On February 13, 2025, MUHAS hosted Prof. Jean Nachega, a professor at the University of Stellenbosch, Pittsburgh, and Johns Hopkins, who delivered a keynote speech on “The Journey to Building Sustainable and Impactful Scientific Leadership, Research Capacity, and Partnerships in Africa” during the Early Career Investigator Workshop attended by MUHAS faculty.
Prof. Nachega shared his personal journey in building a career in research and establishing successful research partnerships in Africa, discussing the challenges he faced and how these partnerships have contributed to addressing major public health issues such as Mpox, HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and Sickle Cell Disease across the African continent He highlighted key achievements, including grants, cross-continental implementation research projects, and capacity-building programs that would have been unattainable without such partnerships. He emphasized the importance of building networks of scientists across Africa while acknowledging the vital role played by scientists from around the globe.
Prof. Nachega commended the excellent work done by MUHAS in seeking and securing grants and expressed an interest in providing mentorship and guidance to early career investigators at MUHAS. Prof. Appolinary Kamuhabwa, the MUHAS Vice Chancellor, thanked Prof. Nachega for his insightful keynote address and concluded by reaffirming the university’s commitment to strengthening its staff’s research grant writing skills, enhancing research facilities, and fostering meaningful partnerships with other institutions.