Overview
Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) | Indicators Dashboard
Approved MTAs
| Country of origin | Country of destination | Reason for transportation | Number of samples transported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uganda | Uganda | I would like to ship my research samples to my university laboratory, Endocrine Research Laboratory at the Mammal Research Institute for stress hormone quantification and analysis. Currently there is no laboratory in Uganda or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with the capacity or technical expertise in country to help me quantify stress hormone levels within gorilla fecal matter and provide accurate results required to achieve research study objectives and guide park management decisions following the sharing of obtained results. | 600 dried faecal extracts |
| Uganda | Uganda | testing testing | 290 |
| Uganda | High-throughput sequencing technologies specifically required for this research are currently not available with our collaborators in Uganda and therefore we must complete this final stage of the research project in the Czech Republic. | 122 faecal samples from Gorillas | |
| Uganda | United States | Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) testing because currently no laboratory in Uganda performs the testing specified. | 160 DBS Cards |
| Uganda | South Africa and United Kingdom | The shipment of these biological samples is necessary because the specialized laboratory analyses required by the study protocol are not currently available locally in Uganda at the required level of standardization, validation, accreditation, and assay-specific capability. The recipient laboratories were selected by the study sponsor, Novartis Pharma AG, because they possess: • Specialized equipment and validated assay platforms required for the study; • Internationally accredited laboratory systems; • Capacity to perform standardized pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), biomarker, ADA, hematology, chemistry, coagulation, serology, and molecular testing; • Quality assurance systems that ensure consistency and comparability of results across all participating global study sites. The shipment is therefore essential to ensure: • Accurate and reliable laboratory analysis; • Compliance with the approved study protocol; • Maintenance of international Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) standards; • Harmonized analysis of samples from all participating countries in this multicenter study. All samples shall be coded and de-identified prior to shipment to protect participant confidentiality. The transfer, handling, storage, and disposal of samples shall be conducted in accordance with: • The approved informed consent process; • UNCST guidelines; • International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations; • Applicable biosafety requirements; and • The signed Material Transfer Agreements between JCRC and the recipient laboratories. The samples shall strictly be used only for analyses specified within the approved study protocol and shall not be used for any unrelated research purposes. | Total estimated sample volume is 1,630 mL for Cytespace Africa Laboratories , 1,418 mL for IQVIA Laboratories LIMITED |
| Uganda | Germany | The samples will be used to perform single cell sequencing experiments using the 10x genomics multiome protocol, genotyping using the illumina global screening array and for serology analysis for viruses including Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). | 4788 PBMCs,930 Serum, 945 Whole Blood |
| Uganda | High-throughput sequencing technologies specifically required for this research are currently not available with our collaborators in Uganda and therefore we must complete this final stage of the research project in the Czech Republic. | 122 faecal samples from humans | |
| Uganda | France | Confirmation of preliminary identifications, ecological and taxonomic study | 135 |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | We would like to submit the attached Material Transfer Agreement for your review and approval. The justification of this MTA is to enable the transfer of human samples (Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (n=320)) from MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit to The Francis Crick Institute, because the in-country capacity to perform HIV-1 Latent viral reservoir-related investigations is inadequate. | 320 |
| Uganda | Czech Republic | This research project is part of an ambitious multi-centre study, involving Uganda as one of our sampling localities, alongside Central African Republic and Czech Republic. Broadly, it seeks to explore the genetic diversity and predictors of the intestinal symbiont landscape (namely bacteriophages) of chimpanzees and humans living within varying proximity, as well as exploring potential pathogen transmission between domestic animals and wild chimpanzees, as detailed in the original research application. To do so, faecal samples will undergo highly specialised genomic analyses to investigate the various symbiotic communities inhabiting the intestinal system. To undertake these analyses, a crucial component in obtaining the research objectives, we kindly request permission to export these chemical fixed faecal samples to the Primate Symbiont Ecology Research Group at IVB-CAS, Czech Republic. The advanced analytical techniques designed for this project cannot currently be performed in Ugandan laboratories. By exporting samples to the Primate Symbiont Ecology Research Group, we believe the samples will be best placed for being analysed due to the technical skills and expertise of this research