Denis Omara is a PhD scholar at Makerere University, Uganda and a Research Fellow at MRC/UVRI & LSHTM, Uganda Research Unit, conducting preclinical research on adenovirus vector-based vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus to evaluate their safety, immunogenicity and efficacy using model animals (mice and monkeys). He holds an MSc in Immunology and Clinical Microbiology from Makerere University, with research on the Interferon Sensitivity profile of HIV-1 Transmitted Founder viruses of subtype D and AD recombinants in Uganda. He is experienced in conducting in-vivo studies in animal models, molecular virology, virus culture, and clinical microbiology. He is passionate about viral immunology and mentorship, having supervised BSc and MSc students. He also holds a BSc in Education (Biology & Chemistry) from Busitema University and has teaching experience in high schools and as a voluntary immunology teaching assistant at Makerere University. He provided mentorship to an MSc student who conducted a study on HIV-1 co-receptor usage of contemporary Transmitted/ Founder virus variants in Uganda.

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Dr. Anne Kapaata (BSc, MSc, PhD) is a Research Fellow at the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, with over a decade of experience in HIV-1 research. Her work focuses on viral characterization, next-generation sequencing, and biomedical prevention strategies.Currently, she is leading and contributing to multiple projects, including: Improving HIV-1 incidence estimation using next-generation sequencing. Assessing the suitability of biomedical prevention products against contemporary HIV-1 strains in Uganda and India and Vaccine development for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, exploring multiple antigenic epitopes for human and animal protection. Dr. Kapaata earned a BSc in Biomedical Laboratory Technology (2005) and an MSc in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences and Management (2012), both from Makerere University, Uganda. In 2022, she completed her PhD in Molecular Virology, where she investigated the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of HIV-1 transmitted/founder viruses and their impact on cytokine profiles and disease progression in acutely infected Ugandans. She joined the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM in 2006 as a Laboratory Technologist, playing a key role in the design and execution of different HIV-1 laboratory-based studies. Her expertise spans molecular virology and laboratory-based surveillance. She is passionate about mentorship of young scientists.

Mr. Frank Kato holds a BSc. Biotechnology and MSc. Bioinformatics from Makerere University. He currently works with the International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) project at the MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. Here, he utilities Single genome Amplification, Sequencing and Bioinformatics approaches to identify the near full length HIV-1 Transmitted/Founder viruses in key populations from Africa. Also, he’s has trained several interns from Uganda and scientists from KAVI, and Aurum institute on SGA, sequencing and bioinformatics approaches for HIV-1 T/F identification. Besides, his role, Frank is a Phd student at Makerere University focusing on HIV reservoir kinetics in Uganda

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I am a molecular biologist with focus on metagenomics, vaccines, and bioinformatics. My research has been focused on understanding the genetic diversity of viruses and microbial communities, contributing to infectious disease surveillance, vaccine development, and genomic epidemiology. I utilize advanced sequencing technologies and computational approaches to analyze complex datasets, providing insights into pathogen evolution and public health.

Angella Nakyanzi  is a biomedical laboratory technologist at Uganda Virus Research Institute . I hold a Bachelor of Biomedical Laboratory Technology from the University of Kisubi and I also possess a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology from Medicare Health Professional College. I have been actively involved in research on HIV-1 transmitted/founder viruses, with a focus on viral subtype differences . The laboratory work I perform includes RNA and DNA extraction, Single Genome amplification and sequencing which are essential in characterizing viral genomes.

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Pontiano Kaleebu is the Director of the Uganda Virus Research Institute and Director of the MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit. He is an Honorary Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Makerere University College of Health Sciences. He holds a medical degree from Makerere University, a Diploma in Immunology and a PhD from the University of London. He was admitted to the Fellowship of the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London in 2011. He has served on many committees including the WHO HIV Vaccine Advisory Committee, The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise coordinating committee, The UNAIDS Science Panel, the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition Board, the NIAID HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Strategic Working group, CHAVI-Immune Discovery Scientific Advisory Board and was chair of the African AIDS Vaccine Programme (AAVP). He is Uganda’s representative at the EDCTP General Assembly. He chairs the National HIV Drug Resistance Working Group. His main research interests include HIV vaccine research especially understanding protective immune responses, HIV diversity and resistance to antiretroviral therapy.

Sheila Nina Balinda is an Assistant Professor/Principal Research Scientist (molecular virologist) at the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute (MRC/UVRI) and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) Uganda Research Unit. She received a B.Sc. in biochemistry (2001) and a Ph.D. in molecular virology (2011) from Makerere University (Uganda), and an M.Sc. in applied molecular microbiology (2005) from Nottingham University (UK). She has extensive experience in “One Health”, having studied both animal (foot and mouth disease, FMD) and human (HIV) viruses for over 15 years. She leads a team of Ugandan researchers working with a novel adenovector platform for COVID-19 and CCHF vaccine development funded by the governments of Uganda and Britain, respectively. She is currently part of the virus surveillance team that will inform priority immunogens for vaccine development and bnAB prevention approaches targeted to specific populations in Africa and India.