A PhD can spark impact that extends far beyond academia. Meet CARTA graduate Andrew Tamale, whose journey demonstrates the multiplier effect of research capacity strengthening—from helping transform doctoral training and generating evidence that informed safer fish consumption practices, to strengthening One Health approaches for outbreak preparedness in Uganda and beyond. 

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Source: CARTA News & Updates Issue 105

Godwin Anywar, cohort 6, Makerere University, was appointed as a Subject Matter Expert on the Manuscript Technical Evaluators team of the Uganda Textbook Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association (UTANA) on August 31, 2026. In this role, Godwin will contribute to the qualitative, academic, and pedagogical assessment of manuscripts submitted under the Capacity Building for School Books Project (CB-SP). The four-year project, implemented jointly with the Department of Teacher Education and Training Development (TETD) of Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), aims to strengthen authorship and support the development of school books in Uganda’s education sector.

He was also featured in Uganda’s New Vision on July 26, 2026, in a special report on Uganda’s medicinal plants.

Source: CARTA News & Updates Issue 105

The Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (TERID) Hub continued its efforts to strengthen the capacity of early career researchers (ECRs) on an institutional level by holding a grant writing workshop from September 8 – 11, 2026, at Makerere University. The workshop, attended by 17 ECRs (10 men, 7 women), strengthened participating researchers’ capacity by equipping them with critical skills to secure competitive funding. The intensive sessions bridged the gap between innovative academic concepts and fundable proposals, focusing heavily on decoding complex funder criteria and structuring compelling narratives. Participants prioritized the CONNECT-VAX call, which closely aligns with the Hub’s core work, and formed two groups: one on vaccine research and development capacity, the other on public trust and demand for vaccines manufactured in Africa.

Through this call, the Hub engaged collaborators from West Africa (Sierra Leone) and East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) in developing two of its grant applications. Individual concepts on leishmaniasis, leptospirosis, tuberculosis, and pharmaceutical inventory management were also advanced, bringing the total to eight proposals across four funding calls, including Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund (MAK-RIF 8), Wellcome, and WHO/TDR.

To date, the Hub’s grant writing effort has attracted over USD 700,000. The workshop reinforced the Hub’s commitment to mentoring early-career researchers and championing research in emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

Source: CARTA News & Updates Issue 105