Research
The newly refurbished CoVAB-based Research Centre for Tropical Diseases and Vector Control (RTC) Commissioned
On Friday, 1st August 2025, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, officially inaugurated the newly upgraded Research Centre for Tropical Diseases and Vector Control (RTC) Lab at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB). The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the funding partner GALVmed, the Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA), and the Uganda Animal Health Laboratory Network, staff and students of the college.
A once-outdated research lab in Uganda, as recently as 2015, has undergone a remarkable transformation, emerging as a multi-unit scientific powerhouse that now plays a pivotal role in advancing national health priorities and training students across diverse disciplines. Strategic partnerships fueled this revitalization, the most recent being the MoTAR project, Monitoring of Ticks and Acaricide Resistance in Uganda, implemented by CoVAB. With support from the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), the MoTAR project will establish a total network of nine technically equipped laboratories across the country. The labs, three of which have been commissioned, including RTC, Gulu, and Kumi labs, will be central to diagnosing tick-borne diseases, tracking acaricide resistance, and generating data to inform national policy and improve livestock productivity.
“If I could launch laboratories every single day and do nothing else, I would,” declared Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor, during the unveiling ceremony. “Our vision is to transform into a more research-intensive, research-led university that journey begins here.”
He emphasized the transformative power of innovation, urging the community to view research not just as an academic pursuit but as a driver of development and job creation. He commended CoVAB for its remarkable research output, attributing it to the university’s ranking.
Prof. Nawangwe encouraged researchers to embrace a mindset of creativity and production. He noted the increasing volume of patent, trademark, and copyright applications processed by the university’s intellectual property office, which, he said, was evidence that scholars were now committed to turning ideas into impactful solutions.
The Vice Chancellor applauded the critical work taking place in the RTC lab, especially in addressing livestock mortality amid growing population pressures. He challenged vaccine researchers to ensure their innovations directly respond to the urgent need to safeguard the livestock sector, which is a cornerstone of national food security and economic stability.
While addressing the issue of a lack of jobs in the country, he said the responsibility of job creation lies on the shoulders of the researchers. “It is we who must create jobs through the students we train, and the innovations we make. We want every Makerere student to go out with a company in their hands to create jobs, he said, while congratulating the RTC team for the great work done.
The RTC lab’s strategic rise from humble beginnings
According to Dr. Patrick Vudriko, Head of the Facility and Principal Investigator of the MoTAR project, the transformation began in 2011, when the lab faced challenges of outdated equipment and limited operational capacity. Fueled by a vision for change, he said, a committed team spearheaded efforts to restore and reinvent the research center. A turning point came in 2016, when Dr. Vudriko received advanced training in Japan, which, coupled with the arrival of modern equipment, marked the beginning of a structured reorganization. By 2022, the lab had evolved into a robust multi-unit research complex featuring four specialized laboratories, namely genomics, serology, pharmaceutical research and development, and a general research unit, each aligned with CoVAB’s academic departments and Uganda’s broader scientific agenda.
The upgraded RTC Lab has become a magnet for budding scientists across a wide spectrum of disciplines and institutions. While rooted within CoVAB, the facility draws active participation from other colleges at Makerere University, including the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, particularly in the field of nanotechnology, the College of Health Sciences for pharmaceutical studies, the College of Natural Sciences for natural products research, and food science programs. Its national impact is further underscored by strong collaborations with external institutions such as Kyambogo University, Kampala International University (KIU), and Busitema University, and students from foreign universities. Beyond academia, the lab contributes to national health efforts as evidenced by collaborations with the FAO and JICA that have enabled community outreach, especially in Kiboga District, focusing on disease diagnostics and the management of ticks. Dr. Vudriko noted that the insights gained since 2013 stress the urgency of proactive research and rapid testing, since chemical resistance complicates tick control.
The PI explained that MoTAR, working closely with MAAIF, initiated efforts towards developing a digital National Information Management System. This integrates tick species mapping, acaricide resistance data, and pathogen tracking across Uganda’s ecologies. The refurbished and newly equipped labs will make high-quality data contributions to the system and in turn support the agricultural policy development in Uganda.
