NIH-funded research R01 grant

Pathogen spread between wildlife and people in rural Uganda

Official title: Pathogen Transmission Dynamics among Wildlife and Human Settlements in Rural Western Uganda

Funded at Makerere University College of Health Sciences · NIH-11607764 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This grant looks at how virus strains move between wildlife and people in rural western Uganda to help predict and prevent outbreaks.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMakerere University College of Health Sciences
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Kampala, Uganda)
Project startSeptember 11, 2024
Project endMay 31, 2030
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$501,986
NIH project number7R01TW012932-02
Project IDNIH-11607764 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal participants include people living in rural communities at the wildlife-human interface who may be exposed to wildlife-borne viruses.

Less likely to help

Individuals not exposed to wildlife or at lower risk may derive less direct benefit.

What this research studies

Researchers will study how AdV virus strains vary and spread at wildlife-human interfaces in Western Uganda, using genomic sequencing and advanced data analyses. They will build predictive models to map transmission pathways and identify where interventions could stop spread. The work aims to apply lessons to other emerging viruses to strengthen global and American health security. The project will leverage local biodiversity, ecological data, and African pathogen surveillance expertise to improve outbreak prevention strategies.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, it could improve early warning and prevention of zoonotic outbreaks that threaten people in Uganda and beyond.

How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that genomic tracing can reveal transmission routes, supporting this approach as promising but requiring context-specific validation.

Where this research is happening

  • Makerere University College of Health Sciences
    Kampala, Uganda
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Sente, Celsus — Makerere University College of Health Sciences
  • Study coordinator: Sente, Celsus

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.