Infection and Immunity Research and Training for Uganda. (360G-Wellcome-084344_Z_07_Z)

This is a capacity building proposal for research and training in infection and immunity for Uganda. Key goals are: 1. To create an academic partnership between two internationally-respected Ugandan Institutions: the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and Makerere University. 2. Through this partnership, and regional and international collaborations, to provide an exceptional research platform for outstanding mentorship and research training. 3. Using this platform, to establ ish a UVRI/Makerere Research Training Programme to produce East African scientists capable of competing internationally for sustainable research funding. Opportunities for research experience will range from primary school to post-doctoral level: young people will be introduced to excellent science through Open Days and undergraduate internships; a competitive scheme of fellowships from Masters to post-doctoral level will offer an attractive academic career path to high-calibre Ugandan and East African scientists. Projects will address problems in infection and immunity relevant to the developing world. By offering an outstanding programme in Uganda, we aim to reduce the loss of talented Africans to northern institutions during the formative stages of their research career. By a programmatic approach, we aim to achieve a critical mass of expertise in infection and immunity in Uganda, beyond the reach of piecemeal funding strategies.