By Sandra Naluyima, CAMO-Net Uganda

As part of my offsite CAMONET placement, I had the incredible opportunity to train at two prestigious UK institutions Imperial College London and the University of Liverpool. This placement not only strengthened my technical expertise but also gave me a memorable and transformative personal and professional experience abroad.

Training at Imperial College London: LC-MS Method Development

My first stop was Imperial College London, where I worked on developing a method for the simultaneous analysis of antibiotics in plasma using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Being in such a world-renowned research environment was both exciting and a little intimidating at first. The scale and pace of work were different from what I was used to but I quickly adapted, thanks to the supportive team and structured training.

I was trained in sample preparation techniques for analysis of both total and unbound ceftriaxone in plasma. One of the most interesting aspects was learning the importance of distinguishing between total and unbound drug concentrations. I had learned about this concept in theory, but seeing how it’s applied in real clinical settings made it click for me in a new way. Understanding that only the unbound drug is pharmacologically active changed how I viewed therapeutic drug monitoring from something abstract to something critically practical.

Outside the lab, adjusting to life in London was also a learning curve navigating the Tube and the trains, figuring out how to dress for the constantly changing weather and trying all kinds of food from around the world. It was a vibrant, fast-paced city that made every day feel like an adventure.

Training at the University of Liverpool: Point-of-Care Biosensor Development
The second phase of my placement took me to the University of Liverpool, where I transitioned into a very different kind of research developing biosensors for point-of-care diagnostics. This was my first time working with microchip technology and sensor fabrication, and I was honestly surprised by how hands-on and creative this work could be.

My training included:
• Silver plating of microchips
• Gold plating of microchips
• Molecular imprinting of analytes on microchips

At first, it was challenging precision work that required patience and attention to detail but the satisfaction of seeing results develop from your own on efforts was incredibly rewarding. It gave me a new appreciation for the intersection between chemistry, engineering, and healthcare innovation.
Liverpool itself had a different energy from London a bit more relaxed, lesser people and activities.

Final Reflections and Appreciation
My CAMONET placement helped me grow not just as a researcher, but as a person. Being exposed to new scientific techniques, different lab environments and new cultures broadened my perspective and made me more adaptable, curious, and confident.

I’m grateful to my mentors at Imperial College London (Dr. Riek Alaa and team), the University of Liverpool (Dr. Sanjiv Sharma and team), and the CAMONET network for their guidance and support throughout this journey.

To anyone considering a similar placement, go for it. You’ll gain technical skills but you’ll also experience a new culture, build international networks and come away with stories.

By Guilherme Ximenes Soares, CAMO-Net Timor-Leste

Strengthening Global AMS: Insights from South Africa with CAMO-Net Support

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to pose an urgent global health challenge, making cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange more important than ever. With support from CAMO-Net and the Wellcome Trust, I had the opportunity to attend both the CAMO-Net cross-site meeting and the International Conference on Infectious Diseases (ICID2024) in South Africa, an experience made possible through the CAMO-Net travel grant. These gatherings brought together professionals from around the world who are committed to strengthening antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) through culturally informed, evidence-based strategies.

One of the most impactful sessions at the ICID2024 was The Pharmacists’ Role in the Infectious Disease Team. As an AMS pharmacist in Timor-Leste, I found this discussion particularly relevant as it highlighted the importance of evaluating antibiotic medication errors such as missed doses, incorrect dosing, inappropriate intervals, and failure to adjust for renal impairment or microbiology results. These insights will directly inform my work with the AMS committee at the National Hospital in Timor-Leste.

Our Timor-Leste and Brazil (TIL-BRA) team shared experiences about our respective health systems, discovering many structural and operational similarities. We also had engaging sessions on culture and communication, highlighting the importance of language and context in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These discussions reinforced the need for AMS programs to be culturally sensitive and linguistically inclusive.

The conference featured workshops that explored themes such as intersectionality, AMR communication strategies, data-driven decision-making, community engagement, and the ethical considerations of public health research. These interactive sessions fostered cross-hub collaborations and generated actionable insights.

