My science journey
My journey has be interesting, fuelled by curiosity and inspired by the challenges around me. Growing up in Uganda, I developed a fascination with infectious diseases, and becoming a medical doctor was a dream. But instead, I pursued Biomedical Laboratory Technology at Makerere University, so I can get involved in research. My undergraduate project explored using essential oils to prevent mould growth and aflatoxins in stored grains. This work felt particularly relevant because high aflatoxin levels in grains have long limited Uganda’s agricultural exports.
While working in the microbiology lab on my undergraduate project, I discovered bacteriophages - viruses that infect bacteria. One training workshop introduced me to the incredible world of phage discovery and analysis, sparking my interest in bioinformatics. The power of genomic analysis captured my attention, and after an introductory bioinformatics course, I knew I wanted to build skills in this field. A few online courses later, I was ready for hands-on experience and earned an internship at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) with the H3ABioNet node. Supported by MUII-Plus funding, my internship expanded to a full year, where I participated in bioinformatics training, developed analysis pipelines, and contributed to building galaxy@UVRI, a user-friendly platform for next-generation sequencing data.
In August 2019, I began my MSc. in Bioinformatics at Makerere University, funded under BRecA and MUII-Plus. Despite the pandemic’s disruptions, I worked on a dissertation project funded by the FibroScHot Consortium to develop a genome-aware SNP-based tool for targeted amplicon sequencing of Schistosoma mansoni, implemented in Python. My aim was to support parasite genomic surveillance by creating an efficient, automated tool for SNP-targeting primer design.
Then in August 2022, I started my PhD at University of Leicester, under the Wellcome Doctoral Training Programme in Genomic Epidemiology and Public Health Genomics. I have since immersed myself into the world of human genomics…
Looking Ahead
Now, as I near completion of my PhD, I am eager to apply what I’ve learned and explore how genomics can help improve health outcomes. I’m especially passionate about bridging the gap between research and clinical application.