GALVmed supports small-scale livestock farmers through MoTAR
Speaking on behalf of the funding agency GALVmed, Dr. Johnson Ouma, the MoTAR Project Coordinator, expressed gratitude for the support provided by Makerere University towards the smooth project implementation. He underscored GALVmed’s mission to expand access to veterinary products and services for small-scale livestock producers, particularly those who lack the financial resources and proximity to essential inputs like drugs and diagnostics.
Dr. Ouma cited compelling research evidence that highlighted the widespread challenge of tick infestations and increasing resistance to acaricides, which has significant implications for livestock health and productivity. Thus, he explained the importance of investing in robust information systems capable of mapping acaricide resistance, tick distribution, and the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens.
He commended Makerere University for taking a leadership role in developing these innovations, with the intent that successful strategies would be replicated in other countries facing similar challenges. Dr. Ouma concluded with optimism, noting that the MoTAR project is expected to yield impactful outcomes, both locally and internationally.
Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine Applauds RTC Lab’s Transformation
The Principal of CoVAB, Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine, praised the RTC Lab team led by Dr. Patrick Vudriko for the impressive progress in revitalizing the laboratory. “It’s more than infrastructure; it’s a movement,” he said, emphasizing the lab’s key role in connecting classroom theory with hands-on experience.
Students are now being immersed directly into laboratory environments, gaining exposure to cutting-edge research and diagnostic techniques. Prof. Mwiine underscored that fifth-year veterinary students are actively deployed into districts, engaging with farmers and applying their knowledge on the ground.
This hands-on approach guarantees that future veterinarians are not only academically prepared but also rooted in community involvement and practical problem solving. Through training and outreach initiatives, the labs function both as learning centers and catalysts for societal change.
“We should take Makerere to the community and not the community coming to us” Prof. Mwiine added. He extended appreciation to MAAIF for the proposed 69 veterinary labs to be constructed in the country. He said the college continues to train students who will be handy in the use of the labs.
Prof. Robert Tweyongyere, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources (SVAR), underscored the strategic importance of the RTC Lab by tracing its historical focus on tick-related research. He emphasized that tick resistance goes far beyond science, touching on economics, policy, and sustainability. “When ticks become resistant to acarisides,” he noted, “it leads to increased chemical use, higher costs, and broader socioeconomic consequences.” Prof. Tweyongyere celebrated the lab’s evolution into a national hub, now supporting other laboratories and diagnostic units in communities across Uganda. He further applauded the veterinary fraternity for its commitment to advancing animal health and spearheading diagnostic services in underserved regions.
Uganda must strengthen the systems that move university research beyond prototypes and publications into policies, public services, products and enterprises that improve people’s lives, Hon. Eng. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki, Minister in charge of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President (STI-OP), has said.
He made the call during a visit to Makerere University School of Public Health on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, as part of his wider engagement with Makerere University’s research and innovation ecosystem. Accompanied by University Management, led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Minister met researchers presenting work across major public health priorities before touring the School’s new building.
Hon. Eng. Asiimwe linked the challenge to Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, which targets expanding the country’s GDP from nearly USD 50 billion in 2023 to USD 500 billion by 2040. He argued that science, technology and innovation must help deliver that ambition by raising productivity, improving public services and creating viable enterprises.
“The Tenfold Growth Strategy will not be achieved by one particular project alone,” he stated. “It will be achieved when science, technology and innovation repeatedly raise the productivity and incomes of millions of ordinary people.”
The work presented at MakSPH showed how public health research can contribute to that ambition by shaping clinical guidance and national policy, strengthening systems that improve services and protect population health, and advancing technologies towards wider testing and adoption.
One such example was the PURPOSE 1 study, a 2022–2024 trial that evaluated Gilead Sciences’ twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention among adolescent girls and young women. Prof. Noah Kiwanuka served as Site Principal Investigator for MakSPH’s work at Makerere-Kalangala site through the UVRI-IAVI collaboration. The trial recorded no HIV infections among participants who received lenacapavir, contributing evidence that informed regulatory decisions and WHO’s 2025 recommendation of the drug as an additional HIV prevention option.
