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Makerere iGEM 2018 – Uganda’s First iGEM Team Turns Waste Plastic into Fuel

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“iGEM” stands for the international Genetically Engineered Machine. This annual, globe-spanning synthetic biology competition invites teams of university and high school level scientists to spend their summers designing, undertaking, and honing their synthetic biology research projects.

For many, iGEM is their first foray into the world of synthetic biology, providing expert training and kicking off their careers as young scientists. Each year the competition culminates in the four-day Giant Jamboree, a huge scientific celebration that sees more than 3,000 young synthetic biologists converge on Boston, Massachusetts. Here, teams present posters, scientific lectures and live demonstrations of their work, as they all vie to achieve medals for their efforts and win the coveted iGEM trophy.

This year, Twist Bioscience is sponsoring the iGEM team representing Makerere University in Uganda, who are undertaking an ambitious project based around the biodegradation of plastic. We recently had the opportunity to speak to the team in more detail about their project, and their experiences so far at iGEM.

iGEM Makerere 2018 is a team of 15 students from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, led by their instructor, Otim Geoffrey, a Medical Laboratory Technologist at the Uganda Virus Research Institute, and a Masters fellow at Makerere University. Otim Geoffrey has been involved with synthetic biology since attending SB7.0 in Singapore as a Biosecurity Fellow in 2017. There, he met with many thought leaders in the field, including Kim de Mora, the former Director of Development at iGEM headquarters.

Read full article on the Twist Bioscience Blog

 

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Call For Abstracts: National Symposium on Climate Migration among Youths in Uganda

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Call For Abstracts: National Symposium on Climate Migration among Youths in Uganda. Submission Deadline: 9th June 2026

Makerere University, in collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Tufts University, and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), invites researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community actors to submit abstracts for the National Symposium on:

Climate Migration among Youths in Uganda: Local Voices for Policy Impact

Date: Wednesday, 12th August 2026
Venue: Makerere University Main Hall

The symposium will examine the drivers, patterns, and impacts of climate-induced youth migration in Uganda, while advancing evidence-based and community-informed policy responses.

Theme: Climate-Induced Youth Migration and Urban Futures in Uganda: Evidence, Voices, and Pathways for Action

Submission Deadline: 9th June 2026

Submit Abstracts To: citiesofyouth@musph.ac.ug

Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to contribute research findings, case studies, policy analyses, and practice-based experiences. Abstracts will be considered for oral and poster presentations.

Mak Editor

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Call for Research Support Applications from Master’s Students who have Completed their First Year of Taught Classes at Makerere University

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Call for Research Support Applications from Master’s Students who have Completed their First Year of Taught Classes at Makerere University. Photo: Nano Banan 2

Makerere University, in partnership with Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Independent University of Bangladesh, Eduardo Mondlane University, and Pokhara University, with funding from Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED), is implementing a project: ‘Co-creating Knowledge for Local Adaptation to Climate Change in LDCs (COLOCAL).

The expected outputs of the project include strengthened educational and research capacity, improved knowledge on inclusive Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) and Community Based Adaptation (CBA) including delivering skilled knowledge co-creators, and partnerships to support needs-driven, locally-based and contextually sensitive adaptation. The outputs are anticipated to influence policy, planning and practice around LLA and CBA through collaborative learning and knowledge translation.

In line with targets and activities for 2026/2027, COLOCAL project is offering research support for three (3) Master’s students who have completed their first academic year of taught classes at Makerere University and are interested in undertaking research under one of the following thematic areas. The students MUST have undertaken the course offered under the auspices of the project on Disability, Social Justice and Climate Resilient Development.

Requirements:

  • A first degree from a reputable university in a field related to the focus of the project
  • Ugandan citizen below 35 years
  • Good command of English (spoken and written)
  • Demonstrated interest in inclusive and climate resilient development
  • Evidence of practical experience in conducting relevant research during and after undergraduate level
  • Evidence of full payment of all university fees for the first academic year
  • The Masters programme being undertaken MUST have explicit content on climate change mitigation and adaptation
  • Special consideration will be given to students with disabilities, financial challenges, students from ethnic minority groups, internally displaced students, among others

Scholarship and study/research conditions

Availability to complete all research activities in a maximum of 10 months.

Scope of the scholarship

The project will specifically cover stipends and support for field activities only. Support with tuition fees, for the research year, will be provided for students who will complete and submit the research thesis for examination within 10 months from the date of receiving the scholarship offer letter.

How to apply

Interested and eligible candidates should submit the following documents: Application letter, research concept note of not more than 2 pages, academic transcripts/certificates, an updated CV (including contacts of at least two referees) and two recommendation letters.

Send applications via email to: colocal.caes@mak.ac.ug, not later than 20th May, 2026. This contact can as well be used for inquiries, where necessary.

Mak Editor

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Request For Consultancy Services: Training & Digital Solutions Expert

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Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Request For Consultancy Services: Training & Digital Solutions Expert. Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa

The Makerere University Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Limited implemented a Gates Foundation training program dubbed “Principle of Management Excellence for Research training” PRIMER in francophone countries, namely, Mali, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This training was delivered by content experts and experienced practitioners, not professionally trained experts. As such, limiting the quality of slide decks, which were largely fragmented with text rather than graphical and infographic elements that suit a mature audience. To effectively deliver a research training program, advanced, engaging, and efficient tools are critical for fostering audience engagement and participation, and for learning and assessment in research management excellence. To achieve this, IDI seeks to hire an expert to:

  1. design and deliver a set of integrated advanced slide decks combining text, visual learning materials (graphical and infographics) and case scenarios
  2. develop a virtual bilingual community learning platform (VBCLP), i.e. with in-built French and English to engage alumni,
  3. develop and automate a pre-course assessment system that potential trainees fill out, and it automates results that are presented in statistical form for easy interpretation and decision making.

Details: https://shorturl.at/Rzn8d

Apply to: EAkankwasa@idi.co.ug

Deadline: 5 June 2026, 5 PM EAT

Mak Editor

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