Partner 16: Makerere University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (MAK)
Role, qualification and experience
Makerere University has been a leading African centre of Higher learning since 1922, and is rapidly becoming a strategic regional hub to address infectious diseases and Global zoonotic health challenges.The MAK Veterinary Faculty (FVM) runs research and training programms in molecular biology & biotechnology, wildlife-, tourism- and ecosystem-health, alternative medicine, integrated animal resources development, biosecurity & food safety, diagnostics, systems research, socioeconomics and indigenous knowledge systems. Makerere has reasonably advanced molecular biology and other diagnostic laboratories, and animal containment facilities. FVM graduates 50 MSc & PhDs annually and is a pillar in the National Animal Disease Diagnosis and Control System. Our Faculty’s extensive experience with work in the Sub-Saharan Africa tropical ecosystems and close links to regional and European research institutions and universities, e.g. Edinburgh University, Faculty of Life Sciences – University of Copenhagen, Free University of Berlin, University of Bergen, Norway, Karolinska Institute, Sweden and Swiss Tropical Institute, Berne, will greatly benefit the project. Staff have national and international teaching and research exposure hosting summer school activities with several European and American universities including Edinburgh, North Dakota State, California Davis, Manitoba, Saskatoon. MAK scientists act as visiting professors, scientists and examiners in overseas Universities and have research grants from the EU, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Wellcome Trust, WHO, FAO, IFS, NUFU and ASERECA. Makerere has facilitated zoonotic research networks in TB, trypanosomiasis and Cysticercosis. The faculty is the chair of the international network on animal and biomedical sciences for Africa, and is partner for the Edinburgh e – DL Masters in International Animal Health. Collaborative research covers a wide range from epidemio-surveillance, developing of diagnostic assays, assessing host responses, experimental infections to epidemiological investigations and control, socio-economic and gender studies, alternative medicine, community development and supply chain study programs. The University has a longstanding collaboration with The University of Edinburgh and is a partner in Public Private Partnership to Stamp Out Sleeping Sickness (stampoutsleepingsickness.org). MAK has long standing collaboration with ICONZ partners 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 14, 18, 19 & 22.
Scientific leader
John David Kabasa (M), BVM, MSc, Ph.D., Cert Res Mgt., associate professor, research and facilitator in animal health and production, systems science and community development studies. He is Chair of the Faculty Research & Higher Degrees Board, Dean of Faculty and Chair of International Network on Animal and Biomedical Sciences for Africa. Has >35 international papers.
Key personnel
Charles Waiswa (M), BVM, MSc., Ph.D., Senior lecturer and Head of Department of Veterinary Medicine with >15-years experience in parasitology and several publications (>20), mainly on trypanosomiasis research, development and validation of parasitological methods, host/parasite relationships.