Western partners with Ugandan research centre to help address global health challenges

Schulich Medicine and Dentistry dean Dr. John Yoo and JCRC executive director Dr. Cissy Kityo (centre, holding shovel) leads the tree planting activity during the signing of the new collaborative agreement between Western and the Joint Clinical Research Centre in Kampala. (submitted photo) - A new strategic partnership between Western and the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) in Kampala, Uganda, establishes a long-term commitment for research collaboration to address the world's most challenging global health issues. The interdisciplinary education, training and research collaboration between JCRC and the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry was formally announced on Wednesday, July 6, in the Ugandan capital. The partnership also includes Makerere University College of Health Sciences and Mbarara University of Sciences and Technology. "Transformation is a term we use often but JCRC has helped transform the care of communicable diseases for an entire country and continent," said Dr. John Yoo, dean of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. "I cannot think of a better partner for Western in helping educate the next generation - our student and theirs - to be citizens of a global community." Yoo led a Western delegation, which included associate vice-president of equity, diversity and inclusion Opiyo Oloya, and Canada Research Chair in HIV Pathogenesis and Viral Control Eric Arts, to Kampala for the formal signing of the agreement and the official launch of the partnership.