Maximizing Research Productivity Through Sub-Study Approaches: Lessons from an Early-Career Research Grant
Early-career researchers across low- and middle- income countries often grapple with limited resources, small datasets, and restricted opportunities for publication. Yet, these challenges can also spark remarkable innovation. One such example comes from the journey of Collins Ankunda (CA), an RSTMH Early Career Grant awardee, who transformed a modest grant into a catalyst for research productivity, leadership growth, and long-term capacity building.
Turning a Small Grant into a Big Opportunity
When I received an Early Career Research Grant funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through the Royal Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) Early Career Grants Programme, it arrived at a pivotal moment. I had just begun a PhD programme, and the grant provided the perfect platform to merge academic learning with applied field research. While the grant did not directly secure the PhD position, the programme provided a valuable platform to broaden my research perspective, particularly through the adoption of a sub-study approach that enhanced data collection and diversified research outputs. Rather than launching an entirely new project, I adopted a strategic sub-study approach, embedding additional research questions into an ongoing HIV and TB clinical research framework. This allowed me to expand sample size, explore new angles, and generate richer datasets without the cost of running a standalone study.
Building a Multidisciplinary Team from the Ground Up
Recognising that strong science demands diverse expertise, I established the Intent Health Research Group, bringing together a laboratory scientist, reproductive and public health specialists, an HIV clinician, a statistician, and a senior medical doctor with over twenty years of HIV programming experience. This deliberately diverse team provided both technical strength and strategic oversight. Each member brought complementary skills that elevated the overall quality of the research. As a result, seven manuscripts were produced, one published, six under peer review. The grant not only advanced our scientific contributions but also strengthened research capacity, teamwork, and leadership development among early-career scientists in Uganda.
Navigating Real-World Challenges
The journey to get there, however, was far from straightforward. Electronic medical records were incomplete, requiring the team to retrieve information from physical patient files and facility registers. Regular virtual meetings, targeted training, and strong coordination helped maintain consistency and motivation across the study period.
Time and resource management is demanding, requiring early-career researchers to balance sub-study activities with other academic and professional responsibilities, emphasizing the need for careful prioritization.
Finally, navigating ethical approvals can delay progress, as waiver requests or amendments to existing protocols may take considerable time. Proactive engagement with ethics committees and early planning are essential to mitigate these challenges, ensuring that sub-studies are implemented efficiently while maintaining scientific rigor and regulatory compliance.
Key Lessons from the Sub-Study Approach
- Start with a curious, multidisciplinary team: Bringing together four to five early-career researchers supported by senior mentors fosters innovation and broadens analytical perspectives. Curiosity, rather than expertise alone, drives meaningful inquiry.
- Communicate clearly and frequently: Transparent communication with supervisors and parent study investigators ensures aligned goals and prevents duplication. Structured meetings enhance coordination and accountability.
- Plan early for ethics and logistics: Navigating ethical amendments, waiver applications, and resource planning ahead of time prevents delays, especially in studies working with secondary data or stored samples.
- Make full use of institutional resources: Access to laboratories, statisticians, data repositories, and supportive administrative systems can significantly improve study quality and efficiency.
- Use the sub-study model to boost publication output: Secondary analyses, methodological explorations, and complementary research questions can yield multiple high-impact manuscripts from a single dataset.
Barriers that Early-Career Researchers Must Overcome
While effective, sub-studies are not without obstacles. Limited control over parent study design may restrict research flexibility. Data linkage can be technically complex and requires careful management to ensure confidentiality and accuracy. Balancing sub-study work with PhD demands and clinical responsibilities can be overwhelming without structured time management. Ethical approvals, especially for amendments or consent waivers, may delay progress, emphasizing the need for proactive planning.
What Makes Success Possible: The Role of Support and Waivers
Supervisory and institutional support are essential. Mentors provide guidance, technical expertise, and advocacy within research institutions. Waivers for ethical fees, publication costs, and membership fees reduce financial barriers that often hinder early-career researchers. Seed grants, like the RSTMH award, play an instrumental role by enabling researchers to test new ideas, collect pilot data, and build a foundation for future funding.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Dr Joseph Baruch Baluku and Dr Felix Bongomin, from whom I draw great inspiration.
A Model Worth Scaling
CA’s experience demonstrates that impactful research does not always require large budgets. With strategic planning, strong mentorship, and a collaborative team, early-career scientists can maximise existing data, build strong publication records, and develop essential leadership skills. The sub-study approach is more than a method; it is a pathway to unlocking scientific potential within resource-limited settings.