A major highlight from the CAMO-Net meeting was engaging with CAMO-Net colleagues from India on Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) for aminoglycosides and glycopeptides. As Timor-Leste prepares to implement TDM testing for the first time, their practical advice and willingness to offer ongoing support including potential observational visits, was incredibly encouraging. I also had a productive discussion with a researcher from Mahidol University in Thailand about his pharmacokinetic study on Colistin. His openness to collaboration further strengthens the foundation for implementing TDM in our healthcare system.

These interactions reaffirmed the power of collaboration in tackling AMR. In-person interactions allowed for deeper connections and more meaningful exchanges than virtual meetings often permit. The collective energy and shared commitment to culturally relevant, context-specific solutions left me inspired and motivated to continue contributing to AMS efforts in Timor-Leste and beyond. This travel grant opportunity served as a catalyst for future collaborations and strengthened resolve in the fight against AMR.

Building The CAMO-Net GDR Foundation Through Collaborative Offsite Learning

By Henry Mutegeki, GDR Information Manager

I recently had the opportunity to spend a month at the University of Liverpool, refining the blueprint for the CAMO-Net Global Data Resource (GDR). My mission was to refine the requirements needed for building a platform that can securely manage pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) and clinical data from diverse global hubs, including Uganda, India, and the UK whilst learning from existing TREs. Although I arrived with ambitious architectural plans, I soon discovered how face-to-face discussions, legal reviews, and hands-on technical sessions could breathe life into what might otherwise remain abstract diagrams.

One of the first things I noticed upon arriving in Liverpool was how warmly & readily different teams welcomed me into their workspaces & workflows. The University’s I.T. Department offered an in-depth view of their infrastructure, server configurations and load-balancing strategies, giving me insights to ensure that the GDR could withstand the large datasets typical of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research. Meanwhile, the CAMO-Net Liverpool group showed me how inhouse researchers actually curated & put AMR data to use, emphasizing the real-world need for user-friendly interfaces that allow them to focus on cutting-edge analysis rather than fiddling with system configurations. Alongside these interactions, I spent many hours & days interacting with bioinformatics specialists like Dr. Yu Wan from Liverpool’s Therapeutics division and the data scientists from the AMR-X team led by Dr. Alex Howard. Our lively discussions often explored PK/PD data, genomic data, data volume growth and advanced modeling tools & requirements, and they underlined the importance of cleaning, normalizing, and governing data sets in ways that respect both privacy and usability. Regular mentorship from my placement advisor, Prof. Shampa Das, along with the linkages to the various teams like the Advanced Research Operations (ARO), AWS team & Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL), anchored my efforts. With Shampa’s guidance, we polished the GDR business case and crafted a draft GDR opinion paper, marking a significant milestone in documenting and communicating the GDR vision.

Understanding the legal landscape proved just as critical. Together with the CAMO-Net Liverpool’s legal team led by Stephanie Laidlaw, we drafted and refined the GDR data-sharing agreements, diving into complex topics such as GDPR alignment and local privacy laws for CAMO-Net’s partner countries. These legal perspectives underscored that even the most well-designed platforms can be undermined if they fail to protect the confidentiality and rights of those whose data we handle. At the same time, talking to researchers who rely on day-to-day data access reminded me that compliance cannot be so rigid that it dampens scientific collaboration. Striking this balance is where the concept of federated data models truly shone, offering a means of local data ownership coupled with global-scale insight.

My encounters and sessions with the Advanced Research Operations (ARO) team significantly shaped my visit. They gave me a tour of real-world Trusted Research Environments (TREs), showing me secure workflows and operational benchmarks in action. Watching how the users requested dataset access, collaborated on code, and maintained audit trails drove home the importance of designing the GDR to be flexible and scalable without becoming unwieldy. These in-person sessions & demonstrations validated many assumptions behind the GDR’s initial blueprint, particularly around how best to combine secure infrastructure with intuitive processes for data ingestion and analysis.

