GHU is a non-profit organization registered in April 2010 by Ugandan and American health scientists from Makerere University, University of Minnesota and Michigan State University. GHU was formed to provide a collaborative platform for individuals and groups conducting scientific research especially within Uganda, through provision of the needed infrastructure for research. GHU’s objectives are 1) to increase research output and utilization in child health, neurodevelopment and interventions, 2) provide an efficient supportive infrastructure to facilitate collaborative research, and 3) develop the capacity of young scientists in conducting research in child health, neurodevelopment and interventions. Read more…

Established in 1922 as a technical school, Makerere University is one of the oldest and most prestigious Universities in Africa. In July 1970, Makerere became an independent national university of the Republic of Uganda, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses and currently has a student body of nearly 30,000 undergraduates and 3,000 postgraduates. In July 2011, The University became a Collegiate University, consisting of 8 Colleges and 2 Schools, operating as semi-autonomous units of the University.

Makerere University has strong research collaborations with UW and UMN since 2002 (UW) and 2003 (UMN). These institutions currently partner on 24 active research studies, including 20 NIH-funded studies, and two Fogarty-funded training grants. Areas of research focus include infectious diseases (HIV, malaria, cryptococcal meningitis, herpes viruses, HHV-8, zoonotic diseases), cancer, child development and mental heath, and nutrition.

The UW and UMN D43 training grants in Uganda focus on education in HIV and connections between infection and neurodevelopment. UMN has had grants that included faculty mentor training at Makerere University. UMN One Health Workforce grant was instrumental in creating the One Health Central and East Africa network that includes Uganda which collaborates with the Ugandan Ministry of Health to increase capacity for detecting and responding to disease outbreaks, including zoonotic disease outbreaks. UMN has also invested in creating a hub in Kampala, Uganda with administrative personnel, infrastructure to aid in research and administrative activities.

As an example of past successful training, David Boulware, a former fellow UMN Infectious Diseases fellow supported by a T32 training grant, is now a faculty member at UMN, with independent grants that look at cryptococcal antigen screening in HIV infection and improving diagnostic and neurocognitive outcomes in HIV meningitis. Similarly, David Meya, who trained with Paul Bohjanen and David Boulware at UMN, is now a faculty member at Makerere University with his own R01; Paul Bangirana, who trained at UMN, obtained the first pediatric neuropsychology degree awarded to a Ugandan scientist, and is now a Makerere University faculty member. Many grant-supported research activities at Makerere University emphasize a multidisciplinary approach to health and disease (e.g., HHV-8 and malignancy; neurobehavioral sequelae of severe malaria; iron deficiency; severe malaria and neurodevelopment; zoonotic sources of human disease outbreaks; neurologic complications of HIV), making Uganda an outstanding partner for Fogarty Fellow and Scholar training. Read more…

UCI is the only cancer treatment and training facility in Uganda. In Uganda, six of 10 of the most common cancers are due to infectious diseases. Because of its tremendous burden of infection-related cancers, Uganda offers a unique setting to study the impact of infections on the development and clinical course of several cancers. Dr. Lawrence Corey (Hutchinson Center president and director) has been instrumental in working with Drs. Jackson Orem (UCI director and UCI/Hutchinson Center Cancer Alliance co-director) and Corey Casper (UCI/Hutchinson Center Cancer Alliance co-director and Associate Member at the Hutchinson Center) to plan a new state-of-the-art facility, the first collaborative comprehensive cancer center between an African and US institution. This new US$2.5 million state of the art, inpatient and outpatient cancer facility was completed in 2015.

UCI/Hutchinson Center Cancer Alliance: In 2004, Dr. Corey Casper initiated a collaboration with Dr. Jackson Orem to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies for infection-associated cancers to benefit the millions of people in Uganda, the United States and worldwide who suffer from malignancies such as Burkitt lymphoma and Kaposi sarcoma. By working closely with Ugandan researchers and oncologists, Center researchers hope to expand their knowledge of infection-related cancers and improve cancer care in Uganda and at home. The UCI/Hutchinson Center Cancer Alliance developed a three-pronged approach for addressing the needs of cancer patients in Uganda: 1) conduct cutting-edge research in infection-related cancers to better understand the pathogenesis of these diseases in order to develop and test more effective, efficacious and safer treatment and prevention regimens; 2) improve clinical capacity through provision of medical support and revised clinical protocols for those with infectious cancers; and 3) Train clinicians and support staff to enhance local human capacity to sustain research and clinical care activities at the site. Read more…