New director appointed at Uganda Research Unit on AIDS
26 May 2010
The Medical Research Council (MRC) today announced the new appointment of Dr Pontiano Kaleebu as Director of the Medical Research Council (MRC) / Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) on AIDS. Dr Kaleebu will take up his appointment on 1 July 2010, taking over from the current Director, Professor Heiner Grosskurth.
The announcement follows on from the unit’s twentieth anniversary in February this year as a groundbreaking centre for African multidisciplinary research, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS research.
Dr Kaleebu is currently Head of the Basic Sciences Programme of the MRC/UVRI Unit on AIDS and has recently published research on understanding the protective immune responses against HIV to contribute to the design of an HIV vaccine. His other interests include HIV vaccine trials, HIV molecular epidemiology and resistance to anti-retroviral drugs.
Dr Kaleebu is also currently a Principal Investigator of the UVRI-IAVI HIV vaccine Program and Assistant Director of research at the UVRI unit in Uganda. Following his appointment as unit Director, he will remain directly involved with UVRI, building on existing links between the MRC and the Ugandan government.
Dr Kaleebu commented: “Throughout my fifteen years working with colleagues at the MRC/UVRI unit I have seen an unwavering commitment to excellence and to producing medical research into HIV and AIDS that has changed the lives of thousands of people in Uganda. I look forward to working with our partners, both here in Uganda and internationally, who continue to help us build on our successes combating the HIV epidemic.”
Professor Heiner Grosskurth will be leaving Uganda to return to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The Medical Research Council is very grateful to Professor Grosskurth for his dedicated contribution in advancing the MRC's work in Uganda.
Dr Anatoli Kamali, who currently works as the Head of the HIV Prevention Studies Programme in the unit has also been appointed as Deputy Director.