group. Specifically, the group has developed and optimised various molecular protocols for describing intestinal symbiont communities of wild primates, involving more traditional approaches such as real-time PCR and sangar sequencing, as well as advanced high-throughput sequencing approaches, rooted within metagenomics. With vast experience in utilising non-invasive samples to investigate the intestinal landscape of wild great ape populations, the group provides key understanding on great ape health and conservation, all within a OneHealth framework. While microbiome analysis of gut bacteria has become a hot topic in recent years of research, few have paid attention to, or possess the necessary skills for, analysis of gut bacteriophage communities – thought to be the major modulators of the gut microbiome. Yet colleagues of the Primate Symbiont Ecology Research Group have previously optimised analysis of complex bacteriophage communities through sequencing and assembly of faecal metagenomes, followed by bioinformatic identification of phage and bacterial contigs. The required sequencing utilises 150bp PE reads on the DNBseq platform, targeting average 34 Gbp sequences per sample, i.e. 50M-150M read pairs. Such sequence platform is currently not found within Uganda. This type of massively parallel sequencing, based on DNA nanoball technology, is the only sequencing platform sufficient for our required methods, whereby sequencing depth must be vast enough for capturing phage contigs, while still upholding cost. For successful implementation of these molecular approaches, methodologies must be undertaken in specialised research rooms (with a sterile environment) equipped with advanced technology (liquid handling robot), alongside the specific proficiency of the research group’s scientists. Likewise, analysis of the resulting data requires access to advanced bioinformatic tools which are robust under computationally intensive workflows, such as metaSpades and CLC Genomics Workbench for contig assemblies, or Metacentrum grid infrastructure for enabling computations with several TB of RAM per node, all of which are available at IVB-CAS. Moreover, a crucial element of this multi-centre study is the ability of comparison between the three study localities (Uganda, Central African Republic, and Czech Republic). For effective comparison, faecal samples from each locality must undergo laboratory analysis while strictly adhering to the same conditions – something that can only be achieved by processing all samples within a single laboratory. Export of samples from Uganda and Central African Republic to Czech Republic enables this. Finally, export of samples will enable further training and skills progression of Mr Daniel Sempebwa, a Ugandan student currently undertaking his PhD studies within the Primate Symbiont Ecology Research Group. Mr Sempebwa has been involved throughout this project, including returning to Ugandan to undertake fieldwork and lead the project section focused on potential transmission pathways between domestic animals and chimpanzees. Sample export will allow Mr Sempebwa to benefit from the extensive expertise of the wider research group in Czech Republic, including in molecular laboratory techniques, bioinformatic pipelines, and data analysis. With his passion for teaching, it is hoped Mr Sempebwa will later be able to share this knowledge further, including within Uganda. | 60 human faecal samples, each in 2 aliquots (120 tubes total); and 50 chimpanzee faecal samples, each in 3 aliquots (150 tubes total) |
| Uganda | USA | To test for circulating tumour derived Epstain Bar Virus(EBV) in plasma, plasma buffy coat, saliva and slaiva pallets using a technique for detecting methylated DNA | 2.1037 litres |
| Uganda | United States of America | We do not have the equipment, that is digital ELISA technology (on Single Molecular Array (SIMOA) HD-X or HD-1 analyzers), to test for plasma Neurofilament light chain protein (NfL) here in Uganda. Additionally, we do not have experienced laboratory personnel to perform the tests here. The principal investigator, Phoebe Mbabazi, will travel to San Diego to participate in the laboratory testing. The knowledge and skills obtained will enable the principal investigator to train laboratory technologists at IDI, should the equipment become available in Uganda, thereby contributing to capacity building. | 173 cryovials of 1.5mls of frozen human plasma |
| Uganda | France | These samples will be used to conduct quantification of tenofovir-diphosphate in dried blood spots. This specific technology for drug level analysis is not currently available in Uganda, we are unable to perform the analyses locally. | 1120 Dry blood spots |
| Uganda | United States of America | Planned analyses include immunostaining, microscopy, and quantitative islet imaging. These investigations require specialized technology and expertise not currently available in Uganda and therefore cannot be conducted locally. | Pancreas tissue samples from 20 individuals. |
| Uganda | The Netherlands | Antibodies against measles and rubella in serum will be determined using an internationally validated virus plaque reduction neutralisation titre (PRNT) assay and International reference sera. These antibody assays will be done at the Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) laboratory in the Netherlands. RIVM is a WHO-accredited reference laboratory for measles and rubella with experience in performing these immunological assays. | |
| Uganda | United States | 57 fecal samples from mountain gorillas are being transferred for chemical, hormonal and genomic analysis and 2 filtered water samples are also being transferred for eDNA sampling. | 59 samples |
