“Ukatamanga weka utamangisa, tikatamanga awili, tifikapatali" - When you run alone, you run fast. When you run together, you run fast - Zambian Proverb

UNZA-UCLMS

Research and Training Programme

History of UNZA-UCLMS

Background

From the 1950s onwards African countries became independent from colonial domination, and embarked on developing their own medical schools and training programmes. The fact that  several African institutions had not developed their medical and scientific research  and training programmes to international standards, had been a subject of intense debate  and discussion. In the 1980s, most research in Africa was conducted by individual western researchers, or was conducted through expatriate-dominated research centres. African governments were unable to invest adequately in sustaining local medical research programmes.  In the early 1990s, several African countries took up the challenge and embarked on developing their own African-led R&D programmes, to phase out colonial domination and the unethical practice of parachute and FEDEX postal research (Costello & Zumla 2000, Zumla 2002)

  • 1992: UTZAM team, (University of Texas-University of Zambia R&D Project (UTZAM) Standing: Dr Rosemary Sunkutu (extreme right); Prof. Herbert DuPont (second from right), Prof sri Baboo (3rd from right) Prof Alimuddin Zumla (5th from right), Professor Chifumbe Chintu (centre), Dr Francis Kasolo (3rd from left); Prof. Nkandu P Luo (4th from left) Sitting: (Late) Prof Ganapati Bhat (3rd from right)
    1992: UTZAM team, (University of Texas-University of Zambia R&D Project (UTZAM) Standing: Dr Rosemary Sunkutu (extreme right); Prof. Herbert DuPont (second from right), Prof sri Baboo (3rd from right) Prof Alimuddin Zumla (5th from right), Professor Chifumbe Chintu (centre), Dr Francis Kasolo (3rd from left); Prof. Nkandu P Luo (4th from left) Sitting: (Late) Prof Ganapati Bhat (3rd from right)
  • 1996: UNZA-UCLMS Mycobacterial research study group, UTH, Lusaka Standing back row: 2nd right: Dr Richard Waddell, Centre Prof Sri Baboo, 2nd from left Dr Alwyn Mwinga, extreme left Dr Shabbir Lakhi. Prof Zumla (centre of photo)
    1996: UNZA-UCLMS Mycobacterial research study group, UTH, Lusaka Standing back row: 2nd right: Dr Richard Waddell, Centre Prof Sri Baboo, 2nd from left Dr Alwyn Mwinga, extreme left Dr Shabbir Lakhi. Prof Zumla (centre of photo)
  • 2002: UNZA-UCLMS Pediatric autopsy study team
    2002: UNZA-UCLMS Pediatric autopsy study team
  • 2003: UNZA-UCLMS DFID funded perinatal study Standing left to right: Prof G.Bhat, Dr Yusuf Ahmed, Dr Christine Kaseba-Sata, Prof Sri Baboo, Prof Ali Zumla Sitting left to right: Prof Anthony Costello, Prof Andrew Tomkins, Prof Chifumbe Chintu
    2003: UNZA-UCLMS DFID funded perinatal study Standing left to right: Prof G.Bhat, Dr Yusuf Ahmed, Dr Christine Kaseba-Sata, Prof Sri Baboo, Prof Ali Zumla Sitting left to right: Prof Anthony Costello, Prof Andrew Tomkins, Prof Chifumbe Chintu
  • 2004: Co-trimoxazole Study Left to right: Dr victor Mudenda, Dr Alwyn Mwinga, Dr Alistair Story, Dr Peter Mwaba, Dr Yusuf ahmed, Prof Chifumbe Chintu, Dr Kennedy Lishimpi
    2004: Co-trimoxazole Study Left to right: Dr victor Mudenda, Dr Alwyn Mwinga, Dr Alistair Story, Dr Peter Mwaba, Dr Yusuf ahmed, Prof Chifumbe Chintu, Dr Kennedy Lishimpi
  • 2006 VACSIS-VACSEL Standing: Left to Right: Professor Andrew Nunn (MRC-UK), Dr Shabir Lakhi (UTH), Prof Ganapati Bhat (late), Prof Mark Doherty (Statens Serum Institute, Denmark), Prof Ali Zumla, Dr Jim Huggett (UCL) Prof Voahangy Rsolofo (Institute Pasteure, Madagascar) Sitting: Dr Peter Maaba (2nd from left), Dr Gina Mulundu (1st on right)
    2006 VACSIS-VACSEL Standing: Left to Right: Professor Andrew Nunn (MRC-UK), Dr Shabir Lakhi (UTH), Prof Ganapati Bhat (late), Prof Mark Doherty (Statens Serum Institute, Denmark), Prof Ali Zumla, Dr Jim Huggett (UCL) Prof Voahangy Rsolofo (Institute Pasteure, Madagascar) Sitting: Dr Peter Maaba (2nd from left), Dr Gina Mulundu (1st on right)
  • 2010: EU TrDNA study
    2010: EU TrDNA study
  • 2011: Dr P Mwaba and his ADAT Study team
    2011: Dr P Mwaba and his ADAT Study team
1992: UTZAM team, (University of Texas-University of Zambia R&D Project (UTZAM) Standing: Dr Rosemary Sunkutu (extreme right); Prof. Herbert DuPont (second from right), Prof sri Baboo (3rd from right) Prof Alimuddin Zumla (5th from right), Professor Chifumbe Chintu (centre), Dr Francis Kasolo (3rd from left); Prof. Nkandu P Luo (4th from left) Sitting: (Late) Prof Ganapati Bhat (3rd from right)
1992: UTZAM team, (University of Texas-University of Zambia R&D Project (UTZAM) Standing: Dr Rosemary Sunkutu (extreme right); Prof. Herbert DuPont (second from right), Prof sri Baboo (3rd from right) Prof Alimuddin Zumla (5th from right), Professor Chifumbe Chintu (centre), Dr Francis Kasolo (3rd from left); Prof. Nkandu P Luo (4th from left) Sitting: (Late) Prof Ganapati Bhat (3rd from right)

