Study Team
Ms. Jane Kabami : Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator IDRC
Jane Kabami, BNS, MPH, is an implementation scientist at the Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration based at the Mbarara regional office in south western Uganda where she provides oversight for all research projects in the region. Since 2011, she has been working in research as an investigator on the SEARCH “HIV test and treat study” and several other studies in the region. In addition, she is endowed with special ability to engage community, the local political leadership and stakeholders at the regional level with district leadership and implementing partners. This is a critical attribute in project management and successful implementation of this project.For the INTEGRATED HIV/HTN project, Ms Kabami is the Coordinator and Principal Investigator at IDRC and is also the chairperson of the project implementation committee (PIC) and a member of the scientific steering committee. As the Coordinator, Ms. Kabami will be responsible for the overall scientific, fiscal and administrative responsibility for conducting the project and meeting the terms and conditions of the award, and representing the program to funders.
Prof. Moses Kamya : Co-Investigator-Makerere University
Dr. Moses Kamya is a Professor of Medicine at Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Kampala, Uganda. He was Chair of the Department of Medicine between 2009-2015 and Dean of Makerere University School of Medicine, Kampala, Uganda between 2015 and 2019. He has been conducting research on malaria, HIV and other infectious disease research since the late 1990’s. He has hundreds of publications in peer reviewed journals and is one of the leading research scientists at Makerere university and in Africa. Currently, he serves as the Principle Investigator or co-principle Investigator of multiple research and training projects. He is the director of the Uganda Malaria Surveillance Project and chairs the Uganda National ART Committee. Most recently (2018), he was awarded the University of California Berkeley (UCB) School of Public Health honor as one of the 75 most influential public health alumni over UCB 75-year history. In the same year, he received the “Excellence Award in Recognition of his Dedication and Commitment Towards a Malaria Free Uganda”.
Prof. Heiner Grosskurth : Co–investigator,London school
Heiner Grosskurth is a Professor of Epidemiology and International Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Currently he is based at the Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit (MITU) in Mwanza, Tanzania. The Unit is a research collaboration between LSHTM and the National Institute for Medical Research Tanzania. He works on studies related to HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). From 2003 – 2010 he was the Director of the MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS. Previously, he led the emerging STI/HIV research programme of the Population Council in India, and during the 1990ies he directed the STI/HIV Intervention Research Programme operated by LSHTM and AMREF in Mwanza. By background a clinical epidemiologist, his main area of work since 1991 has been in the prevention and care of HIV infection and STIs, and more recently NCDs. Heiner has expertise in health services research and in cluster-randomised controlled trials to evaluate new health interventions. He contributed to about 220 peer-reviewed publications. With regards to the current trial aiming to explore the effectiveness of the PRECEDE model in integrating hypertension with HIV care among primary care health facilities from 20 districts in western Uganda, he contributed to protocol development and will stay involved as a Co-PI.
Dr. Emmy Okello : Co-Investigator,UHI
Makerere University, Kampala is the largest and oldest institution of higher learning in Uganda, that was established 1922 as a technical institute and later became an independent national university in 1970. Today, Makerere University hosts nine colleges and one school offering programmes for about 36,000 undergraduates and 4,000 postgraduates. It also has a number of affiliated institutions and research institutions spread out throughout the country. Makerere University presents itself as a reservoir of the country’s intellectual elite with the obligation to champion social, political and economic change in society through professional extension services and influencing policy. For more information, please visit https://www.mak.ac.ug/
Dr. Gerald Mutungi : Co–Investigator Ministry of Health
Dr Gerald Mutungi is the current head of NCDs prevention and control program at Ministry of Health, Uganda. His roles include coordination of all efforts geared to prevent and control NCDs in the country. Dr Gerald Mutungi is a medical doctor and a public health specialist having qualified with a bachelor of Medicine and a bachelor surgery from Makerere University and a Masters of Public Health from the University of New South Wales, Australia. He also holds a Masters of Health Services Management of the University of New South Wales, Australia. He has worked both in public and private sectors. He is conversant with Uganda’s health system having worked as head of a sub district in Luwero district for over five years, deputized the District Health Officer for a year. He has headed different programs at the Ministry of Health headquarters including Nodding disease program, School Health and NCDs. He worked with Infectious Diseases Institute of Makerere University before he joined the Ministry of Health. Dr. Mutungi has travelled extensively to contribute to global policies, guidelines and other documents for prevention and control of NCDs including monitoring. His research interest is in the area of Non Communicable Diseases especially prevention and early detection. He is now into integration of NCDs management and HIV research. He is the Co-Investigator of MoH and will oversee, communication, dissemination and exploitation.
Dr. Mucunguzi Atukunda : Program Manager, IDRC
Dr Mucunguzi Atukunda,MBChB, MPH, is a medical doctor working with Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration. For the last 6 years, he has coordinated several studies in Malaria, HIV, TB and Hypertension in rural settings of Uganda. His research interests are in economic evaluations of public health interventions of non- communicable diseases and infectious diseases. On this project he will work as the Project Manager charged with execution, coordination and implementation of all the project activities against the work plan.
Ms. Catherine Tugaineyo : Finance and Administrative Director, IDRC
Mrs. Catherine N. Tugaineyo (MBA, Univ. of Arizona) is the Finance and Administrative Director of the Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration. In 2005, she joined the Makerere University-University of California San Francisco (MU-UCSF) Research collaboration as an Administrator to handle administration, human resource and logistics for 4 studies. In 2008, when IDRC was incorporated, she was promoted to the position of Administrative Director and later to Finance and Administrative Director. Since then, she has been overseeing the finance and administration of multiple studies that IDRC has been administering. As the Finance and Administrative Director, she currently, over sees over 20 staff and approximately 45 grants. She is responsible for overseeing all fiscal functions of the organization, ensuring that IDRC operates in an effective and fiscally sound manner. Ms. Tugaineyo also ensures that IDRC has sound policies that are in compliance with funding agency rules and regulations.
Geoff Lavoy : Data Director, IDRC
Geoff Lavoy will oversee the Data management and analysis work package for the Integrated HIV/HTN project. Mr. Lavoy is an Electronics Engineering Technologist with over 20 years’ experience in database design and administration, systems design, and software development. For the last 15 years he has been working with IDRC managing data for multiple international malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis research projects in East Africa. He established IDRC’s Data Management Center in Kampala, Uganda in 2005 and is responsible for overseeing the data management needs for all projects within IDRC. Mr. Lavoy was responsible for developing IDRC’s proprietary Data Management System which is utilized by many projects within the organization.