| Uganda | UK | To ensure centralized reading of microscope slides from all participating CAMERA Study sites, to ensure that data is standardized, accurate, and reliable across all study sites, and to minimize inconsistencies in the interpretation of results that could otherwise jeopardize the integrity of the research. | 181 Nasal Lavage Slides |
| Uganda | UK | The samples are from malaria positive individuals and are meant for specialised molecular assays that are not available locally | 650 dried blood spots/ filter paper samples |
| Uganda | South Afrika | All participating sites globally will use the same central laboratory for sample analysis described in detail in the Protocol NN7535-7807: A global phase 3, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy and safety of etavopivat in adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease. This approach ensures consistency in testing procedures, standardization of results, and overall data integrity across the study | 1,356ml |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | The materials are being transferred to enable the conduct of adhesion and invasion assays and whole genome sequencing. This testing will help us determine what makes these strains so infective/invasive. | Upto 130 Bacterial Isolates and 790 Dried Blood Spot Cards |
| Uganda | USA | The study under protocol HS5558ES will assess alcohol use among study participant using an alcohol biomarker Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in dry blood spots (DBS) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. No laboratories in Uganda or in Africa conduct PEth testing, so it will be done at the United States Drug Testing Laboratory (USDTL) in Illinois | 2520 |
| Uganda | Uganda | The SeroMARV Africa study is being coordinated in three African countries; Uganda, Guinea and Cameroon with the study overall coordination based in Kumasi, Ghana. For centralized consistent quality assurance and standardization procedures that ensure validated assays while minimizing inter-laboratory variability and enhance reliability of results, all samples collected across the three study sites are being processed at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) in Ghana which functions as the Supra laboratory for the study. Additionally, centralizing this work reduces the number of sites that need to be stocked with laboratory supplies and reagents, lowers batch effects that can possibly compromise the study. This setup further improves the inevitable laboratory troubleshooting’s while supporting efficient data management, Each partner country has nominated a designated researcher to travel to KCCR to perform the analysis on their country’s samples; any remaining material is to be returned to the home institution. This model enforces capacity building and technology transfer as well as strengthening collaborations. | 2000 |
| Uganda | United States of America | The content of masks for mycobacterium tuberculosis by PCR analysis | 500 |
| Uganda | USA | There is no local capacity to condact the required sample testing | 400 |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | DNA will be extracted and sequenced at specialised molecular laboratories in the UK. This is required to complete the aims of the project | 3g |
| Uganda | Uganda | The reason for transfer is to enable analyses involving specialized technologies and expertise not currently available locally, including Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by sequencing (CITE-seq), Metabolic Flow Cytometry (Met-flow), and Chromatin Immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq). This transfer will promote knowledge sharing, training, and capacity building for national researchers, including a PhD student who will gain practical experience with these advanced techniques. | 1350 vials |
| Uganda | USA | To extract DNA and to conduct genetic wide associations sequencing analysis (GWAS). At the moment, we do not have the capacity to fully conduct these GWAS studies locally, hence the reason of shipping 4mls out of the 8mls of saliva samples (n=10,000) to the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Half of the saliva samples (4mls) will be stored permanently at the Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Laboratory for use in future studies | 4mls of 10,000 participants |
| Uganda | Uganda | 123 | 123 |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | The specimens will be shipped for whole genome sequencing (WGS) of pathogens to enable detailed characterization of bacterial isolates and metagenomic sequencing of the urine to identify viruses and difficult to culture bacteria that could have been involved in urinary tract infections (UTIs). While some genomic sequencing takes place in the country, at the moment, it is very expensive to perform locally due to low turn-over of samples to sequence. The cost of sequencing locally stands at $50-100 per sample compared to $7-10 dollars in established labs. The high cost of sequencing locally means that it currently it faces challenges of limited capacity and quality, related to high cost of reagents that are imported through third party agents. Therefore, the project will do most of the sequencing in a well- established laboratory at the City Saint George’s University of London (SGUL) while at the same time building capacity at the genomics laboratory at the Makerere University College of Health Science. To this end, one laboratory scientist from Makerere will be trained at SGUL. The Ugandan scientist will benchmark on best practices for sequencing and when he returns, he will sequence a fraction of samples at Makerere for comparison of sequencing quality, prior to scaling up reactions at Makerere. | 2200 |