In maternal and newborn health, MakSPH’s Centre of Excellence for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health recently partnered with St. Francis Hospital Nsambya to establish Uganda’s first human milk bank and generate evidence on the safe use of pasteurised donor milk. The work has now contributed to Uganda’s first National Donor Human Milk Guidelines and provides a model that other hospitals could adopt.
The exhibition also showed how university expertise can strengthen national systems. Through the Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Support (METS) Programme, MakSPH worked with the Ministry of Health for more than 15 years to develop and support platforms for health reporting, disease surveillance and programme management. The U.S. CDC funded the programme through PEPFAR, providing US$103.8 million across three five-year grants. In March 2026, MakSPH transitioned 16 digital health systems developed through METS, together with their supporting infrastructure, to Ministry of Health stewardship.
Makerere University School of Public Health Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze said the School embeds teaching and research within communities, health facilities and public institutions through its “Public Health School Without Walls” model, designing research around the problems it must address and the value it can create.
“For us, translation is not alien. It is where we start when designing our research,” Prof. Wanyenze noted. “We examine what drives ill health and what we can do to solve the problem. As we consider translation and commercialisation, we must define how scientific impact grows into societal impact and track that contribution through health outcomes and economic growth.”
That approach informs VectorCam, an artificial intelligence-enabled smartphone tool that MakSPH is evaluating in Mayuge and Adjumani districts. It enables community health workers to identify mosquitoes by species, sex and feeding status, generating faster data for malaria-control decisions. Prof. Peter Waiswa serves as Uganda Principal Investigator for the Gates Foundation-funded project, which MakSPH implements with Johns Hopkins University. The partners plan to extend it to 22 districts and assess its performance under routine conditions in 12.
Watch how VectorCam uses a smartphone and artificial intelligence to identify mosquitoes and strengthen malaria surveillance:
The School’s national survey work also demonstrates local capacity to generate evidence for policy. Uganda launched the 2024–2025 Uganda Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA) in May 2025 with support from the U.S. Government and technical leadership from MakSPH. The Ministry of Health expects to release the findings on 1 October 2026, providing updated evidence on HIV prevalence, new infections, viral suppression, service coverage and associated risk behaviours to guide the country’s future HIV response.
The School also led Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) Uganda, a nationally representative platform that generated recurring evidence on contraceptive use, access and service quality. Working with the Ministry of Health and other partners, it enabled Uganda to track change, identify persistent gaps and guide family-planning policy and investment.
This combination of evidence generation and local capacity gives practical expression to Makerere University’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030, launched in July 2026, which seeks to build a sustainable, research-led and responsive university. During a visit to MakSPH on 18 June 2026, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe described the School as a model of that institutional direction.
“I think the School of Public Health is the perfect example of what a research-led unit should be,” Prof. Nawangwe said. “You are really showing the way for the rest of the University and what we should be as a research-led university.”
The work supports priorities under Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), including stronger health research, innovation and uptake of locally generated solutions. Speaking at a public dialogue on health financing jointly organised by MakSPH and partners in April 2026, Prof. Nawangwe said Makerere attracts more than UGX 1 trillion into Uganda annually through research and urged the Government to increase support for the University’s national role.
Today, the Government allocates about UGX 25 billion annually through theMakerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) to support research and innovation across Makerere. Beyond Mak-RIF, it recently contributed UGX 14 billion to the construction of the new MakSPH building. Work began in 2020 and remains on course for completion in December 2026.
The facility will expand space for teaching, research, laboratories and collaboration. The School’s next infrastructure priority is a specialised environmental health laboratory to investigate health risks associated with air, water, food and other environmental exposures.
Through STI-OP, the Government also supports the NUTRIMEAL Project. Dr Barbara Eva Kirunda leads the project, which brings together MakSPH and Makerere University’s School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering to develop a non-dairy probiotic beverage from locally available finger millet and beetroot for people living with HIV. The team will test its safety and effects on immune and nutritional outcomes among 432 participants.
Hon. Eng. Asiimwe placed that support within a longer pathway from research to use. He said developing and testing an innovation represent only part of the journey and called for stronger systems to move viable innovations into policy, public services, products and enterprises.
