By Editorial
Dr. Christine Sekaggya-Wiltshire, head of the Haematology Department at Mulago National Referral Hospital, has been chosen for the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) Affiliates program’s new cohort.
She is among the 24 female researchers, who have been accepted into the program, which aims to recognise, mentor, and transform early career researchers into world-class research leaders in line with the institution’s vision of transforming lives through science.
The selected Fellows and Affiliates are distinguished researchers who represent the continent’s talent and promising men and women from around the world, according to AAS.
Dr. Sekaggya is also a Senior Researcher at Makerere University’s Infectious Diseases Institute, where she works on tuberculosis, HIV, drug pharmacokinetics, and thrombosis trials.
She has led studies on the relationship between tuberculosis drug concentrations and treatment outcomes, as well as dose optimization studies for anti-tuberculous medication. She has also been involved in research on dosing algorithms for oral anticoagulants in thrombosis patients.
She received the 2018 Stephen Lawn TB-HIV Research Leadership Award in recognition of her work in reducing the burden of tuberculosis. She is a role model for many young scientists in the country and on the African continent.
According to the AAF, Ssekagya was selected to be a program fellow for her significant contributions to the advancement of early-phase clinical trials and pharmacokinetic research in Uganda.
AAS is a non-aligned, non-political, not-for-profit Pan-African organisation headquartered in Nairobi, with a hosting agreement with the government of Kenya. The AAS’s vision is to see transformed lives on the African continent through science.
Other researchers selected for the program are Dr. Rebecca Kariuki (Kenya), Dr. Hannah Karuri (Kenya), Dr. Alice Kamau (Kenya), Dr. Luria Leslie Founou (South Africa), Dr. Theresia Estomih Nkya (Nigeria), Dr. Oluwakemi Rotimi (Nigeria), Dr. Rania Moussa (Egypt), and Dr. Huguette Dorine (Cameroon).
Also, Dr. Thandazile Moyo (South Africa), Dr. Thandeka Moyo-Gwete (South Africa), Professor Tricia Naicker (South Africa), Doctor Ané Orchard (South Africa), Dr. Vimbai Samukange (Zimbabwe), Dr. Igbari, Aramide Dolapo (Nigeria), Dr. Emelda Chukwu (Nigeria) Dr. Blessing Adanta Odogwu (Nigeria), Dr. Caroline Rosemyya Kwawu (Ghana), Dr. Cynthia Ayefoumi Adinortey (Ghana), , Dr. Tsitsi Monera-Penduka (Zimbabwe), Dr. Rehab El-Maghraby (Egypt), and Dr. O. Sarobidy Rakotonarivo (Madagascar) were selected.
The Affiliates are part of a group of 47 Affiliates selected from over 200 competitive applicants. They were chosen after a rigorous process based on their demonstrated excellence in scientific development and application in Africa.
They will receive professional development assistance in grant writing, publishing, science communication, collaborative research, scientific leadership, entrepreneurship, mentoring and networking over the course of their five-year membership.
However, they now join a network of 127 Affiliates from various African countries and scientific disciplines.
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