| Uganda | United States of America | We intend to transfer up to 600 stored blood samples to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) to test for the blood-based biomarkers of neuronal injury via neurofilament light chain (NfL), neuroinflammation via glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neurodegenerative disease via P-Tau181 to evaluate whether these biomarkers can help to detect neurocognitive symptoms. The biomarkers will be tested using a new ultrasensitive Quanterix Simoa HD-X immunoassay platform available at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. These assays are CURRENTLY not available at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), and there are currently no validated/certified labs in Uganda or in sub-Saharan Africa that perform these assays. | 600 |
| Uganda | Italy | The sponsor of the study intends to centralize testing for dengue and other arboviruses for this protocol in the same laboratory at IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital outside the country for quality control purposes, availability of reference strains for virus neutralization testing (VNT), and VNT under Biosafety level 3 (BSL3) conditions in the reference laboratory at IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy. | 1400mls of Plasma samples. |
| Uganda | USA | The study seeks to ship human dried blood spot cards and preserved adult anopheles mosquitoes collected from the study sites in Kasese to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in USA for antimalarial drug resistance & genotyping of plasmodium falciparum (DBS cards) and molecular identification, sporozoite infectivity (adult mosquitoes) that cannot be performed locally due to limited technology. | 2000 |
| Uganda | Uganda | AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA | AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA |
| Uganda | United States | These specimens are requested for morphological and genomic research projects in combination with material already stored at the Smithsonian Institution. | 136 specimens plus additional tissue tubes and tissues from specimens retained at Muni University |
| Uganda | Uganda | Sample Type Volume of aliquot/tube Maximum Quantity Purpose MTB isolates 1.8-2mls 150 MTB PCR amplification, Whole genome sequencing for drug resistance testing assays. Sputum pellet 1.8-2mls 1000 MTB TB detection assays NTM isolates 3 2.0mls 30 Specificity testing for MTB assays. Sputum raw 2.0mls 2500 MTB TB detection assays Paxgene whole blood 150ul -2.5 mls 600 Nanostring Host response assays for MTB Plasma 2.0mls 2700 ELISA Cell free DNA detection for MTB Serum 2.0mls 3500 Advanced serology assays for MTB Upper Airway Swab 2.0mls 4500 Molecular MTB detection assays Urine 15.0mls 2500 Urine lam assays for MTB Dried Blood spots Paper filter 400 Host response assays for MTB | 17880 |
| Uganda | |||
| Uganda | Uganda | Uganda does not have the technical know-how and infrastructure in place to support this research. However, this collaborative project involves training of scientists and technology transfer to help support future work of a similar scope. | 525ml of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and 750 mL of plasma |
| Uganda | Sample testing for study end points. | 510 | |
| Uganda | Tanzania | The transfer of these samples is necessary because sponsor prefers having all the collected samples from multiple centres tested from the same laboratories. Additionally, the transfer will ensure proper Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) of the laboratory analyses. | Dried blood spots for qPCR testing- 1050 Samples |
| Uganda | USA | Samples have been collected, processed and stored in Uganda. We are shipping aliquots for further analysis at our collaborating institutions. | 32500 samples |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | There is no in country capacity to perform experimental tests on stool samples which include PCR, Sanger sequencing and microbiome rRNA analysis in Uganda. The enclosed letter from the Director, Multisystems Histology Laboratory, dated 6th May 2025, provides justification that in country capacity for these experiments is not available in Uganda. | 133 FFPE and 133 stool samples |
| Uganda | Uganda | testing | 40 |
| Uganda | Uganda | Justification of transfer of samples | 123 |
| Uganda | United States of America | The diagnostic development of the rapid test kit for onchocerciasis cannot be done in Uganda due to lack of equipment and expertise. | 100 vials of serum containing 2.5ul each vial; and. 500 Dry blood spots cards, 6 DBS per card. |
| Uganda | For the receipt, storage and distribution of biological materials such as infection in humans, which are intended for use in the development/validation, evaluation and implementation of novel diagnostic methods in TB diagnosis and management | 1,021 | |
| Uganda | USA | Samples are transferred to USDTL for expedited PEth testing because this test is not currently available in Uganda | 200 DBS Cards |
| Uganda | France | 50-100 Influenza isolates, Up to 100 SARS-CoV-2 isolates | |
