This limited podcast series features interviews with researchers at different stages of their careers, sharing real-world experiences of taking research beyond publication. Through practical case studies, contributors reflect on lessons learned, challenges faced, and strategies used to influence policy and practice.
Bridging the gap between research and policy remains a persistent challenge, particularly for PhD students, early-career scientists, and locally embedded research teams. By showcasing personal journeys from research to action, this series aims to support scientists across career stages and countries in translating evidence into meaningful impact.
Dr Tuelo Mogashoa from TESA and The Global Health Network speaks with Dr Bernard Kikaire
Dr Bernard Kikaire (MBChB, MSc Epi, PhD) is a medical epidemiologist. He received his medical training from Makerere University, before joining the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at the University of London for an MSc in Epidemiology. Bernard, has a PhD from Trinity College, in which he explored the effect of nutritional status and nutritional supplementation on clinical, nutritional and immunological outcomes of HIV infected adults initiating ART in Uganda.
Dr. Kikaire’s passion in the area of HIV care research. He has over 15 years of experience in HIV care research having worked as in several research positions at the MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Research Unit. He worked with the Development of AntiRetroviral Therapy for Africa (DART) study which was funded by the Medical Research Council, UK. This was ground breaking study in the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource limited settings such as Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Kikaire, has interest in Implementation research, which he picked while he worked with The Regional integration of Health Services in East Central Uganda (RHITES –EC), a USAID funded project.
Dr Leonard Numfor from CANTAM and The Global Health Network speaks with Dr Francis Zeukeng
Dr. Francis Zeukeng is a molecular epidemiologist with a background in Biochemistry. He holds MSc and Ph.D. degrees from the Biotechnology Centre of the University of Yaoundé 1 (BTC/UY1) in Cameroon. He is a Lecturer of Biochemistry at the University of Buea in Cameroon and an Affiliated Researcher at the Biotechnology Centre of the University of Yaoundé 1, where he has conducted molecular biology research on infectious diseases since 2012, focusing on local endemic diseases such as malaria, helminth infections and skin-NTDs. His research emphasizes utilizing genomics and bioinformatics tools to study emerging and neglected tropical diseases.
Dr. Zeukeng has enriched his expertise through international collaborations, including a two-year EDCTP-funded postdoctoral fellowship at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Ghana and a three-year Gates Foundation-funded career development program in pathogen genomic surveillance between BTC/UY1 and the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the UK.