Thrive-2 Gulu University Showcases Research in an Open Science Day Dear Readers, the Year 2020 Goes by Dr
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Vol 11 | Issue 10 | January - March 2021 THRiVE-2 Gulu University showcases research in an Open Science day Dear Readers, The year 2020 goes By Dr. Tabo Geoffrey; Aol Caroline; Okot Denis & Prof. E.A. Opiyo down in history as one On February 22 2021, various community representatives and media when human kind was faculty of Gulu University funded by houses also participated. extremely challenged THRiVE-2 showcased their research in In her opening remarks, Prof. and devastated by the an open science day under the theme, Elizabeth Opiyo, the co-applicant of COVID-19 pandemic. “Enhancing Public & Community THRiVE-2, indicated that research is “A challenged world is inclusion in research and decision complete if the consumers of research an alert world and from challenge comes making.” The theme emphasized the products are productively engaged in change”. We look forward to “Building on need to engage communities to discuss discussions relating to the findings women’s strength for a better future in a research outputs as one way to improve rather than purely doing research for COVID-19 world”. That was the theme research uptake within the region. scholarly purposes. this year on March 8, when international The day was officially opened by “Local communities who participate Women’s day is commemorated. We have the Resident District Commissioner and contribute to research programmes also come to the end of March, a month that for Gulu City/District and attended have been missing in the end of the was globally recognised as the Women’s by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Gulu research output. If research is to create month. In 1975 the United Nations officially University, The Director THRiVE and impact, then communities and public began sponsoring International Woman's team from the THRiVE Secretariat, have to engage with researchers in the Day on March 8. The UN's General Assembly University Secretary, Faculty Deans and research process and research output declared that they aimed "to recognize the the university’s Director for Research fact that securing peace and social progress should speak to current society issues,” and Graduate Studies. Researchers, she said. and the full enjoyment of human rights and Research Ethics committee members, fundamental freedoms requires the active The day was graced with four participation, equality, and development of women; and to acknowledge the contribution of women to the strengthening of international peace and security." No country can wholistically prosper without the engagement of women and girls. We should, moving forward reflect once again and take stock of women’s participation in science and research. The vision of the Global 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure the engagement and representation of women and girls in all the cultural, social, economic and political situations and Prof. Elizabeth Opio, co-applicant of THRiVE-2 gives her remarks during the open day science is no exception. Others have stated before that “diversity and inclusion create presentations from Career Development Awardees (CDAs) of the university a more dynamic and who presented their research findings and how these are Continue to page 2 impacting policy and practice. The studies were conducted Continue to page 2 Dr. Amongin’s passion to improve Engaging youths as partners in Embracing data science and the fourth THRIVE-2 PUBLICATIONS adolescents’ reproductive health science & research development industrial revolution (4IR) in Uganda FOR 2020 inspired PhD work For the past decade, I used Data science is an inter-disciplinary P S to think that community E field that uses scientific methods, N Dr. Dinah Amongin is a THRiVE E R engagement was about O processes, algorithms and I doctoral candidate at Makerere preparing the community for R T University’s College of Health systems to extract knowledge and E A V45 IC Sciences under the mentorship of planned research activities.... insights from many structural and IE L WE UB Dr. Annette Nakimuli, dean of the unstructured data from diverse D P MUST READ MUST School of Medicine.... Story on page 3 Story on page 5 sources... Story on page 7 ...listed on page 10 THRiVE Newsletter Volume 11 Issue 10 | January - March 2021 1 Editorial ... from Pg. 1 innovative institutional science and to bring meaningful value to an organisation there is need research culture, bringing different to embrace the ideas by the leadership, staff and trainees points of view to bear on challenges and discouraging along with effective mentorship and building organisational groupthink.” It is the experience that different perspectives, resilience so that the drive towards gender equality can