Collated MUII Fellows Feedback, January 2013
Challenges
Makerere processes
 Lengthy IRB presentation procedure
 Stream lining of Makerere University registration procedure
 The slow processes at Makerere are very disheartening.
 Graduate school needs to streamline the registration process because it is still
confusing. Secondly the fees paid is not being distributed as it should and so remains
being reflected in our financial statements as not yet received by the University and
this complicates the registration process further.
 Initial lack of knowledge about WT versus MUK PhD requirements/expectations was
a challenge, although this was later on made clear
 The programme log book was useful initially but became too detailed with time. We
could now adopt the Makerere one which became available along the way.
Supervision
 Lack of timely response from international supervisors
 Different expectations from external versus local supervisors
Institutional links and Collaborations
 Institutional affiliation with UVRI and/or Makerere University
Procurement
 Procurement of equipment and lab supplies has been trouble-some because it takes
much longer than anticipated.
Cross-cutting research training
 I have not attended as many cross cutting courses I would have loved because
School of Graduate Studies has only conducted a few. There is need to strengthen
this in the research collaboration.
Things that are helpful or going well:
MUII fellows meetings
 Three monthly progress meetings
 The meetings that are held between mentors, supervisors and fellows have been of
great benefit to us. I have also benefited from the training offered under this
programme.
 The quarterly fellows meet for regular progress updates and any trouble-shootings
 I hope for more meetings with the rest of the MUII fellows this year as it will be good
to know the kind of work they are involved in.
 Progress meetings were particularly useful, but were not carried out much this year
[2011]. For some students who do not have regular meetings with supervisors, these
provided a good platform to obtain feedback from the administrators, as well as learn
from the experiences and opportunities from our fellow PhD colleagues
 Fellows meetings have been a motivator and platform for sharing
 Fellows’ progress meeting
 The periodic meetings have been particularly helpful to me. I have also found the
multi-disciplinary nature of the team quite exciting. As a mathematician, I have learnt
a lot from my colleagues.
 The regular fellows’ meetings have been very beneficial
 Progress meetings have been very useful and have kept the program and student on
the same pace. The continued sense of accountability drives the student into
producing more results before the next progress meeting.
 Discussion /presentations of scientific findings during the progress meetings
MUII monthly writers club
 The mentorship scheme with the writers club has helped me to get a research
concept that has developed into a proposal. I am glad I was among the 6 students to
hand in and present the proposal to the Department [Masters fellow].
 Monthly meetings where write ups for fellows are reviewed have been very important
to me and contributed a lot to my proposal write up. I however suggest we meet twice
a month. Alternatively we can continue meeting once a month but discuss two write
ups per session
 The monthly MUII fellows meetings to review manuscript drafts as well as proposals
are particularly helpful.
 I have found the monthly writing club very useful. This has helped me develop my
proposal as well as overall writing skills. I also received invaluable scientific input
during these sessions.
 The monthly draft proposal/Ms review meets
MUII Financial systems
 There are minimal delays in releasing of funds for whatever purpose and this is very
commendable
 The quick processing of funds upon requisition has been very helpful in ensuring
timely procurement of my study items.
 Efficient financial assistance
MUII Makerere School of Graduate Studies involvement
 Liaison of programme with the MUK DGS through Prof. Katunguka, helped the
fellows understand the requirements and regulations of MUK.
MUII Fellowship conditions
 Host institution agreements and protection of study time have enabled me to
accomplish research goals in time
MUII seminars and symposia
 The Hot topics seminars been educative
 The scientific symposium and seminar series were particularly helpful as I was able
to have a practical view of how a good project should be designed.
 Participation in Journal club and seminars has helped me to attain presentation skills
and gain ability to search, read and understand the relevant recent journals.
 Organising of the departmental journal clubs and seminars has improved on my
journal paper reading and presentation skills.
MUII immunology in the Tropics
 The programme’s short course in Immunology of the tropics is a venue to meet world
class scientists who bring with them the latest in their fields.
MUII mentorship scheme for Masters fellows
 The mentorship scheme has been useful, especially for research and academic
guidance
 The mentorship scheme has been helpful
 The mentorship programme has been particularly helpful.
 The programme has been useful in exposing me to the broader science world
including immunology and availing me a mentor, the monthly writing meeting have
been beneficial. I thank the programme for availing me with a mentor.
 Provision of a mentorship is helpful in uplifting young researchers
MUII, General comments
 Overall, I think this program is very solid and I have benefited greatly from the
attention given to us, students, which helps keep us on track. The program is
opening doors for us to collaborate with well renowned scientists which is inspiring.
 The coordinator Prof Alison has been very involved and available to help sort out
issues/clarifications.
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The program has continued to provide constant support to the students. The monthly
meetings to discuss manuscripts/proposals are very helpful and help the fellows to
work hard to have scientific deliverables.
 I think the fellowship has improved my way of life. Persuing a masters is a direct
benefit from the fellowship but it has come with a lot of other benefits. It has provided
me with an opportunity to think about my career. Am now sure that I have started my
journey to a research career in immunology.
