Browsing by Author "Sserwadda, Ivan"

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    Bioinformatics mentorship in a resource limited setting
    (Briefings in Bioinformatics, 2021) Jjingo, Daudi; Mboowa, Gerald; Sserwadda, Ivan; Kakaire, Robert; Kiberu, Davis; Amujal, Marion; Galiwango, Ronald; Kateete, David; Joloba, Moses; Whalen, Christopher C.
    The two recent simultaneous developments of high-throughput sequencing and increased computational power have brought bioinformatics to the forefront as an important tool for effective and efficient biomedical research. Consequently, there have been multiple approaches to developing bioinformatics skills. In resource rich environments, it has been possible to develop and implement formal fully accredited graduate degree training programs in bioinformatics. In resource limited settings with a paucity of expert bioinformaticians, infrastructure and financial resources, the task has been approached by delivering short courses on bioinformatics—lasting only a few days to a couple of weeks. Alternatively, courses are offered online, usually over a period of a few months. These approaches are limited by both the lack of sustained in-person trainer–trainee interactions, which is a key part of quality mentorships and short durations which constrain the amount of learning that can be achieved.
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    The dawn of a cure for sickle cell disease through CRISPR-based treatment: A critical test of equity in public health genomics
    (Annals of Human Genetics, 2024) Mboowa, Gerald; Sserwadda, Ivan; Kanyerezi, Stephen; Tukwasibwe, Stephen; Kidenya, Benson
    Equity in access to genomic technologies, resources, and products remains a great challenge. This was evident especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic when the majority of lower middle‐income countries were unable to achieve at least 10% population vaccination coverage during initial COVID‐19 vaccine rollouts, despite the rapid development of those vaccines. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited monogenic red blood cell disorder that affects hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through the body. Globally, the African continent carries the highest burden of SCD with at least 240,000 children born each year with the disease. SCD has evolved from a treatable to a curable disease. Recently, the UK medical regulator approved its cure through clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)‐based treatment, whereas the US Food and Drug Administration has equally approved two SCD gene therapies. This presents a remarkable opportunity to demonstrate equity in public health genomics. This CRISPR‐based treatment is expensive and therefore, a need for an ambitious action to ensure that they are affordable and accessible where they are needed most and stand to save millions of lives.