world views and opinions positively contribute to problem- withstand changes in leadership and remain sustained over solving and resilience leading to exceptional performance. time. To achieve successful transformation that genuinely Institutions should be very deliberate about recruitment, and sustainably embraces gender equity, diversity and nurturing and retention of talent. Appropriate policies, data inclusion, in research and development institutions should and information driven decision making is essential to put in not view the approach as just a tick box exercise. In order place and also monitor the impact of policies and practice. Open day ... from Pg. 1 within northern Malaria, among others. Therefore,prevalence and risk factors associated with Uganda, covering developing research leaders and mentors to Nagana among livestock, Dr. Robert Opiro Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), advance the agenda for nurturing health recommends better veterinary services and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and research excellence in East Africa is a very continuous surveillance and monitoring as vector-borne diseases that pose great health important approach,” Prof. Sewankambo a means to reduce the disease in the area. challenges to communities. The researchers told participants. Dr Simon Peter Alarakol’s research showed were: Dr. Richard Echodu who presented Dr. Daniel Komakech, Director, Institute pig husbandry in Amuru and Gulu districts his findings on the high level of insecticide of Research and Graduate Studies-Gulu predisposes the animals to pork tapeworm resistance in Anopheles mosquitoes in University, emphasized that research infection. He recommended routine northern Uganda; Dr. Geoffrey Malinga and critical thinking must lead to solving vaccinations of all pigs, mass deworming who presented his research on the impact problems in the community. He underscored of pigs and humans and continuous public of annual and semi-annual treatments of the need for researchers to conduct health education, among others. river blindness in Pader district; Dr. Simon transformative research which leads to After more than 10 years implementation Peter Alarakol who presented findings on innovation and resilience. of Mass Drug administration (MDA) to the prevalence of pork tapeworm in Amuru “Researchers should also create data combat River Blindness (Onchocerciasis) and Gulu districts and Dr. Robert Opiro thinking as source of rationality surrounding in Pader District, Dr Geoffrey Malinga who presented findings from a study on those data” he added. observed that the disease is being controlled, trypanosome species circulating in vectors seeing that few community members and cattle in the transition zone in northern RESEARCH DISCUSSIONS present with signs and symptoms such as Uganda. Discussions following the presentations skin nodules and discoloration. He however Additionally, there were poster centered around policy and practical advised that the 15-year cycle of MDA must presentations by Masters Research implications of the research results. For continue, coupled with monitoring of the Fellowship Awardees. example, following Dr. Richard Echodu’s disease, to realize elimination. In his remarks, Prof. Nelson Sewankambo, research showed that there is a high level of To crown the open day, Dr. Christine THRiVE’s director, detailed the aim, history resistance currently seen in malaria vectors Oryema, an Ethnobotanist and THRiVE and future directions of THRiVE, based on in northern Uganda which reduces the CDA showcased a documentary on how regional health issues including emerging efficacy of pyrethroid-based interventions she established a medicinal plant garden at and re-emerging diseases such as Ebola in in the region. Therefore, participants Otumpili Village, Kock Ongako Sub-county, DRC. appreciated the need to work on reducing Omoro District. She recommended that malaria burden in Northern Uganda by “Communities in Northern Uganda research into usage of medicinal plants and use of alternative approaches to control conservation of such plants should be given face health challenges from emerging and mosquitoes such as use of bed nets. re-emerging diseases such as Nodding priority. Syndrome, Ebola, Hepatitis, HIV and Similarly, in a study to determine the Some participants of the Gulu-THRiVE open day pose for a group photo 2 THRiVE Newsletter Volume 11 Issue 10 | January - March 2021 Collaboration is the key to success Corinna Alberg, co-ordinator THRiVE-2 at Cambridge, UK the lockdown was one of the factors that alerted those studying the disease that something seemed to have changed in the virus. Many of ne thing has dominated our lives in Cambridge, the rest of the the mutations were affecting the spike protein, a protein that enables OUK and much of the world over the past year. A number