On March 15, the Ragon Institute was pleased to host four visitors from Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST) in Uganda in order to share knowledge about setting up world-class research on the African continent.

Professor Celestino Obua, MD, PHD, Vice Chancellor of MUST was accompanied by Sam Maling, Dean of Faculty of Medicine; Edith Wakida, Administrative Director; and Francis Bajunirwe; Director, Masters of Public Health Program.

The delegation, along with MGH Global Health Director, Dr. David Bangsberg and staff, met with Ragon Managing Director, Kathleen Donnelly; Director of International Programs, Filippos Porichis; Faculty members Drs. Xu Yu and Sylvie Le GallTariro Makadzange who splits her time between Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Zimbabwe.

The goal of the meeting was to share experience learned in establishing medical research laboratories in resource poor areas and developing academic medicine programs.  Ragon administrators and researchers were able to offer suggestions based on experiences at collaborative institutions such as the HIV Pathogenesis Programme in Durban, South Africa and the Infectious Disease Research Lab at the University of Zimbabwe.

Ragon was pleased to meet with the MUST delegation and is happy to build new collaborations with colleagues around the world.