Enhancing National Covid-19 Screening and Diagnostic Support Capacity in Uganda
Lead Research Organisation:
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The MRC is pleased to confirm additional capital funding for the MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Research Unit Uganda up to the value of £40,000 to procure an Applied Biosystems Real Time PCR machine to support the Centres important work on COVID-19.
This exceptional award is being made in recognition of the fact that research will be critical in overcoming this epidemic.
This exceptional award is being made in recognition of the fact that research will be critical in overcoming this epidemic.
Organisations
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (Lead Research Organisation)
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Collaboration)
- Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Collaboration)
- Abbott (Collaboration)
- Medical Research Council (MRC) (Collaboration)
- Ministry of Health, Uganda (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Pontiano Kaleebu (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Bbosa N
(2022)
Rapid Replacement of SARS-CoV-2 Variants by Delta and Subsequent Arrival of Omicron, Uganda, 2021.
in Emerging infectious diseases
Bugembe DL
(2021)
Emergence and spread of a SARS-CoV-2 lineage A variant (A.23.1) with altered spike protein in Uganda.
in Nature microbiology
Bugembe DL
(2020)
Main Routes of Entry and Genomic Diversity of SARS-CoV-2, Uganda.
in Emerging infectious diseases
Bugembe DL
(2021)
SARS-CoV-2 Variants, South Sudan, January-March 2021.
in Emerging infectious diseases
Cotten M
(2021)
Alternate primers for whole-genome SARS-CoV-2 sequencing
in Virus Evolution
Lutalo T
(2021)
Evaluation of the performance of 25 SARS-CoV-2 serological rapid diagnostic tests using a reference panel of plasma specimens at the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
in International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
Mugisha J
(2023)
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 Infections in Vaccinated Persons, Rural Uganda.
in Emerging infectious diseases
Nalumansi A
(2021)
Field evaluation of the performance of a SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid diagnostic test in Uganda using nasopharyngeal samples.
in International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
| Description | We achieved a lot including surveys for circulating variants, studies of risk factors for COVID-19, validation of assays and contributing to policy. We are part of the national reference laboratory; we have trained other technical staff in Uganda, have a functional sequencing laboratory, made presentations. |
| Exploitation Route | Our data is contributing to vaccine development. |
| Sectors | Education Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | There are 14 peer-reviewed publications in relation to this award. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | Chairperson SARS-CoV2/COVID-19 Laboratory Quality Assurance Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | This committee has led to policies and practice on which tests to use, which laboratories to test for SARS-CoV-2 and provided testing panels. |
| Description | Chairperson SARS-CoV2/COVID-19 Laboratory Quality Assurance Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | This committee has led to policies and practice on which tests to use, which laboratories to test for SARS-CoV-2 and provided testing panels. |
| Description | Guidance to Ministry on which COVID-19 antigen, antibody and PCR kits to use |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | This has guided on the tests to use during the COVID-19 pandemic and guided private sector which kits to import |
| Description | Participation as a committee member of the COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The committee was able to advise against the importation of some COVID-19 vaccines and to rule out some adverse events as a result of vaccinations. |
| Description | Collaboratory Pilot: SARS-CoV-2 Breakthroughs |
| Amount | $250,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 11/2024 |
| End | 11/2025 |
| Description | Collaboratory Platform: Unlocking SARS-CoV-2 Immunity for Pan-Coronavirus Immune Therapies. |
| Amount | $150,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 11/2024 |
| End | 11/2025 |
| Description | Viral Surveillance and Discovery in Uganda. Abbott Diagnostics |
| Amount | $821,733 (USD) |
| Organisation | Abbott |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | Capacity building for metagenomic Next Generation Sequencing (mNGS) infrastructure |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Department | MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Research Unit Uganda |
| Country | Uganda |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | MRC Capital bids supported the setting up of an automated library preparation system for metagenomics next generation sequencing applications. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funders |
| Impact | Facilitates more efficient downstream Next Generation Sequencing applications for pathogen genomics projects. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Collaborationwith the Ministry of Health on Research on emerging and re-emeging infections |
| Organisation | Ministry of Health, Uganda |
| Country | Uganda |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We are conducting surveillance studies for new and re-ermerging viruses. We look for funding, collaborations and conduct some of the studies locally |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Ministry of Health Departments offer the environment to work in different surveillance sites and some epidemiological expertise |
| Impact | Publications, policies, and valuable samples |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Global Immunology and Immune Sequencing for Epidemic Response (GIISER) |
| Organisation | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Profiling the immune response to COVID-19 in Uganda, and immune response to COVID-19 vaccines, Humoral (binding and Neutralisation)assays, Coference presentations, publications, |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to diverse collaborative platforms and institutions, sharing of an extensive array of research biological reagents, including plasmids for protein expression and Psudovirus production. Acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment and technologies, including 10x technology, with a focus on monoclonal antibody discovery, structural biology, systems immunology, peptide arrays, and single-cell methodologies to unravel the molecular underpinnings of immune responses against viral infections. |
| Impact | Technology transfer, capacity building, scientific literature, reagent transfer, assay transfer, Peer reviewed publications |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | SARS-COV-2 Surveillance in Uganda. |
| Organisation | Africa Centres For Disease Control And Prevention |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | 1.Genomic sequencing of clinical samples during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. Providing SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance in Uganda |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding |
| Impact | 1. Generated data on circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants in Uganda that guided COVID-19 response. 2. Deposited SARS-CoV-2 genomes in the GISAID database |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Viral Surveillance and Discovery in Uganda. Abbott Diagnostics |
| Organisation | Abbott |
| Department | Abbott Diagnostics |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We perform surveillance for viral infections and discovery of new viruses using metagenomics. In the past we have been able to detect some outbreaks like anthrax using this approach |
| Collaborator Contribution | Abbott has provided funding, bioinformatics pipelines and opportunities for training. UVRI and the Ministry of Health the other partners have provided access to populations and samples, access to laboratories and equipment. |
| Impact | Averhoff F, Berg M, Rodgers M, Osmanov S, Luo X, Anderson M, Meyer T, Landay A, Gamkrelidze A, Kallas EG, Ciuoderis K, Hernandez JP, Henry JH, Osorio J, Lindo J, Deshommes J, Anzinger J, Manasa J, Alkashvili M, Souleyman M, Kaleebu P, Correa-Oliveira R, Solomon S, de Olivera T, Suputtamongkol Y, Cloherty G. The Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition: a unique multi-sector approach adds to global pandemic preparedness efforts. Int J Infect Dis. 2022 Feb 5:S1201-9712(22)00080-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.02.001. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and variants in Uganda |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Over 50 researchers attended WHO sponsored meeting on COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness studies in Africa and SE Asia. Presented updates on the study in Uganda |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation at the Gambia Unit anniversary |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I presented on the SARS CoV-2 variants in Uganda and evaluation of testing kits |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation at the LSHTM week |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We presentation on the state of SARS CoV-2 at the LSHTM week |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022,2023 |
| Description | TV presentation on SARSCoV-2 variants in Uganda |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I presented on the state of SARS CoV-2 in Uganda including the variants that exist |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022,2023 |