Overview
We are building the MIHRI Data Science Hub to transform how clinical data is used across healthcare, research, and training. Our goal is to create a secure, ethical, and innovative environment where patient data can meaningfully support better decisions, deeper understanding, and improved outcomes.
The Centre is the MIHRI’s hub for data and artificial intelligence, supporting researchers from all disciplines to explore new questions, deepen insight, and drive innovation and impact. We provide expert data science support, training, and collaborative opportunities that help researchers harness data, data science and AI in impactful, responsible ways.
Our long term vision is to make MIHRI a leading centre for healthcare data science in the region.
What We Aim To Do
Methodological, technical, and strategic data science expertise across MIHRI, supporting ethically responsible data use in clinical and research contexts.
Our Mission
Strengthen data‑driven healthcare and research by combining secure infrastructure, advanced analytics, and close engagement with clinical and scientific stakeholders.
Core objectives
Secure & Responsible Data Infrastructure
Developing governance frameworks, privacy‑preserving systems, and high‑quality data pipelines that support compliant and ethical use of health data.
Clinical Integration
Translating analytical insights into real‑world clinical workflows through close collaboration with healthcare professionals.
Training & Capacity Building
Delivering structured training pathways that enhance data literacy, statistical competence, and analytical capability across MIHRI.
Research Methodology & Support
Providing expertise in modern statistical methods, reproducible research practices, and contemporary epidemiological approaches to enable high‑impact science.
Advanced Analytics and AI
Developing interpretable and clinically relevant analytical models and decision‑support tools to improve patient outcomes and system performance.
MEET THE TEAM
Christopher Baleke
Christopher Baleke, MSc, is the President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Mayuge Institute for Global Health Sciences Research and Innovations (MIHRI), where he provides visionary scientific leadership in advancing maternal and child health research across Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa. In this role, he oversees MIHRI’s research portfolio, leading research strategy and overseeing scientific programmes that enhance health systems and strengthen evidence based decision making in low resource settings.
Christopher holds an MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and is a doctoral researcher at Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, enrolled in the Molecular, Genetic and Life Course Epidemiology program. His PhD focuses on identifying gaps in postnatal care adherence, characterizing trajectories of cardiometabolic risk factors, and improving the prediction of cardiovascular disease using real world clinical practice data. His research integrates advanced epidemiological methods, health systems evaluation, and applied data science to generate impactful, policy relevant evidence.
As Co-founder and organizational lead of MIHRI, Christopher drives the development of a pioneering linked birth cohort in rural Uganda. This initiative leverages electronic health records (EHR) to strengthen maternal and child health surveillance, improve risk prediction models, and evaluate scalable public health interventions. He also leads a nationwide review of maternal clinical records to assess data quality and establish the foundational infrastructure for a digital birth cohort and future integrated health information systems.
Christopher brings extensive experience as a research team leader and epidemiologist, having managed large population based cohorts and major research programs, including randomized controlled trials. He has led multidisciplinary scientific teams, supervised complex field operations, and guided the design, implementation, and analysis of high impact public health studies across diverse settings.
His research interests span maternal and child health, infectious disease prevention, digital health innovation, and the application of advanced statistical, epidemiological, and data driven methods to evaluate interventions in low- and middle-income countries. Through his leadership and scientific contributions, Christopher is committed to generating robust, actionable evidence that strengthens health systems and improves health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Alex Daama
Alex Daama is an accomplished public health scientist, strategic leader, and Co-Founder of the Mayuge Institute for Global Health Sciences Research and Innovations (MIHRI). He currently serves as the Chief Strategic and Innovation Officer, where he guides the organization’s vision, develops forward‑looking health research strategies, and champions innovative approaches to improving population health. With over a decade of experience in epidemiology, cohort research, and public health program implementation, Alex brings a rare blend of scientific rigor, leadership skill, and strategic foresight to his work.
Alex has previously served as a Program Director and Epidemiologist at AMBSO, where he played a central role in cohort design, implementation, and scientific leadership. He worked extensively with the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP), contributing to HIV surveillance through the renowned Rakai Community Cohort Study. Alex is a PhD student in Public Health (Epidemiology) in the Joint Doctoral Program at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego (2025–present). He holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Makerere University, Uganda (2022), specializing in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. His academic training has equipped him with strong skills in epidemiological methods, biostatistics, population health measurement, and implementation science.
His research interests span multiple global health priorities, including HIV, non‑communicable diseases, mental health services, sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health, infectious diseases such as COVID‑19, intimate partner violence, implementation science, and the health impacts of climate change. His scientific work has been showcased at major regional and international meetings, including IAS 2024 (Munich), INTEREST 2022–2023 (Kampala), CROI 2024 (Denver), and IAS 2025 (Rwanda).