Armed with new insights, I could then fine-tune the GDR business case, ensuring our workflow designs and cost projections were grounded in realistic usage scenarios rather than guesswork. The University of Liverpool context, enriched by thoughtful feedback from data scientists, clinicians, and IT specialists, gave me a thorough sense of how the GDR would hold up under actual scientific and operational demands. By observing the ARO’s approach to accommodating complex PK/PD modeling, I felt better equipped to specify the compute resources our platform should anticipate. Working hand-in-hand with the legal team also led to more robust data governance clauses in our agreements, weaving compliance into the GDR from its earliest planning stages. By the end of the placement, I had a new appreciation for the importance of a “TRE-first” mindset, in which security, compliance, and usability come together in a cohesive framework. I realized that building a platform for global AMR research is as much about forging relationships as it is about writing code or drafting legal policies. The people behind the data—patients, families, and researchers—deserve systems designed to keep their information safe, give them clarity on how data is being used, and empower them with tools to advance solutions for AMR.

Amid all the technical deep dives, Liverpool itself proved to be a charming companion. The city’s winter cold was instantly forgotten when office colleagues (Jacky, Esha, Sandra, Chris, Elaine, Vicky, Jenny, Yinzheng, Yu, Alex, Alessandro) and I stopped for coffee, shared hearty lunches, and discussed everything from the Beatles to where to find the best fish and chips. It was very lovely to put a face to the name when I met part of the CAMO-Net leadership Prof. Alison and Kerri during the Fleming fund fellows’ dinner. Those joyous moments with the Liverpool team helped me learn more about city, cement working relationships and were the warmth I needed in the winter breezes. In my downtime, I explored iconic Liverpool landmarks like the Royal Albert Dock, the Beatles Story Museum, and the grand Liverpool Cathedral, deepening my appreciation for the city’s rich history. Each adventure reminded me that innovation flourishes in places where history, culture, and fresh ideas intersect.

I am very grateful to my mentor Prof. Shampa, the CAMO-Net leadership & Capacity building team along with the CAMO-Net Liverpool & ARO teams for the collective efforts in making my placement a success! Special thanks to Jacky who coordinated my stay while at Liverpool and always ensured I had all I needed. Looking ahead, my immediate task is to build a small TRE prototype environment with guidance from the ARO team so we can test the GDR’s workflows in real-time. We hope to integrate our first PK/PD datasets from CAMO-Net hubs in Uganda, India, and the UK, thereby moving from theory to practice. Meanwhile, the GDR business case —currently in draft form— continues to evolve, laying out everything from data pipelines to governance models in one comprehensive resource. I’m confident that the lessons learned from my time in Liverpool will be instrumental in steering this business case towards funding and make it a framework other researchers can replicate.

More than anything, the month I spent in Liverpool reinforced my belief that meaningful innovation arises when diverse expertise converges. The synergy among bioinformaticians, IT professionals, data scientists, legal experts, and clinical researchers is what made these weeks so fruitful. Each perspective chipped away at my initial assumptions, refining them into a plan that feels tangible, respectful of local contexts, and optimally set up to serve a global mission. As I return to IDI, I carry that spirit of collaboration with me, convinced that the CAMO-Net GDR has the potential to unify vast quantities of data to address one of our greatest healthcare challenges: antimicrobial resistance.

Researchers from the Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network (CAMO-Net) have played a leading role in two papers published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases as part of a three-part Series exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in tackling infectious diseases.

The Series, launched this week, examines how AI can support infectious disease prevention and management across clinical care, diagnostics, outbreak detection, infection control, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It highlights both the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into health systems worldwide.

The second paper in the Series, Artificial intelligence and infectious disease diagnostics: state of the art and future perspectives, focuses on how AI can enhance pathogen detection, optimise laboratory workflows, and improve antimicrobial stewardship. CAMO-Net researchers, including Dr Ronald Galiwango, Bioinformatics Scientist and Data Science Lead at CAMO-Net Uganda, contributed to this work.