| Uganda | Uganda | Diseased Coffee leaves shall be dried in a plant press and shipped to the destination laboratory in Perdue University USA, where it is expected that single sorii shall be recovered from the leaves and processed for DNA extraction. Genomic DNA shall be extracted preferably using the DNeasy PowerPlant Pro Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Following DNA extraction, all isolates shall first be screened and confirmed as H. vastatrix, by amplifying the nuclear large subunit rDNA using the protocols of Aime et al., 2006 and Aime et al. (2018). Through PCR, a set of 11 known SSR markers shall be amplified for each of the 50 isolates. Reaction conditions shall follow the set up used by Ramírez-Camejo et al. (2021), for the 8 markers and by Ramírez-Camejo et al. (2022) for the other 3 markers. Following amplification, the products shall be separated by capillary electrophoresis on an ABI 3730XL Genetic Analyzer to generate fragment data. The fragment sizes for each isolate at all 11 loci shall be determined using Geneious v9.1.8 (Biomatters Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand) (Kearse et al., 2012) . The global data matrix based on the eleven SSR markers shall be transformed to GenAlEx v6.5 format (Peakall, & Smouse, 2012). All analyses shall be performed with R package Poppr v2.8.3. A genotype accumulation curve shall be generated to determine the minimum number of loci necessary to discriminate between genotypes. The eleven SSR markers shall be analyzed by the minimum spanning network (MSN) using the interactive tool imsn with 1000 random seeds in order to visualize the genetic relatedness among individual MLGs in the global H. vastatrix population (Kamvar et al., 2015). Genetic distance shall be determined using Nei’s method as previously applied by Ramírez-Camejo et al. (2022). The relationship between any identified district groups of H. vastatrix and the damage severity measured in the field shall be established in order to link diversity to dynamics of coffee leaf rust disease in the field. Given the above protocol, it has to be carried out from an advanced molecular biology lab and since we are patnering with Centre International de Recherche en Agronomie pour le Développement, (CIRAD), 42 rue Scheffer 75116, Paris, France and Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA on the ROBUST Project where this study falls, use of their facilities for this analysis materialized. | 50 |
| Uganda | Uganda | To enable the transfer of samples for testing | 1,050 |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | A retrospective study aimed to analyse the genomic diversity of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) across sub-Saharan Africa. The study will have a focus on chronic respiratory infections and will apply whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics techniques to analyse the resulting data. This is a global consortium aiming at having data generated in a standardised way using similar sequencing platforms at Sanger. MAKBRC will participate in Joint data analysis, publication writing, and capacity building. | 1,600 |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | the ra?onale for shipping some samples outside Uganda is that several of the technologies required to execute the protocol are not available in Uganda. The assays that will be employed will involve detec?ng presence of Mtb during latent TB infec?on with focus on peripheral blood CD34+ stem cells. This requires specific technologies and exper?se including digital PCR, targeted next-genera?on sequencing, electron microscopy and an?body profiling to quan?fy, genotype and image Mtb in peripheral blood leucocytes and to characterise humoral host responses to Mtb, which are not currently available in Uganda. | Whole blood - 200, Tempus tube - 120, serum - 120, plasma - 240, CD34+PBMC - 240, CD34-PBMC - 440, bulk PBMC - 100, fixed PBMC - 100 |
| Uganda | USA | Immunohistochemistry analysis using microarray technique | 400 formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks |
| Uganda | Canada | To conduct alloantibody screening and identification at the University of Calgary. The alloantibody testing is not routinely performed in our setting due to limitations of screening and identification cells in the country. Where a private laboratory is capable of performing the test, the charge remains costly (>20 United States dollars per test). The applicant (myself, Taremwa Ivan Mugisha) is a self-sponsored Ph.D. student admitted at Mbarara University of Science and Technology. As part of my doctoral program, i was awarded a scholarship to undertake one semester studies at the University of Calgary (the invite letter is attached) and as part of my stay at Calgary, I will utilize their immunohematology laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment to support my laboratory testing for anti-red blood cell alloantibodies. The costs of the laboratory work at the University of Calgary will be met by a grant to my supervisor at this university. The sample transportation will be conducted in accordance with the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) recommendation by FedEx courier via Entebbe Airport to the University of Calgary in Canada. | 1000 cryotubes each containing about 1mL of plasma |
| Uganda | Kenya | External quality control for asexual parasite and gametocyte counts | 1900 Blood slides |
| Uganda | |||
| Uganda | United States of America | For quantifying the components of the particulate matter on the air pollution monitor filters | 100 filters |
| Uganda | Uganda | Air samples will be transferred to be tested and analyzed for Transfluthrin concentration at Loughborough University in a center highly specialized for these types of assays. This capability is not currently available in Uganda. | 56 Standard Thermal Desorption Tubes |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | Whole blood - 26 samples, Serum - 83 samples, Plasma - 12 samples , Cell pellet – 7 samples, Urine - 114 samples, Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) - 31 samples | |
