peru attended the one-week course. The course comprised a series of lectures on the biochemical and molecular basis of antibiotic resistance and molecular methods to detect and monitor resistance genes and clones. Comprehensive laboratory training in DNA isolation, restriction analysis, PCR, nucleic acid probe preparation, and nonisotopic hybridization and detection was also given. Workshops and tutorial sessions provided an opportunity to share research experience and to discuss opportunities for collaboration. Subsequent to this initial course, academic exchanges have taken place with several Chilean scientists spending time in our respective research laboratories. We have also returned to Chile to deliver research lectures to student and faculty members. These exchanges have been very productive, and several collaborative projects funded by Fondecyt are now underway.
In the United Kingdom, the Society for General Microbiology is also supporting training programs overseas through their International Development Fund and they have recently awarded a grant to support a short course on microbial ecology and biotechnology in Brazil. We would concur with the sentiments of Daniel Sordelli that this type of activity should be encouraged and applaud ASM for adopting a strategy to aid greater exchange of knowledge and views between scientists in underdeveloped and developed counties.
Hilary-Kay Young
University of Dundee
Dundee, United KingdomSebastian G. B. Amyes
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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