Our team is collaborative, innovative, and purpose-driven, combining diverse expertise to deliver meaningful impact and lead initiatives successfully together globally.

Principal Investigator

Prof Segun Fatumo

Professor and Chair of Genomic Diversity & Head of NCD Genomics

Institution

Queen Mary University of London (UK) & MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit (Uganda)

Bio

Professor Segun Fatumo is a globally recognised genomic epidemiologist and one of the leading voices advancing equitable human genomics research. With more than two decades of experience, he has made transformative contributions to understanding the genetic determinants of a range…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4525-3362
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Operational Staff

Rebecca Camenzuli

Programme Manager

Institution

Precision Healthcare University Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom

Bio

Rebecca joined the PHURI as a Programme Manager with a background in global health research and a focus on research management. After completing an MSc in Nutrition for Global Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, she…

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Gloria Kirabo

Project Administrator

Institution

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Uganda

Bio

Gloria Kirabo holds a Master of Science in Bioinformatics, with a research focus on the genetic determinants of kidney disease. She is currently a Project Administrator Bioinformatics at the Medical Research Council / Uganda Virus Research Institute and London…

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Assistant Professors

Dr Oyesola Ojewunmi

Lecturer & Assistant Professor

Institution

Queen Mary University of London (UK) & MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

Bio

Dr Ojewunmi obtained a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and is currently a Senior Research Fellow in Genomics at Queen Mary University of London, UK. His current work employs advanced statistical methods to address genetic heterogeneity…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2774-650X
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Dr Allan Kalungi

Assistant Professor

Institution

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

Bio

Dr Allan Kalungi is a psychiatric genetic epidemiologist and medical biochemist based at the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, with affiliations to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Makerere University.

He is a Wellcome Early Career Fellow.…

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ORCID

0000-0002-2890-0145
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Dr Abram Kamiza

Assistant Professor

Institution

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

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Dr David Twesigomwe

Assistant Professor

Institution

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

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Post-Docs

Dr Nhan Nguyen

Senior Postdoctoral Researcher

Institution

Precision Health University Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom

Bio

Dr Nhan Nguyen is a postdoctoral researcher at Queen Mary University of London’s Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI). Her current research focuses on computational genomics and multiomics analysis in population-based studies.

Nhan did her BSc in Biology at the Vietnam…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8720-1195
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Dr Christopher Kintu

Postdoctoral Researcher

Institution

Precision Health University Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom

Bio

Dr Christopher Kintu is a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant at the Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI), Queen Mary University of London. His work leverages African data resources to identify novel genetic associations and causal variants, develop polygenic risk scores (PRS),…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8243-2354
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Dr Sarah Silva

Postdoctoral Researcher

Institution

Precision Health University Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom

Bio

Dr Sarah Silva holds a BSc (Hons) in Genetics from the University of Liverpool and an MSc in Genomic Medicine from Queen Mary University of London. She recently completed her PhD at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5156-0671
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Graduate students and Interns

Eyad Elbahtety

PhD Student

Institution

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Bio

Eyad gained his BSc in dentistry from British University in Egypt in 2018, moved to the UK in 2020 for his MSc in regenerative dentistry from King's College London, and then started his PhD in population genetics in 2023 at…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0136-3527
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Florence Nakabiri

PhD student

Institution

Makerere University, Uganda

Bio

Florence Nakabiri is a PhD student, passionate about using genomics to improve health outcomes in Africa. She holds a master’s degree in bioinformatics from Makerere University, where she worked on malaria genomics.

Her current research focuses on the genetic determinants…

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Lillian Linda

PhD student

Institution

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

Bio

Lillian Linda is a PhD student at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the NCD Genomics at MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. She holds a BSc in Biomedical Laboratory Technology and an MSc Bioinformatics. Lillian…

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Cheick Himran El Fadel Moundi

MSc Research Intern

Institution

African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics (ACE-B), Mali and University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTT-B), Côte d’Ivoire

Bio

Himran Moundi is a Research Intern with our research group. He holds a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics from the African Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics (ACE-B) in Bamako, Mali, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences from Bazo University…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0814-5591
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Irene Namara

PhD Student

Institution

Makerere University, Uganda and Institute of Translation Genomics, Helmholtz Munich, Germany

Bio

A graduate student pursuing a PhD in Bioinformatics at the African Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics at Makerere University in Uganda. She also holds a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics and a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Laboratory Technology from the same…