“AI has the potential to revolutionise infectious disease diagnostics in Africa and beyond, but only if its development is rooted in equity and adapted to local realities. Being part of this paper allowed us to emphasise the importance of ensuring these technologies are accessible and impactful in resource-limited settings,” said Dr Ronald Galiwango.

The third paper, Artificial intelligence and infectious diseases: tackling antimicrobial resistance, from personalised care to antibiotic discovery, explores how AI can support the discovery of new antibiotics, strengthen stewardship, and underpin early warning systems for AMR. This article was led by Professor William Hope, Dame Sally Davies Chair of AMR Research and CAMO-Net UK co-lead based at the University of Liverpool.

“Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest health challenges of our time. AI can help us uncover new antibiotics, optimise their use, and protect them for the future. Through this Series, we aim to show what is possible when innovation is paired with international collaboration,” said Professor William Hope.

Reflecting on the Series as a whole, Professor Alison Holmes, David Price Evans Chair in Global Health and Infectious Diseases at the University of Liverpool and CAMO-Net Director, emphasised the need for global cooperation.

“The Lancet Series is an important step in shaping how AI can support infectious disease management worldwide. Our focus has been on ensuring that these technologies serve people everywhere, particularly in settings where the burden of disease is greatest. CAMO-Net’s contribution demonstrates the power of equitable, global partnerships to generate knowledge that is relevant, sustainable, and transformative,” said Professor Alison Holmes, CAMO-Net Director.

Together, the three Lancet papers provide an evidence-driven framework for understanding AI’s role in infectious disease management. CAMO-Net’s contribution highlights the network’s impact in shaping international dialogue on antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease control, ensuring that new tools and technologies are applied in ways that are equitable, sustainable, and globally relevant.

You can read the full series of papers from the Lancet here.

In September 2025 stakeholders from across Uganda’s public health sector came together for the AMR Public Health Awareness Pillar Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting, hosted by the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Makerere University School of Public Health. The meeting created a space to reflect on progress, share ideas, and strengthen collaboration on how best to communicate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to communities and influence behaviour change at every level.

The event brought together representatives from government ministries, departments and agencies, parliamentarians (including the Chair of the Parliamentary Forum on AMR), academia, civil society, the media, and community groups. CAMO-Net was invited as a stakeholder, recognised for its continued contributions to AMR research and community engagement across Uganda.

The meeting opened with remarks from the Commissioner of Pharmacy and the Commissioner for Health Promotion, Education and Communication, who emphasised the importance of joint action. Dr Esther Buregyeya (MakSPH) provided technical updates on ongoing activities and plans for the Public Health Awareness Pillar, while Dr Harriet Akello presented the National AMR Policy Framework, highlighting the importance of multi-sectoral engagement.

Mr Edward Muganga (Ministry of Health) introduced the Terms of Reference and Uganda’s AMR Stakeholders’ Engagement Plan for 2025–2026, including the development of a national stakeholders’ database to ensure fair representation and wide dissemination of information. Participants worked in groups to refine the stakeholder list, identify performance indicators, and generate strategies to mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) later this year.

Closing the meeting, Hon Dr Ayume, Chair of the AMR Parliamentary Committee, outlined operational guidelines for implementing the engagement plan and reaffirmed political commitment to the AMR agenda.

The meeting underscored the importance of bringing together diverse voices in the AMR response and marked a significant step forward in coordinating public health awareness strategies across Uganda.

On 2 September 2025, the CAMO-Net South Africa Hub brought together leaders in research, policy, and practice for the second Global Health Indaba, held as part of the WHX conference in Cape Town. Led by Professors Salome Maswime, Sipho Dlamini, and Esmita Charani, the Indaba explored this year’s theme: African Solutions for Global Impact.

An Indaba is a Southern African term (from Zulu and Xhosa) that means a gathering, meeting, or discussion – usually one that brings people together to exchange ideas, share concerns, and make decisions. The day was shaped around three interconnected conversations – Financing and Aid, Health Innovations, and Access to Healthcare – with contributions from experts across the continent.

