UGR-NEXUS

Population Genomics & Multi-Omics Expansion


Overview

UGR-NEXUS (Phase II), also referred to as the 10K Uganda Biobank, is a large-scale population-based biomedical resource comprising 10,141 participants recruited through the Uganda General Population Cohort (GPC). The resource integrates extensive psychiatric and cardiometabolic phenotyping with biological sample collection, providing a foundation for genomic and multi-omics investigations of complex diseases in African populations.

The GPC, established in 1989 and maintained by the MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, is an ongoing population-based cohort comprising approximately 22,000 participants from 25 villages in Kalungu District, Uganda. The cohort is extensively characterised, with household-level geographic information and historically high participation rates.

UGR-NEXUS expands the scope of the Uganda Genome Resource through detailed assessments of mental health, cardiometabolic health and kidney function, alongside the collection of biological samples for molecular profiling.


Cohort Information

  • Project identifier: UGR-NEXUS (Phase II)
  • Alternative identifier: 10K Uganda Biobank
  • Established: 2025
  • Participants: 10,141
  • Age range: 18–80 years
  • Source population: Uganda General Population Cohort (GPC)
  • Study location: Kalungu District, Uganda
  • Research focus: Psychiatric, cardiometabolic and kidney disease epidemiology

Biological Samples and Phenotypic Data

  • Biospecimens: Blood, DNA, serum and plasma collected for biomedical and molecular investigations
  • Psychiatric phenotyping: Assessments covering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), suicidality, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and alcohol and substance use
  • Cardiometabolic phenotyping: Clinical and biological measurements covering cardiometabolic traits and associated risk factors
  • Kidney function: Biological samples collected for the assessment of kidney function and related biomarkers
  • Epidemiological data: Population-based demographic and health information collected through the GPC

Genomic and Multi-Omics Profiling Opportunities

  • Whole-genome sequencing: Opportunities for whole-genome sequencing (WGS) or blended genome–exome (BGE) sequencing
  • Proteomics: Opportunities for high-throughput protein profiling using the Olink platform
  • Metabolomics: Opportunities for metabolomic profiling using Metabolon and Nightingale platforms
  • DNA methylation: Opportunities for genome-wide epigenetic profiling

Research Applications

UGR-NEXUS supports large-scale investigations into the epidemiology and genetic architecture of psychiatric, cardiometabolic and kidney diseases in African populations.

The integration of detailed clinical phenotyping, biological samples and genomic profiling opportunities provides a foundation for genome-wide association studies, biomarker discovery, multi-omics integration and investigations into disease susceptibility, comorbidity and genetic risk prediction.

The resource also supports research into the relationships between mental health, cardiometabolic risk factors and kidney function within a well-characterised African population.


Development status: Expansion of genomic and multi-omics profiling is subject to industry partnerships and funding. Availability of individual molecular datasets should be confirmed before initiating research applications