A visit from the Gates Foundation

Posted on July 16, 2025
By Richard Linga and Christopher Maiso

Communications Officer and Communications Assistant, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Target Malaria Uganda

Dr Estee Torok, Senior Program Officer in Surveillance, Data & Epidemiology in Malaria / Global Health at the Gates Foundation visited Target Malaria Uganda based at the Uganda Virus Research Institute. 

Dr Torok was welcomed by the Head of the Entomology Department and Principal Investigator of Target Malaria Project, Dr Jonathan Kayondo, who provided an overview of the ongoing work at UVRI.  

Team members from Insectary, Field entomology and modelling shared updates on different project milestones and activities. A highlight of the day was the presentation of the contained use studies of the non gene drive genetically modified male bias mosquitoes taking place in the Arthropod Containment Level 2 (ACL2) Insectary at UVRI.   

Throughout her visit, she expressed strong appreciation of the work being done at Uganda Virus Research Institute, stressing that while there has been impressive progress in the fight against malaria, there is need to develop new tools to complement existing tools.  

Dr Torok’s visit aimed to strengthen collaboration between the Gates Foundation and the Uganda Virus Research Institute. The Gates Foundation is the principal funder of Target Malaria.  

Principal Investigator, Dr Jonathan Kayondo giving an overview of the work being done at UVRI.
Dr Torok touring the sequencing lab. 
Peter Nkurunziza, the insectary manager presenting the results of the male bias mosquito contained use studies.