The Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) takes part in the fourth edition of the program https://www.mujeresporafrica.es/en/content/science-women-2018 "Science by Women" promoted by https://www.mujeresporafrica.es/ Fundación Mujeres por áfrica (FMxA). This Foundation, created in 2012 by María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, former Vice President of the Spanish Government, aims to contribute to the empowerment of women as key factors for the development of the African continent.VHIR is one of the fourteen centers participating in this year's edition. Each one of them will host a scientist for six months to investigate into one of the following areas: health, agriculture and food security, water, energy and climate change, mathematics and economics.VHIR reaffirms its institutional commitment to the transformation of the economy and societies around the world and, in this case specifically, the African continent through the empowerment of women through health research.Currently, Dr. Samia el Haj, from the Centre for Research in Tropical Medicine (TMRI) of Sudan, in doing research at VHIR thanks to last year's edition. Dr. Samia el Haj was incorporated in May and makes their stay in research in infectious diseases and maternal and fetal medicine groups with the aim of developing part of his research project on malaria during pregnancy in Sudan. VHIR as an institution wants to highlight the great work Dr. Samia el Haj, that can generate a valuable knowledge to improve the health of pregnant women who suffer malaria in her country.Dr. Joan Comella, director of VHIR, emphasizes that "we are sure that the personal links that are generated by these stays are indispensable and extraordinary to establish strong institutional links that en up in permanent collaborations and projects between countries and health systems". According to Dr. Comella, be a part of this project means "that across the excellence of our investigation we identify and apply new solutions to health problems and help to extend them all over the world. After their stay at Vall d'Hebron, these women will help to improve the health of his countries and to transform the future of our neighbor, the African continent".In addition, it is necessary to emphasize that the financing of the program comes from funds of patronage and that the https://www.faigrecerca.org/colabora-vhir-amics.php?idioma=en Friends of the VHIR, a group of almost 3.000 persons who give economic support to the center, will give an economic contribution to the initiative.Innovation: five areas of researchThis year, VHIR offers the possibility of choosing between five areas of research. Three are the same groups that took part last year: the group of investigation http://en.vhir.org/portal1/grup-equip2.asp?s=recerca&contentid=186839 in Mother and Fetal Medicine inside the http://en.vhir.org/portal1/area.asp?s=recerca&contentid=186837 group of Obstetrics, Pediatrics and Genetics that Dr. Elena Carreras leads, the line of International Health and Tropical Medicine leaded by Dr. Israel Molina inside the group of http://en.vhir.org/portal1/area.asp?s=recerca&contentid=186951 Infectious Diseases, the area of the pediatrics, with Dr. Carlos Rodrigo. And in the edition of this year two new groups take part: the group of http://en.vhir.org/web_vhir/portal1/grup-equip.asp?s=recerca&contentid=186717 Biomedical Investigation in Gynecology of Dr. Antonio Gil, and the group of Investigation Translational of Investigation in http://en.vhir.org/portal1/area.asp?s=recerca&contentid=186951 Infectious Diseases lead by Dra. Maria José Buzón."Science by Women"The programme's ultimate goal is to enable African women researchers to play a leading role in the transition of Africa to a knowledge-based and innovation-led economy through research that can be transferred into products, processes, services and technologies having impact on people's lives.To achieve this ambitious goal, FMxA collaborates with the Spanish Centres of Excellence, whose prestige is unanimously recognized throughout Spain and internationally, thereby ensuring excellence in scientific research in various fields.Senior women researcher must have least 3 years of post-doctoral experience for a six-month fellowship. Applications will be subjected to a rigorous selection process, evaluating the academic merits and leadership of the applicants as well as the scientific quality and expected impact of their research projects. Selected candidates will receive training and integration in a dynamic, multidisciplinary and highly competitive working team, where they will be able to develop their research projects and acquire complementary skills, empowering them to transfer their research results into tangible economic and social benefits.