MakDARTA: Building data science capacity to improve health in Africa
Official title: Makerere University Data Science Research Training to Strengthen Evidence-Based Health Innovation, Intervention and Policy (MakDARTA)
Funded at Makerere University College of Health Sciences · NIH-11471969 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-year program trains Ugandan data scientists to turn health data into better decisions for HIV, TB, malaria, and other diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Makerere University College of Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kampala, Uganda) |
| Project start | September 22, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $200,001 |
| NIH project number | 3U2RTW012116-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11471969 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals interested in advanced data science training related to health, and sites in Uganda involved in Makerere's program or similar collaborations.
✕Less likely to help
This grant is focused on training and capacity building; direct clinical benefits to individual patients are not the primary aim.
What this research studies
This program partners Makerere University with Johns Hopkins to develop master's, PhD, postdoctoral, and faculty training in health data science. Trainees will learn advanced analytics and how to apply them to real-world health data from Uganda, including clinical, laboratory, genomic, and public health datasets. The goal is to produce locally grounded, rigorous analyses that inform U.S. and global health policy and practice. The program emphasizes understanding local health systems, data quality, and context to translate findings into impactful health interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients could benefit from more informed health policies and interventions driven by locally trained data scientists who understand Uganda's health context.
How similar studies have gone: Prior DS-I Africa initiatives have shown that locally trained data scientists can improve evidence-based health decision-making.
Where this research is happening
-
Makerere University College of Health Sciences
Kampala, Uganda Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kateete, David Patrick — Makerere University College of Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Kateete, David Patrick
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.