Co-Director

Prof. Nelson Sewankambo

A distinguished physician-scientist and academic leader, Professor Nelson K. Sewankambo, MBChB, MSc, M.MED, FAAS, FRCP, LLD (HC) is the former Dean of Makerere University Medical School and Principal of Makerere University College of Health Sciences. Over the past 18 years, he has dedicated his career to advancing medical education, strengthening health systems, and building research capacity across Africa. 

Leadership and Honours 

• President, Uganda National Academy of Sciences
• Vice President, Network of African Science Academies (NASAC)
• Vice President, Accordia Global Health Foundation
• Fellow, Royal College of Physicians (London) and African Academy of Sciences
• Honorary Doctorates: Johns Hopkins University (Public Health) and McMaster University (Doctor of Laws)
• Grand Silver Medal, Karolinska Institute (Sweden)
• External Affiliate, US National Academy of Medicine

 

Education and Expertise 

Trained in Internal Medicine at Makerere University and Clinical Epidemiology at McMaster University (Canada), Prof. Sewankambo combines clinical knowledge with rigorous research methodology. His work bridges: 

• Health Systems Strengthening
• Research-to-Policy Translation
• Innovative Medical Education Models
• Global Health Capacity Building

 

Research Focus 

Prof. Sewankambo’s scholarship focuses on: 

1. Health systems research – Optimizing care delivery in resource-limited settings.
2. Evidence-based policymaking – Ensuring research informs national and regional health agendas.
3. Medical education reform – Training future leaders through adaptive curricula.
4. Knowledge translation – Closing the gap between discovery and implementation.

 

Selected Publications

• Sewankambo, N., Gray, R. H., Wawer, M. J., Paxton, L., McNairn, D., Wabwire-Mangen, F., … & Konde-Lule, J. (1997). HIV-1 infection associated with abnormal vaginal flora morphology and bacterial vaginosis. The Lancet, 350(9077), 546-550.
• Gray, R. H., Kigozi, G., Serwadda, D., Makumbi, F., Watya, S., Nalugoda, F., … & Wawer, M. J. (2007). Male circumcision for HIV prevention in men in Rakai, Uganda: a randomised trial. The lancet, 369(9562), 657-666.
• Quinn, T. C., Wawer, M. J., Sewankambo, N., Serwadda, D., Li, C., Wabwire-Mangen, F., … & Gray, R. H. (2000). Viral load and heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. New England journal of medicine, 342(13), 921-929.
• Chen, L., Evans, T., Anand, S., Boufford, J. I., Brown, H., Chowdhury, M., … & Wibulpolprasert, S. (2004). Human resources for health: overcoming the crisis. The lancet, 364(9449), 1984-1990.
• Wawer, M. J., Gray, R. H., Sewankambo, N. K., Serwadda, D., Li, X., Laeyendecker, O., … & Quinn, T. C. (2005). Rates of HIV-1 transmission per coital act, by stage of HIV-1 infection, in Rakai, Uganda. The Journal of infectious diseases, 191(9), 1403-1409.
• Gray, R. H., Wawer, M. J., Brookmeyer, R., Sewankambo, N. K., Serwadda, D., Wabwire-Mangen, F., … & Quinn, T. C. (2001). Probability of HIV-1 transmission per coital act in monogamous, heterosexual, HIV-1-discordant couples in Rakai, Uganda. The Lancet, 357(9263), 1149-1153.
• Serwadda, D., Sewankambo, N. K., Carswell, J. W., Bayley, A. C., Tedder, R. S., Weiss, R. A., … & Dalgleish, A. G. (1985). Slim disease: a new disease in Uganda and its association with HTLV-III infection. The Lancet, 326(8460), 849-852.
• Lavis, J. N., Lomas, J., Hamid, M., & Sewankambo, N. K. (2006). Assessing country-level efforts to link research to action. Bulletin of the World health Organization, 84(8), 620-628.