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Fellows

Denis Kyabaggu

SANTHE PhD Fellow


Uganda-Case Research Collaboration (UCRC)

Project

Influence of SP110 polymorphisms in human macrophages of pulmonary tuberculosis disease among Ugandans

Collaboration Interests
  • Gene editing (CRISPA CAS9 techniques and confocal microscopy for tissue culture reading)
  • GWAS studies (TB and HIV infected populations)
  • Primary human macrophages derived from PBMCs
  • Small animal models (macrophage work)
Supervisor
Lydia Nakiyingi

Denis Kyabaggu is a PhD student at Makerere University in the Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology in Kampala, Uganda. He holds a background in Biomedical Laboratory Technology and an MSc in Molecular Biology from Makerere University, as well as an MSc in Pathology Laboratory Sciences from Boston University in the United States.

He is passionate about biomedical research in infectious diseases, with a focus on HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and viral haemorrhagic fevers. His current research investigates the mechanisms by which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) establishes infection in human macrophages, particularly in the context of HIV co-infection. This work aims to improve understanding of host immune defence mechanisms at the cellular level and to inform the development of better preventive and therapeutic strategies targeting pathogen reservoirs.

He is also interested in building skills in whole-genome sequencing, large-scale data analysis, and science communication, with a strong commitment to community engagement and translating research findings for broader impact.

Publications
Uganda’s experience in Ebola virus disease outbreak preparedness, 2018–2019. (2020) Sex and Urbanicity Contribute to Variation in Lymphocyte Distribution across Ugandan Populations Quality monitoring of HIV-1-infected and uninfected peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples in a resource-limited setting Reference intervals in healthy adult Ugandan blood donors and their impact on conducting international vaccine trials The sensitivities to first-line antibiotic therapy of the common urinary tract bacterial infections detected in urine samples at a hospital in metropolitan Kampala (Uganda)

SANTHE is an Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) flagship programme funded by the Science for Africa Foundation through the DELTAS Africa programme; the Gates Foundation; Gilead Sciences Inc.; and the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard.

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