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Author Frederick Douglass once said, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress”. This statement summarises my Master’s journey. I started my Master’s degree journey in August 2015 at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), Makerere University. I was determined to complete the course within the stipulated two years but like the bible says in Proverbs, “We may make our plans but God has the last word”.
The first year of the course went smoothly and I was able to complete the taught part of the course on schedule. The second year started off well with me completing and presenting the research proposal to the College. What happened after this is a true testament to Frederick Douglass’s statement. With no funding prospects for the practical laboratory work, time flew by and before I knew it, I was a “third” year student pursuing a two-year course!!!
In June 2018, I was privileged to receive a THRiVE-2 Master’s research fellowship. With this funding came hope and renewed strength to complete the course, so much so that the entire laboratory work [extraction of viral ribonucleic acid, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sanger sequencing] of the 104 samples was completed in two weeks. Long story short, I completed and graduated with a MSc. in Molecular Biology (with a distinction) at the 70th Graduation in January, 2020. I work with the Expanded Programme on immunization Laboratory based at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (https://www.uvri.go.ug/). This laboratory serves as a Measles Regional Reference Laboratory in the WHO/AFRO region serving Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Comoros, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda.
The laboratory is also an Inter-country Polio Laboratory serving Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan and Uganda. The research I did characterized non-polio enteroviruses isolated from Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) patients in Uganda. AFP normally resolves within 60days but in these patients, there was residual paralysis seen after the 60days leading to the question of whether non-polio enteroviruses cause residual paralysis.
In addition to characterizing these viruses, this work identified a previously unknown genogroup of Enterovirus A71 species, one of the species responsible for huge outbreaks of Hand, Foot and Mouth disease in the Asia pacific region. The manuscript is near completion and if all goes as planned, should be published before the year ends.
Building on this work, the laboratory has started sequencing nonpolio enteroviruses obtained from the ongoing polio environmental surveillance in a bid to know the diversity of the circulating viruses in the country. In addition, I was recently awarded a research fellowship from the NIHR Global Health Research group project on the Application of Genomics and Modelling to the Control of Virus Pathogens (GeMVi) (https://kemri-wellcome.org/ gemvi/fellows/). For this work, the goal is to carry out whole genome sequencing of enteroviruses from acute flaccid paralysis patients in Uganda to identify any co-infecting viruses that may lead to acute flaccid paralysis as well as look at the evolutionary and recombination patterns of these viruses.
I am building on the lessons learnt, experiences gained, professional and personal relations made to prepare for the next phase of my academic life. I cannot thank THRiVE-2 enough for holding my hand during one of the most challenging times of my academic life. I believe that without the support from THRiVE-2, none of the above achievements would have been obtained. And like William Shakespeare said, “I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks.”