| Uganda | USA | DBS specimens will be collected from participants at baseline and 48 weeks and will be used as a biomarker of alcohol consumption by testing for phosphatidyl ethanol (PEth) concentrations. PEth is a phospholipid that is formed only in the presence of alcohol and is therefore highly specific. PEth has an estimated half-life of 4-12 days, indicating that it will be positive several weeks after heavy drinking, and has shown >95% sensitivity and 100% specificity in comparisons of patients entering alcohol treatment compared to abstainers and light drinkers. PEth is now an objective, biomarker endpoint in alcohol treatment trials. DBS samples will be stored by study identification number at Makerere University-UCSF Collaboration research laboratory sites within Uganda, and shipped to UCSF who will route the DBS samples to the United States Drug Testing Laboratories (USDTL) for PEth-level testing. No laboratories in Africa currently conduct PEth testing. Hair specimens will be collected from participants at 48 weeks to test for tenofovir as a biomarker of PrEP adherence. Pharmacokinetic (PK) drug levels offer an objective measure of use or non-use of PrEP and PEP. Hair samples can be used to estimate average adherence over 1 to 3 months (depending on the length of hair analyzed) and so provide objective information on adherence over some time independent of self-report. This data will supplement self-report and prescription refill data to contribute to the study’s primary outcome of assessing the effect of the intervention on biomedical HIV prevention coverage over 48 weeks. Hair samples will be stored by study identification number at Makerere University-UCSF Collaboration research laboratory sites within Uganda, and shipped to UCSF for tenofovir testing at UCSF Professor Dr. Monica Gandhi’s research laboratory in San Francisco for analysis. Investigators at UCSF (Gandhi) have validated a method to analyze tenofovir levels in small scalp hair samples using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS), a technology not currently available in Uganda for measuring tenofovir adherence. | DBS 350 and Hair Samples 250 |
| Uganda | Germany | Plasma samples from PK, EDTA, Quantiferon, cell pellets from EDTA and Quantiferon, urine samples and pharmacogenomics samples obtained from the PARADIGM4TB trial participants who consented to biomarker substudy will be shipped to Radboud UMC lab for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses and biobank for the trial as part of the UNITED4TB programme. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains obtained from samples of participants enrolled in the study will initially be cultured and subsequently undergo susceptibility testing locally. However, for further genomic evaluation (whole genome sequencing) and phenotypic testing, particularly for novel drugs without established protocols in Uganda, these analyses will be conducted at FZB. PAXgene blood RNA samples from participants who consented to Biomarker substudy in the PRADIGM4TB clinical trial, UNITE4TB-01, will be send to FZB for RNA transcriptomic analysis to evaluate the expression of 22 genes included in the TB22 RNA signature. | About 210 samples of PAXgene blood RNA samples and 60 MTB isolates |
| Uganda | USA | 5400 | |
| Uganda | United States | To analyse plasma samples for biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration.This analysis requires use of a Simoa analytics platform, which is not currently available in Uganda, so we are unable to perform the analyses locally. | 510 DBS cards and 273 plasma aliquots |
| Uganda | Germany | The ‘Material’ will be sent to Forschungszentrum Borstel / Research Center Borstel on dry ice to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the EclLAM assay compared to the Abbott TB LAM assay in HIV-seronegative children with microbiologically confirmed TB from the accuLAM study. | 160 |
| Uganda | Germany | There is no nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR for structure determination in Uganda. | 25 mg |
| Uganda | To transfer samples to University of Warwick for Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometer (FAIMS) which is not done in Uganda to create finger prints used to differentiate between groups of patients with and without TB | 100 vials containing stool (2gm each) | |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | To be able to perform whole genome sequencing using analyses that exist in the United Kingdom | 500 |
| Uganda | USA | Within the country we don't have capacity to test the samples. | First void urine sample n=700, Coronal Sulcus penile swabs n= 3000, Vaginal swabs n=700, Female genital tract secretions in 1.5ml tubes 5000 |
| Uganda | Netherlands | These samples will be used to study immunological and metabolic networks that govern innate and adaptive immune responses using single cell technologies.As this specific technology for single cell analysis is not currently available in Uganda, we are unable to perform the analyses locally. | Plasma samples (107 ) and PBMCs (343) |
| Uganda | Currently, there is no available lab in Uganda that does pharmacokinetic (OK) studies on hair and dried blood spots yet it is crucial to our study objectives. | 30 strands of hair and 25 microlitres on a dried blood spots | |