“Every innovation should be able to name its user, define the problem it solves and show the value it creates,” he said. “We should move beyond saying, ‘We developed a prototype,’ to showing who uses it, who manufactures it, how it reaches the market and how it will grow.”
Reaching that point requires the capacity to generate and test evidence, alongside collaboration among universities, government and industry in validation, standards, intellectual property, financing, manufacturing, procurement and public trust.
Public health research creates value not only through commercial products but also evidence that changes policy, strengthens surveillance, improves clinical practice and guides national programmes. The challenge now is to move the strongest research into use and turn it into better services, greater productivity and healthier lives, all essential to Uganda’s tenfold growth ambition.
Agriculture & Environment
Makerere Hosts Inaugural Falling Walls Lab Competition as Innovators Pitch Solutions to National Challenges
Students and researchers from Makerere University and other institutions pitched 12 innovations addressing challenges in healthcare, clean energy, agriculture, waste management and community resilience during the inaugural Falling Walls Lab Kampala, held at the School of Public Health Auditorium, Makerere University.
The competition brought together emerging innovators to present solutions to practical challenges through a three minute pitch, followed by questions from a panel of judges.
Modelled on the Falling Walls format that originated in Berlin, the event required each participant to identify a “wall” a problem or barrier, and demonstrate how their innovation seeks to break it down.
Mudhasi wins with newborn jaundice screening device
Andrew Mudhasi of Makerere University emerged as the overall winner with a score of 90 per cent for a low cost medical device designed to improve newborn jaundice screening across different skin tones.
Mudhasi explained that the device uses optical sensor technology and a skin tone targeting algorithm to provide a rapid reading, with the aim of helping nurses and clinicians identify jaundice more efficiently.
During questions from the jury, Mudhasi said the device had not yet been tested on actual babies but had undergone laboratory testing using simulated skin tones.
He reported an accuracy rate of 94 per cent when the device was compared with laboratory spectrophotometers.
The innovation is intended initially for use in clinics and hospitals, with Mudhasi saying the team is also considering a version that could eventually allow mothers to screen babies at home.
Mudhasi’s innovation has previously received recognition at the African Business Concept Challenge and the iF Design Student Award, according to his presentation.
Rhonda’s innovation tackles diaper waste
Rhoda John of the University of Nairobi emerged in second place with 89.6 per cent for an innovation addressing the problem of used diaper waste.
Under the theme “Breaking the wall of diaper waste and drug soils,” Rhonda explained that her team extracts sodium polyacrylate, the absorbent polymer found in diapers, and replaces the sodium with potassium.
The resulting potassium based superabsorbent material is designed to act as a “water battery” in soil by absorbing and retaining water for plants during dry periods.
John said testing showed a 99 per cent increase in germination and a 23 per cent increase in drought resistance.
The innovation also seeks to reduce the amount of used diapers ending up in landfills and the environmental effects associated with their decomposition.
During the question and answer session, John explained that her team was working with government environmental officials in Nairobi on a pilot collection system to address the challenge of gathering used diapers at scale.
Mahera takes third place with herbal peptic ulcer treatment
Stuart Mahera of Makerere University finished third with 86.2 per cent for a herbal formulation targeting peptic ulcers.
Presenting under the theme “Breaking the wall of Nature and Modern Medicine,” Mahera argued that conventional treatment for peptic ulcers can involve multiple medicines and may be associated with side effects and antimicrobial resistance.
His proposed formulation, MARAC capsules, is intended as a monotherapy, combining properties required for peptic-ulcer treatment in a single capsule.
Mahera said his team had carried out quality control work, including characterisation and dose quantification, and had conducted preclinical trials on laboratory mice.
He also told the jury that an application had been submitted to the National Drug Authority as the team awaits the next stage of the regulatory process.
According to Mahera, the proposed seven day treatment would cost about Shs21,000, compared with the existing 14 day treatment approach.
Innovators present solutions to practical challenges
The remaining presentations covered a wide range of challenges.
