Scientific research in Latin America: experiences of collaborative projects on craniofacial anomalies

Scientists based in Latin America, particularly in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, substantially increased their rate of scientific publications during the past decades. Brazil experienced the most growth with the implementation of an efficient postgraduate system that is tripling the number of doctors every 10 years. Research on craniofacial anomalies is similarly increasing in Latin American countries. A PUBMED search using the key word "cleft" and a particular country's name showed that Brazil has published the most articles in that field during the past few years, many of which were published by research groups linked to the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies located in Bauru, which provides cleft and craniofacial care for more than 2500 new patients every year. Based on experiences with international collaboration, this report discusses obstacles to collaborative research and presents recommendations to enhance the possibility of creating successful partnerships among international research teams.