CAMO-Net voices were strongly represented. Dr Andrew Kambugu, Uganda Hub Lead, and Dr Janet Midega, Research Lead at the Wellcome Trust, joined Associate Professor Esmita Charani to reflect on access to healthcare, disease burden, and knowledge practices. They were in conversation with Associate Professor Tracey Naledi (UCT), Dr Francis Magombo (WHO), Dr David Mametja (Health and Care Professions Council of South Africa), Professor Sizulu Moyo (South African Human Research Council), and Dr Luvuyo Bayeni (South Africa National Department of Health).

Professor Sipho Dlamini chaired a powerful session on health financing with Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health. Meanwhile, Professor Salome Maswime joined Dr Mireille Wenger, Western Cape Minister for Health and Wellbeing, for a high-level panel exchange. Innovations took centre stage in another lively session where CAMO-Net Fellow Dr Dena Van Den Bergh was among the panellists.

Beyond the conference, the gathering created opportunities to deepen collaboration. Professors Mendelson and Dlamini, together with Drs Midega and Kambugu, met at Groote Schuur Hospital to share updates. The South Africa team also hosted a special visit to Eh!woza, where we connected with Dr Anastasia Koch, Mr Ed Young, Ms Mbali Jyiane, and the team. Discussions centred on early findings from joint Wellcome Trust–funded CAMO-Net and PROTEA studies, alongside insights from the Trinity Challenge Youth Award. A key theme was the potential for cross-country learning in community co-design and engagement – work that will continue with a follow-up site visit to the Eastern Cape later this year.

Of course, no visit to Cape Town would be complete without showing off some of its charm. Our colleagues enjoyed some downtime with Professor Naledi, Professor Maswime, and Dr Moses Isiagi from the Global Surgery team – a fitting close to a week of rich discussions and shared vision.

Martha Akle Asare is my name, a postgraduate student finalizing my Masters of Philosophy in Molecular cell biology of infectious diseases at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, a centre of CAMO-Net, located at the Department of Biochemistry Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Legon. As part of my training as an early career scientist, I was privileged to participate and present a scientific poster at the just ended British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) Spring conference on the 15th and 16th of May, 2025 in Birmingham, UK. This conference was organized by BSAC, one of four conferences organized annually. BSAC conferences focus on exploring cutting-edge research, connecting participants with global experts, and helping shape the future of our response to Anti-microbial resistance (AMR), a global health emergency. My poster presentation was on HSD 1624, a small molecule compound found to synergize colistin against multidrug resistant bacteria. The data from this study proved that repurposing of antibiotics like colistin is a great strategy to combat the growing issue of AMR globally.

My general experience at my first international conference was surreal. The event took place at the International Convention Centre, a state-of-the-art facility with highly professional staff to assist all visitors. This was a hybrid conference hence equipment was set up to enable the online audience follow the proceedings each day. The flow was easy, timed and cool. Overall, the conference consisted of 14 sessions. After registration at the reception and coffee, the event kickstarted with a welcome address from BSAC president, Professor Andrew Seaton. Generally, talks by presenters focused on vaccines and phage therapy, new antibiotics, antibiotic stewardship, Antibiotic susceptibility testing, bacterial infections diagnosis, Delinkage model and control of antibiotic use by the Pharmacy. Additionally, there were invited lectures on Fungal infections, Conflict and AMR, Faecal Matter Transplant (FMT) and Biocides.

Poster presentations took place during routinely scheduled coffee and lunch breaks. It was during those times that I had interactions with participants from different parts of the world during the poster presentation. I also learn from other poster presenters on drug discovery and AMR related studies. Coffee session was interesting as it provides opportunity for networking and collaborations. Also, biotechnology companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific were present to interact with participants on the latest developments. The highlight of this event for me was placing 1st for Best Poster and this meant I get a free registration for the next BSAC conference in October. My participation in the BSAC Spring conference aligns with my future career objective of becoming a Principal Investigator. I aim to go full time into drug discovery for bacterial infections especially those associated or attributed to AMR. In order to achieve this, I would need to gain proficiency in research data presentation and scientific communication to better prepare me to apply for a PhD position.