 On the whole, the program has continued to offer us maximum support and
encouragement
 Like in 2009, I found the programme in 2010 very well ran and I am immensely
benefiting from the training/mentorship.
 The support we receive remains solid.
 The programme has been quite outstanding in the way it is gradually developing
culture of post-doctoral training at the institute.
Supervision
 Regular supervisors meeting
 My advisors and mentors have been fantastic.
 The long visit to Cambridge has been particularly helpful, as it has allowed me to
work closely with Dr. Roberto Saenz. The funds availed to me to buy textbooks have
been particularly useful and I know have a very good collection of references relevant
for my area of research.
 The programme has been great. The chance I had to meet with Dr. Roberto Saenz in
Boston was very useful for my progress. I hope that when I visit him in Zurich, I will
be able to complete the remaining projects. The Epidemics 3 conference was
important for exposure and training.
 Supervisory meetings
Institutional links and collaborations; overseas attachments
 Well-integrated into the Research Department at IDI (in particular, the longitudinal
database group) so that systemic improvements in the quality of data can be moved
forward
 Overseas placements exposed me to different efficient ways of carrying out statistical
analysis
 The overseas laboratory attachments have exposed me to novel lab techniques and
phylogenetic analysis tools. This has also opened up some prospects for future
collaborations.
 The mentorship arrangement was quite helpful in fostering interaction with senior
scientists in my case from Cambridge University.
Wider impact
 Advanced statistical methods learned during the fellowship have been shared are
currently being used for data analysis at the IDI
 Data that was previously not used for research, was cleaned and is to be published
as a result to funds from the fellowship
 The programme has increased the research networks in the department[of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology] to include the Uganda Virus Research Institute and the University
of Cambridge. This has increased the supervisory capacity of the department and the
potential for future collaborative researches with these institutions.
 Having visited the University of Cambridge and ETH Zurich, I have been able to meet
leading researchers in my area. I am continuing to keep in touch with many of them.
 The fellowship has also enabled me get an MRC Centenary award to carry out more
related research
 Because of this fellowship, I will receive additional funding to carry out microarray
immunoassays; thus acquiring new skills in both the laboratory and in data analysis.
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This proposed additional work shall enable the establishment of collaboration
between my institution and the laboratory (and University of Perugia) in Italy.
The programme has had effects at MUSPH [Makerere University School of Public
Health] specifically at school in my class through the symposium advert were the
students were egger to compete in the next symposium, in addition I am able to
share scientific writing skills I have learnt from the monthly meetings.
My department, Basic Sciences program in the MRC has benefited because the
assays and bioinformatics tools learnt have so far been implemented in our
department and are currently used for on-going research. Our work has eventually
been published using the acquired skills.
With continued support we shall set up an immunology core at Makerere College of
Health Sciences by utilising both local and international collaborations..
Suggestions:
Overseas accommodation
 I suggest that in future, a flat be rented in Cambridge that can act as a programme
house of some sort. This will easy accommodation costs on behalf of the fellows. The
rent can then be shared between the fellows attached to Cambridge
 In future there is need to plan and budget for the accommodation while at Overseas
Placements
Additional training
 Grant management is a challenge; so there is need for training in some aspects of
managing a grant
Courses
 There is need to accredit the cores courses which are offered by the ''Uganda Virus
Research Institute infection and immunity research Training programme'' and the
School of Graduate Studies as happens else where.
Employment of project staff
 One area which may need some streamlining is the employment of study staff
procedure [this refers to the employment of staff by students and fellows on their
projects].
Masters fellowship suggestions [note that Fast-track Masters fellowships to not include
overseas/ international attachments]
 The fellowship if possible should come up with a program where fellows are attached
to different local or international Institutions with mentors. Here they are given
assignments and they expected to meet given targets within a specified time frame.
 Having exchange programmes with international institutions.
Long term involvement
 In the future I suggest that it would be good if as fellows we had an MUII Alumni, it
would be beneficial in mobilising efforts for community service as MUII fellows( it’s a
thought)
Additional activities
 Putting competition among Fellows for a certain prize or grant on an annual basis.
This may improve on their skills in writing and applying for grants. It at the same time
allows the winner an opportunity to use the grant for may be research or if it is an
award it improves on one’s credentials.
 The training programme should incorporate other relevant intensive courses as
Analysing Immunological data and How to win grants and funding.
 The fellowship has been generous and has provided us with laptops for our use. I am
very grateful but believe it would also be helpful to the fellows to have their
computers serviced and maintained regularly by the technical personnel at UVRI if
possible.
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Members of the programme could assist in teaching the MSc. Immunology and
Clinical Microbiology course in Makerere University. The modules are many for the
three Immunology PhD students in the department of medical microbiology to be
effectively taught.
In future the programme should concentrate training both Masters and PhD students
in “Infection and Immunity” because this is unique to this programme and also this
field has not attracted much attention at Makerere University.
I hope the programme will in future have more fellowships awarded as more trained
researchers are needed.
As a key aspect of the programme, fellows should be supported or encouraged to
seek University faculty appointments.
We need to generate funding to support and expand the Immunology lab facility at
Makerere to support the increasing number of scientists (MSC and PhDs).