| Uganda | USA | (1) Dried blood spots (or DNA extracted from dried blood spots): when possible, multiplex amplicon sequencing will be performed in Uganda, with capacity established at Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL). However, whole genome sequencing or sequencing with large multiplexed amplicon panels, techniques needed to evaluate novel genetic mechanisms of resistance, require high-throughput sequencers not available at CPHL. In addition, these samples are required for optimization of new assays and trouble shooting. Thus, dried blood spots (or DNA extracted from dried blood spots in Uganda) will be shipped to RECIPIENT to allow for enhanced sequencing. Generated data will be made available to Ugandan collaborators for downstream analysis. Larger numbers are requested to be shipped in years 1 and 2 to allow for shipment of banked samples in addition to newly collected samples. In all cases, at least 1 filter paper spot per isolate will remain in Uganda. (2) Red blood cell pellets (or DNA/RNA extracted from red blood cell pellets): when possible, multiplex amplicon sequencing will be performed in Uganda, with capacity established at Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL). However, whole genome sequencing or sequencing with large multiplexed amplicon panels, techniques needed to evaluate novel genetic mechanisms of resistance, require high-throughput sequencers not available at CPHL. In addition, these samples are required for optimization of new assays and trouble shooting. Thus, red blood cell pellets (or DNA/RNA extracted from dried blood spots in Uganda) will be shipped to RECIPIENT to allow for enhanced sequencing. Generated data will be made available to Ugandan collaborators for downstream analysis and technology will be transferred when feasible. Upon processing, at least two aliquots will be made of red blood cell pellets and one will remain in Uganda. Larger numbers are requested to be shipped in years 1 and 2 to allow for shipment of banked samples in addition to newly collected samples. (3) Serum or plasma. Evaluation of antimalarial drug levels requires mass spectrometry instruments not available at CPHL. Levels will be assessed at core facilities available at UCSF. Upon processing, at least two aliquots will be made of serum and one will remain in Uganda. Generated data will be made available to Ugandan collaborators for downstream analysis. Larger numbers are requested to be shipped in years 1 and 2 to allow for shipment of banked samples in addition to newly collected samples. (4) Frozen malaria parasites. Frozen parasites will be shipped to UCSF to allow for storage of a backup aliquot in a separate location, in vitro validation of phenotypes, and the development of parasitological technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and genetic crosses. These technologies will be transferred when feasible. Upon processing, at least two frozen aliquots will be made for each parasite isolate. Larger numbers are requested to be shipped in years 1 and 2 to allow for shipment of banked samples in addition to newly collected samples. | Dried blood spots (DBS) (or DNA extracted from DBS) 2900,Frozen malaria parasites 2900,Serum or plasma 2900,Red blood cell pellets (or DNA/RNA extracted from red blood cell pellets) 2900, |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | The tissues will undergo an expert haematopathology review at Oxford to confirm the diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma. Other planned study investigations include FISH for MYC translocation detection, EBV expression, in situ RNA hybrid, and protein assays. Unfortunately, our laboratory in Uganda is unable to perform these assays due to limited advancements in these fields in low and middle-income countries. | 30 Formallin fixed paraffin embedded blocks for suspected lymphoma cases |
| Uganda | Belgium | QA/QC Testing | 968 Aliquots |
| Uganda | Belgium | PhD attachment at the University of Ghent | 05 Bacteria Stabs in Tryptic Soya Agar Dispensed in Bluetop Cyrovial and Wrapped in Biohazard Ziploc Bags |
| Uganda | United States of America | The reason we request to ship these samples for analysis is because advanced stereology techniques are not currently available in Uganda and are required to achieve the pre-specified study objectives. | 8400 |
| Uganda | USA | There is inadequate capacity in the country to conduct the required tests and analysis | 260 |
| Uganda | USA | No facilities in Uganda that can adequately assay chimpanzee urine samples according to protocols | 1377 vials, totaling 650mL |
| Uganda | Canada | The transferred samples will be used for Quality Assurance (QA), diagnostic and clinical research purposes only as detailed in the related MAGY study protocol, MAGY laboratory operations manual and applicable MAGY informed consent forms for the research participants. | 400 vials |
| Uganda | United States | To be able to carry out blended genome exome sequencing. | 10,000 |
| Uganda | Uganda | Creation of the biorepository and further testing of samples | 1500 |
| Uganda | Uganda | Further testing of samples using technology that is non-existent in Uganda. Contribution to the biorepository for tesing new prototype point of care diagnostics | 150 study participants |
| Uganda | Thailand | Pharmacokinetic testing. The Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit is the only globally known center that conducts Pharmacokinetic testing. | 600 |
| Uganda | United Kingdom | Validated group B streptococcus immunological assays are locally unavailable and to avoid laboratory associated variability testing of samples in the same laboratory as previous studies is preferred | Serum 52.5ml per mother, Breast milk 15ml per mother, 200 maternal dry blood spots, serum 12.5ml per infant, 1200 infant dry blood spots. |
| Uganda | South Africa | The samples will be tested for the drug tenofovir which can not be done locally | 80 |
| Uganda | Netherlands | A material transfer agreement will be drafted to transfer the samples to the Netherlands for the antibody arrays and mass spectrometry. | 720 stored plasma sample vials |