I will like to acknowledge the unwavering support of my supervisors, Dr. Abiola Isawumi and Professor Herman O. Sintim as well as AMR Group at WACCBIP for the training and encouragements. I am thankful to West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) and DAAD Germany for research support and funding. Finally, I would like to thank CAMO-Net for the travel fellowship and BSAC for the opportunity.

CAMO-Net Uganda recently marked an important milestone with the launch of a new antimicrobial stewardship interventional study at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda.

The project, led by CAMO-Net Fellow Dr Fiona Mutesi Magololo, is the first of its kind to apply a Quality Improvement (QI) approach to support rational antibiotic use on the hospital’s adult surgical wards. The study builds directly on Uganda’s National Antimicrobial Stewardship Manual, launched earlier in May 2025.

The launch event, held at IDI-Mulago, brought together a wide range of stakeholders from across the hospital. Attendees included Dr Ssekabira (Deputy Executive Director), Dr Orwotho Nobert (Clinical Head of Surgery), members of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee, the Infection Prevention and Control Head Nurse, laboratory staff, pharmacists, and nurses from the surgical wards. Their presence reflected a shared commitment to addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through practical, collaborative solutions.

In his opening remarks, CAMO-Net Uganda Lead Dr Andrew Kambugu drew a vivid analogy between antibiotics and the human heart, reminding participants of just how vital and precious these medicines are, and urging that they be protected as carefully as life itself. Dr Henry Kajumbula followed with a keynote speech that revisited the words of Alexander Fleming in 1945, when he warned that antibiotic misuse could lead to the global threat of resistance now being witnessed.

The CAMO-Net Uganda team, together with Dr Magololo, guided participants through the study protocol and introduced CAMO-Net’s Training and Capacity Strengthening Programme. Attendees shared their own experiences of antibiotic use on the wards and engaged in discussions on practical steps to strengthen stewardship practices.

The Head of Surgery expressed gratitude and pledged full support for the initiative. CAMO-Net Co-Investigator Dr Dathan Byonanebye then closed the proceedings with a memorable quote: “Antimicrobial resistance is the HIV of tomorrow.” He urged all stakeholders to act decisively to prevent AMR from becoming the next major health crisis.

The study was formally launched by the Deputy Executive Director, who thanked CAMO-Net for bringing this first intervention to Mulago and for being the first to implement the Ministry of Health’s antimicrobial stewardship guidelines using a collaborative QI approach.

The strong turnout, active participation, and enthusiasm from all corners of the hospital made the event a resounding success. The launch marked not only the beginning of a research project but also the start of a wider partnership with healthcare professionals to build capacity, strengthen stewardship, and improve patient outcomes.

As Dr Magololo and the team begin work on the adult surgical wards, CAMO-Net looks forward to the study’s potential impact at Mulago and beyond.

Over the past five weeks, the CAMO-Net Uganda team has visited Mbarara, Soroti, Mbale, Gulu, Jinja, Arua, Lira, Kabale and Masaka Regional Referral Hospitals to share findings from studies on antibiotic use trends and the economic burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The data, collected from these very hospitals, was returned to the health workers whose daily decisions influence antibiotic use, creating space for dialogue and reflection on emerging resistance patterns across the country.

Health workers engaged with the findings, discussed their prescribing practices, and raised important questions about improving antibiotic stewardship. At Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Dr Barugahare Banson – an immunologist at the hospital and Chair of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee at Busitema University Medical School – noted how uncommon it is for frontline staff to receive feedback from research teams. “We are often asked to provide data, but we rarely see what comes of it. It’s encouraging that the CAMO-Net team returned to show us how our prescribing practices are shaping resistance trends.” This sentiment was echoed across the other hospitals visited.

The discussions also raised systemic challenges, including the ease of accessing antibiotics over the counter outside hospital settings, and the need for stronger regulatory frameworks and clearer policy guidance to manage antibiotic access in both public and private healthcare sectors. This dissemination activity marks an important step in translating research into practice and underlines the value of evidence-based decision-making at all levels of care.