Through his work at MIHRI and his leadership as Chief Strategic and Innovation Officer, Alex continues to shape the future of public health research with creativity, scientific integrity, and a deep commitment to community impact. Under his strategic guidance, MIHRI has pioneered community‑based participatory research models, bridging the gap between rigorous science and real‑world solutions, particularly in rural Uganda and across East Africa. His vision emphasizes equity-driven health systems strengthening and the integration of climate resilience into public health programming.
Beyond institutional roles, Alex actively mentors emerging public health researchers and has contributed to over 25 peer‑reviewed manuscripts focusing on HIV epidemiology, implementation science, and NCD prevention. He believes that data must be translated into action, working closely with district health teams and policymakers to shape evidence‑informed interventions. His commitment to capacity building has led to several training workshops in advanced biostatistics and epidemiologic methods for Ugandan early‑career scientists.
As a thought leader, Alex has been invited to speak at several global health symposia about the future of cohort studies in low‑resource settings. He is currently investigating the intersection of climate variability and infectious disease patterns as part of his doctoral research, leveraging longitudinal data from the Rakai community cohort. By combining implementation science frameworks with advanced statistical models, Alex aims to develop adaptive interventions that respond to both epidemiological shifts and environmental stressors. His work has been recognized with early career awards and research fellowships, fueling his drive to cultivate locally grounded, globally relevant health research ecosystems.
Asani Kasango
Asani Kasango is the Co-Director of the MIHRI Data Science Hub, where he provides strategic leadership in data science innovation, develops scalable and reproducible analytic workflows, and supports institutional capacity for high quality, data driven research. In this role, he also mentors emerging data scientists, promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, and advances modern analytic approaches in public health research.
He is an epidemiologist, social scientist, and biostatistician with over a decade of experience in population health research, research management, study coordination, and quantitative analysis. Asani is also a co-founder of the Mayuge Institute for Global Health Sciences Research and Innovation (MIHRI), where he contributes to research capacity strengthening, scientific collaboration, and the implementation of community-centered health research.
He has extensive experience managing complex longitudinal datasets, including the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), one of Africa’s longest-running HIV surveillance cohorts. His expertise includes data management, data quality assurance, participant recruitment, statistical modelling, and reproducible data analysis using R, SAS, and Stata. His work has contributed to multiple peer reviewed publications spanning HIV, non communicable diseases, tobacco use, and health systems integration.
Asani is currently pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Western University, Canada. His doctoral research focuses on the epidemiology of hypertension and type 2 diabetes comorbidity among people living with and without HIV in Uganda, with the goal of informing integrated models of chronic disease care in resource limited settings. He also maintains strong interests in cardiometabolic disease epidemiology, causal inference, and maternal and child health among underserved populations.
His career is grounded in a commitment to rigorous science, high quality data systems, and the production of policy relevant evidence to improve health outcomes and reduce global health disparities.
Denis Ndekezi
Denis is a Social Scientist and a member of the Mayuge Institute for Global Health Sciences Research and Innovation (MIHRI). He holds a BSc in Population Studies from Makerere University and an MPH with a focus on health promotion from Uganda Martyrs University.
As a behavioural social scientist and public health practitioner, Denis specializes in sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents, young people, and persons with disabilities. He is currently leading a project to develop an intervention for improving sleep health among Ugandan secondary school students.
Ratifah Batuusa
Ratifah Batuusa is a skilled Data Manager overseeing data collection, cleaning, and database management at MIHRI. She ensures high-quality data for research using tools like REDCap, ODK, R, and Python, contributing to reliable evidence for maternal and child health studies.
Alice Nassanga
Alice is a Program Administrator and Research Data Administrator at the Mayuge Institute for Global Health Sciences Research and Innovation (MIHRI). She is a Social Scientist with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Social Administration from Uganda. With more than six years of experience in health research, she specializes in sexual and reproductive health among adolescents, young people, and individuals living with HIV.
In her previous work, she has contributed to several major research initiatives, including the Entebbe Mother and Baby at 21 cohort study (EMaBs@21), which explores young people’s perceptions of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, examining social, environmental, and lifestyle influences, sources of information on non-communicable diseases, and strategies for reducing risk. Her portfolio also includes epidemiological and interventional work such as the multi-country Long-Acting Treatment in Adolescents (LATA) clinical trial evaluating long-acting injectable HIV treatments, and studies on menstrual and mental health among Ugandan schoolgirls.
In her role as a Program Administrator, Alice brings strong expertise in research administration, data management, and research systems. She provides leadership in study coordination, data quality assurance and regulatory compliance to enhance research efficiency, accuracy, and integrity.
