Dr. Arthur Kajungu Tugume
He is a Ugandan scientist and academic leader based at the College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University since October 1999. He holds a PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of Helsinki, an M.Sc in Crop Science (Genetics) and 2nd Class upper B.Sc degree (Botany and Biochemistry) both from Makerere University. He is Associate Professor of Plant pathology & virology at the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology. He was Head of this Department and is currently the Dean, School of Biosciences (2022-2030) at Makerere University, overseeing the administration and academics of 17 diverse basic science academic programs in four departments. He holds numerous leadership administrative roles and academic responsibilities at Makerere University and the scientific community in general. His research has networks in 12 countries across 5 continents. His research interests are in plant-microbe interactions, plant virus evolution, ecology, and transmission; plant pathology; plant sexual reproductive biology in diverse cultivated plant species and their wild relatives, genetics, biotechnology and science policy. He is an author and reviewer for dozens of internationally recognized scientific journals or funding organizations. He is the founding president of the Biology Society of Uganda and a member of professional organizations. He is a Fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences. As a member of Uganda’s National Biosafety Committee (2020-2029), he is instrumental in policy guidance, biosafety regulation, biotechnology, and scientific research investments Uganda’s advancement. His specialization includes plant science, plant pathology, plant virology, plant virus evolution, plant virus emergence, biotechnology, biosafety, science policy and development.