NURTURE Program

 

NURTURE: RESEARCH TRAINING AND MENTORING PROGRAM FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF FACULTY AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

NURTURE: Is a Junior Faculty Research Training and mentoring program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Fogarty International Centre and arose from the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI). The five-year program aims to support Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) junior and mid-level faculty, within a structured mentored training environment, to develop their potential of becoming independent researchers.

NURTURE’s thematic focus areas are:

  1. HIV/AIDS and its associated co-infections/morbidities
  2. Other infectious diseases including malaria
  3. Non communicable diseases (especially cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory and haematological/blood)
  4. Dental and craniofacial health
Goal of NURTURE

To develop a sustainable institutional culture for supporting research training and mentoring for career development of upcoming faculty in an environment that fosters continuous academic growth and retention of independent researchers.

NURTURE’s overarching objective is to develop and maintain research groups of productive, independent scientists who can competitively excel in securing international funding, strengthen MakCHS’ research culture and build the capacity to support its partner universities in Uganda.

Following a 3-step selection process 18 MakCHS faculty shown below were awarded two year NURTURE fellowships starting 2016/2017

FACULTY

RESEARCH TOPIC

THEMATIC GROUP

MENTORS
  1. Dr. Annette Nakimuli

Risk of Cardiovascular disease after pre-eclampsia in a cohort of Ugandan women

Cardiovascular

Dr. Emmy Okello
  1. Dr. Robert Opoka

Severe anemia in Ugandan children (under 5 years): Implementation research on prevalence, management and outcomes

Blood/Lung

Prof. James Tumwine
  1. Dr. Rebecca Nantanda

Mycoplasma pneumonia among HIV-exposed and unexposed children in Uganda: burden, genotypes, risk and outcome

Blood/Lung

Prof. James Tumwine
  1. Dr. Dickens H. Akena

Developing and pilot testing a peer support mechanism for depression care in patients with diabetes mellitus

Mental Health

Prof. Seggane Musisi
  1. Dr. Noeline Nakasujja

The burden of Alzheimer’s disease and caretakers’ stress and coping in the Ugandan population

Mental Health

Prof. Seggane Musisi
  1. Dr. Henry Kajumbula

Development and evaluation of a direct PCR based method for the diagnosis of bacteremia and candidemia among febrile patients in Uganda

HIV/AIDS

Prof. Moses Joloba

Prof. Elly Katabira
  1. Dr. Benard Bagaya

The  Immunological  consequences  of  alcohol  consumption  in  high  HIV  prevalence  fisherfolk communities of L. Victoria, Uganda; Consequences on susceptibility to HIV infection and transmission

HIV/AIDS

Prof. Moses Joloba

Prof. Elly Katabira
  1. Dr. Emmanuel Seremba

Strategies for the prevention of viral Hepatitis B among HIV infected adults in Uganda

HIV/AIDS

Prof. Moses Joloba

Prof. Elly Katabira
  1. Dr. Joanita Nankabirwa

Differential impacts of control interventions on the characteristics and consequences of malaria infections

Malaria

Prof. Moses Kamya
  1. Dr. Steven Kiwuwa

Genetic diversity of plasmodium falciparum in mild and severe malaria of children

Malaria

Prof. Moses Kamya
  1. Dr. Sarah Nanzigu

Artemether-Lumefantrine Trial with Increased Treatment Duration

Malaria

Prof. Moses Kamya
  1. Mr. Bruhan Kaggwa

Pharmaceutical analysis for improved therapeutic outcomes in treatment of malaria and pneumonia in Uganda

Biology

Dr. Steve Reynolds
  1. Dr. Joshua Nfambi

Nutrient bioavailability and effects on immune system in HIV infected rats

Biology

Dr. Steve Reynolds
  1. Dr. Juliet Otiti

Histopathologic diagnosis of acquired conjunctival growths in an adult HIV positive and negative population in a rural setting

Cancers

Dr. Jackson Orem, Prof. H. Mayanja-Kizza

Assoc. Prof. Damalie Nakanjako
  1. Dr. Adriane Kamulegeya

Risk factors of oral mucositis and some preventive strategies at the Uganda Cancer Institute among solid tumor patients on chemotherapeutic therapeutic regimens

Cancers

Dr. Jackson Orem, Prof. H. Mayanja-Kizza

Assoc. Prof. Damalie Nakanjako
  1. Dr. Dunstan Kalanzi

Evaluating the influence of HIV and ART on dental caries in persons attending the Mulago ISS clinic in Uganda.

Cancers

Dr. Jackson Orem, Prof. H. Mayanja-Kizza

Assoc. Prof. Damalie Nakanjako
  1. Dr. Joseph Ochieng

Ethical issues associated with regulation, storage, and use of human biological materials collected during tuberculosis research in Uganda

Research ethics

Prof. Nelson Sewankambo
  1. Dr. Mike Kagawa

Improving Undergraduate Teaching of the Management of Hypertensive Disease in Pregnancy

Cardiovascular

Dr. Emmy Okello