Esther Nakungu of Utamu University presented Agri-Track, a digital record keeping solution intended to improve visibility, accountability and management of farm operations and financial information.
Dr. Jimmy Chachiga, a Makerere University participant, presented a solar photovoltaic cooker with a heat storage system designed to provide a cleaner and more reliable cooking option during both sunny and non sunny periods.
His presentation focused on reducing dependence on biomass fuels and addressing the challenges associated with intermittent solar energy.
Abdul Noor Luttamaguzi, a PhD student and senior government fisheries officer, presented a mobile application aimed at helping fish farmers and extension officers report, track and manage disease outbreaks.
Henry Duke Tamale presented a herbal cream targeting antibiotic resistant biofilm infections associated with diabetic foot ulcers.
Marvin Seruwu proposed adapting existing near infrared brain monitoring technology to help detect extra-axial brain bleeds in health facilities where access to CT and MRI equipment is limited.
His proposal seeks to repurpose existing technology towards a diagnostic need that could be particularly important in settings where advanced imaging facilities are not readily available.
Kennedy Kisame presented a poultry alert and diagnosis system combining satellite weather information with computer vision disease detection. The proposed system could be accessed through a smartphone application, SMS or USSD, making it potentially usable by farmers with limited internet access.
Frank Atwiine proposed a solar powered mobile diagnostic van designed to bring ultrasound and other diagnostic services closer to rural communities.
Johnson Makmot, a software and blockchain developer, presented a platform that combines GPS tracking and blockchain-based tokens to incentivise and verify plastic-waste collection in Kampala.
Dr. Nelson Ndugu, from a partner university, presented an artificial intelligence tool designed to translate agricultural research publications into local Ugandan languages and generate voice notes for radio-based extension delivery.
The final presentation came from Dr. Juliet Akola, a Ugandan post doctoral researcher at Mangosuthu University of Technology in South Africa.
Akola presented a community digital resilience initiative focused on mapping risks in Kampala’s informal settlements, including flooding, fire, poor sanitation, waste management and inadequate infrastructure.
Her proposal seeks to combine local community knowledge with geographical information systems and link identified risks to action plans involving municipalities and other stakeholders.
Nawangwe calls for more investment in innovation
Closing the event, Prof. Nawangwe congratulated all the participants and described their presentations as an important beginning for Makerere University, Uganda and the wider region.
Drawing on his experience attending the Falling Walls conference in Berlin, the Vice Chancellor said initiatives of this nature are important because innovation will play a major role in determining the future of countries.
He encouraged participants to make their pitches more precise by clearly identifying the problem they are addressing, explaining their proposed solution and demonstrating what they have already achieved.
Prof. Nawangwe also welcomed the participation of innovators from other universities and countries, noting that the Kampala event had attracted participants beyond Makerere.
He thanked the Africa Office of the Falling Walls Foundation for its role in bringing the initiative to Makerere and encouraged continued support for innovation.
The Vice Chancellor further linked innovation to Uganda’s growing youth population and the need to develop home-grown solutions to address challenges such as youth unemployment.
The inaugural Falling Walls Lab Kampala ultimately provided a platform for innovators to move ideas beyond the classroom and laboratory and demonstrate how research, technology and creativity can be applied to challenges affecting communities.
| Position | Winner | Institution | Score |
| 1st | Andrew Mudhasi | Makerere University | 90% |
| 2nd | Rhoda John | University of Nairobi | 89.6% |
| 3rd | Stuart Mahera | Makerere University | 86.2% |
-
General1 week agoUndergraduate Admissions: Students allowed to Change Programs/Subjects 2026/27
-
Computing & IS1 week agoProf. Engineer Bainomugisha Takes Over as Principal of CoCIS, Pledges Focus on Excellence, Research and Innovation
-
General5 days agoProf. Sarah Ssali urges the Makerere University Community to embrace local philanthropy
-
Engineering, Art & Tech1 week agoMakerere & Partners Kick Off FLOWERS Project to Turn Restaurant Waste into a Regenerative Resource
-
Business & Management2 weeks agoCoBAMS, European Partners Launch Programme to Equip Students with Polycrisis Management Skills