Birth of the UNZA-UCLMS Research and Training Programme

1990: A substantive  US- National Institutes of Health (NIH)-RO1 grant  for R&D  and training  on HIV ⁄ AIDS enabled  two Zambians, Professor Chifumbe  Chintu  and Professor Alimuddin  Zumla  to set up the University of Texas-University  of Zambia R&D  Project (UTZAM) with Professor Herbert Dupont  (UT, Houston, Texas, USA), at the University Teaching  Hospital in Lusaka for R&D  and capacity  development.


1994-2013:   Professors Chintu  and Zumla (1994-2004) and  Professor Zumla and Dr Peter Mwaba (2004-2013) competitively obtained substantial project and programme grants for clinical trials on several areas of adult and paediatric infectious diseases with a focus on Tuberculosis, HIV//AIDS and respiratory infections: See "Trials and tribulations of an African-led research and capacity development programme: the case for EDCTP investments"


Of 11 major clinical trials in SSA, 7 are now completed. Results of 4 trials have changed global clinical practice and The World Health Organisation’s international management guidelines for TB, TB-HIV co-infection and respiratory infections. The UNZA-UCLMS epidemiological data has defined the extent and severity of the TB/HIV situation and highlighted the emergence and spread of Extensively Drug Resistant TB in Southern Africa. The first UNZA-UCLMS autopsy studies have focussed global attention on previously neglected issues of childhood TB and the need for new management guidelines for respiratory infections. Our basic science and longitudinal cohort studies developed and evaluated new urine, sputum and blood based TB diagnostics and biomarkers. Several evaluations of rapid diagnostic tests for TB in various settings revealed a large load of undiagnosed sub-clinical TB, resulting in global recommendations for more pro-active screening for TB.  We have a 6 million Euros EU-FW7 for a multidisciplinary project with industrial partners from France (Genewave) and Finland (Mobidiag) on development of multiplex diagnostic platforms for rapid detection of a range of bacterial (including TB), viral and fungal respiratory tract pathogens at points of healthcare.