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Isaac Okello Opio

Graduate Intern

Institution

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

Bio

Isaac Okello Opio is a Bioinformatician with expertise in genomic data analysis, machine learning, data visualization, and statistical modeling. He is currently a Graduate Research Internship student with the Genomic Diversity research group at MRC/UVRI & LSHTM, based in Uganda.…

LinkedIn

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ORCID

0009-0001-7383-5178
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Sainabou Laye Ndure

PhD Student

Institution

Queen Mary University of London, UK

Bio

Sainabou Laye Ndure is a PhD student at Queen Mary University of London, working on polygenic risk scores and rare disease genes within the Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI). She is also the Founder and Chairperson of the Human…

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Olga Nsangi Tendo

Student Research Intern

Institution

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

Bio

Olga Nsangi Tendo is a biomedical scientist and Research Fellow at the Mental Health Unit of the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Laboratory Technology and an MSc in Bioinformatics at Makerere University.…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3489-499X
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Cephas Akpabio

Visiting PhD Student

Institution

University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Bio

Cephas Akpabio is a doctoral researcher in Zoology (Cell Biology and Genetics) at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where he is currently pursuing a PhD focused on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He holds an MSc in Zoology (Cell Biology and Genetics)…

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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9843-8273
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Dr Aishat Oladipo

Visiting Research Assistant

Institution

Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom

Bio

Aishat is a Research Assistant with the Genomic Diversity Research Group at Queen Mary University of London. Her current research focuses on identifying genetic risk variants and exploring causal relationships between genetic factors and disease outcomes.

She completed her undergraduate degree…

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ORCID

0000-0002-9815-5566
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Affiliate Members

Dr Tafadzwa Machipisa

Postdoctoral Researcher

Institution

University of Pennsylvania, USA

Bio

Dr. Tafadzwa Machipisa is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and a fellow at the Penn Center for Global Genomics & Health Equity. She earned her Ph.D. in Medicine from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, with…

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ORCID

0000-0002-4882-9067
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Abdoulaye Diawara

Bioinformatician

Institution

University of Sciences Techniques and Technologies of Bamako/ACE-B, Mali

Bio

Dr. Abdoulaye Diawara is a bioinformatician and PhD student at the African Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics (ACE-B), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Mali. His research focuses on leveraging genetic epidemiology and Mendelian randomization to understand…

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ORCID

0000-0001-6414-8985
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Brenda Udosen

PhD Student

Institution

University of Leicester, United Kingdom

Bio

Brenda Udosen is a third-year PhD researcher and Wellcome Trust scholar, focusing on genetic epidemiology and the application of polygenic risk scores (PRS) to cardiometabolic traits in African populations. My doctoral work investigates how cutting-edge statistical genetics methods can be…

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Dr Richard Mayanja

Postdoctoral Researcher

Institution

Gladstone Institutes, USA

Bio

Dr Richard Mayanja is a bioinformatics postdoctoral fellow passionate about understanding the genetic basis of vascular diseases and their complications, such as diabetes, across diverse populations. His research applies advanced computational and statistical genetics approaches, including structural equation modeling, mediation…

LinkedIn

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ORCID

0000-0001-8127-9450
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Kisakye Diana Kabbale

PhD Student

Institution

Makerere University, Uganda

Bio

Dr. Kisakye holds a Bachelor's in Medicine and Surgery from Makerere University and an MSc in Genomic Medicine from St George's University and King's College, London. She is currently a PhD Scholar at Makerere University and in the Nielsen Lab…

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ORCID

0009-0000-9240-7155
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Dr Shadia Nakalema

Physician and Research Scientist

Institution

Infectious Diseases Institute, Uganda

Bio

Dr. Shadia Nakalema is a Physician and Research Scientist at the Infectious Diseases Institute, Mulago, and a PhD scholar at the University of Liverpool. Her research focuses on improving sexual and reproductive health for women living with HIV, with an…

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ORCID

0009-0007-8470-4564
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Dr Oumou Maiga

Bioinformatician/Pharmacist

Institution

ACE-B, Mali

Bio

Oumou Maiga is a pharmacist who also has a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics. She has a strong interest in virology, human genetics and genomic epidemiology. Her academic training and work focus on the application of computational and statistical methods to…

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ORCID

0000-0003-0207-3564
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Shakirah Namuli

Masters Student

Institution

Wellcome Sanger Institute & Cambridge University, United Kingdom

Bio

Shakirah obtained her undergraduate degree in biotechnology from Makerere University. She carried out GWAS analysis of suicidal risk among the general population cohort using data from the Uganda Genome Resource. Shakirah is now an MPhil student at the university of…

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