| Uganda | Finland | The aliquoted sample shall be shipped to Nightingale Health in Helsinki, Finland for metabolite profiling because at the moment, no facility or institution in Africa has the capacity and machinery to undertake Metabolomic Biomarker Measures using the high-throughput and cost-effective nuclear magnetic resonance. | 2000 |
| Uganda | United States | The shipment's purpose is for the comprehensive immunological profiling assays, which unfortunately, cannot be conducted in any local laboratory in Uganda. Dr. Bronwyn Gunn’s Laboratory at Washington State University has specialized high-throughput assays that analyze both quantitative and qualitative characteristics of humoral immunity against SUDV. They have the capacity to assess innate immune effector mechanisms executed by various cells, as well as the ability to capture an extensive range of polyclonal antibody profile characteristics. This expertise is vital for the progression of our study. | 500microliters in each cryovial |
| Uganda | Switzerland | measure resistance markers and DNA analysis for Trichuris trichiura | 350 |
| Uganda | USA | The materials to be transferred are dried blood spots from research participants on this study for tests that we are not able to do in Uganda | About 1200 Dried blood spots |
| Uganda | South Africa | For Clinical Trial Purposes | 6690 |
| Uganda | US | This research requires the identification of plant secondary compounds using metabolomic studies. Although some basic nutritional analysis was already completed on the plant samples we collected, the residues need to be transferred to the USA for the remainder of the analysis as the instrumentation to do this research is not available in Uganda. Briefly, upon arrival, plant samples will be freeze-dried, and pulverized using a Qiagen TissueLyser ball mill, and a subsample of 10 mg will be weighed and extracted with 1.8 ml 90:10 v/v methanol: water PH 5 overnight at 4°C and 300 rpm. This subsample will then be centrifuged at 14,000 rpm for 30 min, and the supernatant will then be removed and filtered for ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). This column has been optimized (UHPLC-MS/MS; Thermo Fisher Scientific; Accucore C18 column with 150 mm length, 2.1 mm internal diameter, and 2.6 mm particle size) for the detection of fragmented metabolites. The raw data produced from the UHPLC-MS will be filtered, centroided, and processed for peak detection, alignment, and filtering using MZmine2. I will then use a feature-based molecular network on the GNPS molecular networking platform in order to infer the metabolomic composition of each sample and relate this composition to guereza monkey feeding. | 496 |
| Uganda | United states of America (USA) | The air pollution samplers collect PM2.5 mass gravimetrically using pumps that draw air through pre-weighed 37mm Teflon-membrane filters (Pall Life Sciences, Port Washington, NY). Teflon filters are weighed before and after sampling on a Mettler MT5 microbalance (Mettler-Toledo, Columbus, OH) in the temperature- and humidity-controlled Environmental Chemistry Laboratory at HARVARD at the direction of Colgate University scientist, Prof Beth Parks. This testing cannot currently be performed in Uganda | 500 Air pollution filters |
| Uganda | United States of America | Samples will be used to quantify KSHV viral levels, to evaluate KSHV virus genomic variations, and to characterize serology and immune responses to KSHV and other viruses. | Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs): 900 - Human Plasma: 1200 |
| Uganda | German | For malaria parasite pharmacogenomics study. All the biological materials collected during the Study are shipped to the above indicated laboratories since the procedures cannot be done locally. The centralized analysis in this multicentre study and will be utilized for research purpose only | 34 |
| Uganda | Switzerland | Send eDNA water filters for Laboratory Analysis | 1 Kg |
| Uganda | USA | Study purpose | 10 million cells per aliquot, l.0-l.5mls per aliquot depending on the amount of plasma harvested, 10 million cells per aliquot, l.0-l.5mls per aliquot depending on the amount of plasma harvested |
| Uganda | LONDON | Samples will be transferred to Oxford for analysis to assess the humoral immunogenicity of R21/Matrix-M™ in 5-36- month-old African children, comparing children living with HIV with HIV negative children. This transfer will also allow us to assess the impact of vaccination on HIV reservoir and assess whether increasing age and nadir CD4 count are associated with immunogenicity of R21/Matrix-M™ in 5-36- month-old African children living with HIV | 720 plasma samples and 720 PBMC samples. |
| Uganda | USA | Safety | 700 plasma |
| Uganda | UK | The transfer will allow us carry out MSD analysis, which cannot currently be run in Uganda as specialised equipment is required. | 294x500 micro liters of plasma and 294x500 micro liters of Serum |
| Uganda | Canada | This transfer will allow determining of spike-binding and pseudovirus-neutralizing antibody responses induced by COVAC-2 against the Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 as well as cellular immune responses, Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) binding antibody responses, and neutralizing antibody responses induced by COVAC-2 against one or more Variant(s) of Concern (VOC) and/or Variant(s) of Interest (VOI). | Epicenter Mbarara 2800 Serum Sample, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 2800 Serum Samples, Uganda Virus Research Institute 2800 Serum Samples, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 500 PBMC Samples |
| Uganda | UK | To enable us to ship 600 stored plasma sample vials for the purpose of collaborative research work. | 600 stored plasma sample vials |