More than 7,000 miles from Pittsburgh, John Tukakira’s first encounter with Pitt Public Health sparked a partnership that would later inspire his academic journey.
“I was in Uganda working on a clinical trial and the University of Pittsburgh was a partner institution, which is how I got to know the School of Public Health,” said Tukakira, a second-year MPH student in the school’s Department of Epidemiology.
The clinical trial, led by researchers at Columbia University, was focused on the development of new treatments for sickle cell disease, a condition that significantly affects many in his hometown of Kampala, Uganda.
“Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that effects many people—about eight million people in the world-- and about 90% of those people live in sub-Saharan Africa,” explains Tukakira. Many challenges in treating the disease are compounded by the inability of community members to afford needed medication.
About 20,000 infants are born with sickle cell anemia in Uganda, which accounts for 1-2% of all births in the country. A staggering 70-80% of these children die before the age of five.
During the study, children with sickle cell disease were given the drug Hydroxyurea and followed for 30 months to evaluate any improvement in their condition, which was demonstrated by fewer hospitalizations and blood transfusions, and an improved quality of life.
Tukakira was not only struck by the study’s impact, but by the mentorship he received from the study’s co-principal investigator, Caterina Rosano, professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health. This connection ultimately guided his decision to apply and attend the School of Public Health, where he began in August 2023.
“Dr. Rosano was very approachable, and I really loved her,” says Tukakira. “I was just out of medical school and seeing all this impactful work with this incredible institution was inspiring. I decided to pursue a career in research.”
This pivotal experience also inspired Tukakira’s master’s thesis in which he is building on his previous work in the Ugandan trial to develop and test a small device for screening cognition and small vessel disease in people with sickle cell disease. Fitted with a probe that is placed under the tongue, the device allows microscopic analysis of the small blood vessels in the mouth.
Excited to finish his master's degree and graduate in December, Tukakira reflects on his transformative journey at Pitt Public Health and the invaluable support he received from his peers inside and outside the classroom -- spending his first-ever Halloween and Thanksgiving with classmates who gladly welcomed him in.
Noting the friendly and approachable nature of those around him and how it made a significant difference during his time as an international student, he is especially thankful for the role he played as a student ambassador for the Department of Epidemiology, where he has enjoyed connecting with and assisting prospective international students.
“I like speaking to international students and encouraging them to be open once they get here and to realize that the environment is very supportive and collaborative,” he says. “There are so many opportunities here in Pittsburgh for students.”
-Jackie Friedman Hathaway