- Home
- About
About
About Mildmay Research Centre Uganda (MRCU)
Mildmay Research Centre Uganda (MRCU) is a centre for applied health research dedicated to generating high-quality evidence that transforms communities and strengthens health systems. Anchored within Mildmay Uganda, MRCU contributes to national and global health goals by developing evidence-based solutions, improving implementation processes, and supporting product development in real-world settings.
Our vision is clear: communities transformed for sustainable health through high-quality applied research.
Our mission is equally practical: to generate actionable knowledge that improves health outcomes and informs policy in Uganda and beyond.
Business and economic impact studies
MRCU conducts rigorous clinical, implementation, and operational research across priority public health domains. Our portfolio spans HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, mental health, epidemic preparedness, and health systems strengthening. We integrate research into routine service delivery, ensuring that evidence generated is directly relevant to frontline healthcare settings.
Our work is structured around strategic focus areas that reflect emerging global and national health priorities:
- Advancing digital health and artificial intelligence applications
- Strengthening diagnostic and treatment capabilities
- Championing patient-centered care principles
- Integrating traditional and conventional medicine
- Combating emerging infections and antimicrobial resistance
Strengthening mental health support
MRCU is actively building capacity as a regional hub for the development, calibration, and validation of digital health technologies, including AI-based diagnostic tools. Through strategic partnerships with academic and technology institutions, the Centre is positioning itself as a trusted platform for evaluating emerging health innovations in real-world African contexts.
Our innovation portfolio includes AI-assisted diagnostic models, person-centric medical record systems, predictive analytics for HIV care transitions, and locally developed rapid diagnostic technologies designed to strengthen supply resilience and integrated screening services.
High-quality research requires strong governance. MRCU operates a fully functional Research Ethics Committee (MUREC) that reviews and oversees a high volume of protocols annually, ensuring compliance with national and international standards. We maintain robust internal policies, standard operating procedures, and monitoring systems to safeguard scientific integrity and participant protection.
Beyond conducting research, MRCU invests in people. Through mentorship programs, grant development support, research incubation platforms, and partnerships with national and international institutions, the Centre strengthens the next generation of researchers. Our approach ensures that research capacity is not episodic but institutionalized and sustainable.
MRCU operates with disciplined financial management and diversified resource mobilization strategies. By strengthening partnerships, expanding grant portfolios, and building internal innovation pipelines, the Centre ensures operational sustainability while maintaining its commitment to high-impact applied research.
Who we are
Mildmay Research Center Uganda (MRCU) exists to conduct high-quality studies that contextualize findings within the larger body of research and generate knowledge applicable outside the research setting to solve health and development challenges that society grapples with. MRCU was incorporated as an autonomous entity under the Mildmay Uganda (MUg) Group in 2021. However, its rich twelve-year research legacy spans over the period 2010-2021 when it was the Research and Strategic Information (RSI) Directorate under MUg. MRCU has outstanding collaboration with PEPFAR through CDC that has supported operations research, program evaluations and scientific documentation and dissemination under the HIV Epidemic Control projects, RAND Corporation, University of Manchester, and University of Hasselt in the Netherlands.
The center hosts Masters and Post-Doctoral fellows from universities interested in biostatistical analysis of longitudinal data that spans over 20 years to inform new research questions and inform policy decision making. Research environment at MRCU is enabled and facilitated by Mildmay Uganda Hospital that gives care to over 14,000 people living with HIV and over 100,000 people in the 9 districts where the PEPFAR implementation has been done over now 20 years. Mildmay Hospital also hosts the national back up laboratory for the Central Public Health Laboratory Services (CPHLS).
Vision
Communities Transformed for Sustainable Health through High Quality Applied Research.
Mission
To contribute to national and global health goals by conducting high-quality applied research to develop evidence-based solutions, improve implementation processes, and contribute to product development.
Strategic Objectives
High Quality Applied Research
Conduct High-Quality Applied Research to develop evidence based solutions, improve implementation processes and contribute to product development
Strengthen Capacity in Applied Research
Strengthen Capacity in Applied Research in Health: Developing human capital, innovative methodologies and infrastructure
Diversified partnerships
Broaden and diversify partnerships in applied research in Health: Diversifying funding sources through grants, commercialization of scientific products, and strategic partnerships.
Our Core Values
Integrity | Customer Centricity | Innovation | People Development | Open Communication
Mildmay Uganda Research Ethics Committee (MUREC)
MRCU offers supervision of an accredited Research Ethics Committee (MUREC) hosted by Mildmay Uganda. Through MUREC, MRCU ensures highest ethical standards in research and facilitate the timely and efficient conduct of research for established researchers, staff, and students across the globe. MUREC assesses the ethical and scientific validity of research protocols that involve human participants and guarantee the protection of their rights, safety, and well-being. The committee operates under the authority of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), with accreditation number (UG-013), and is registered with the Office of Human research protection in the United States.
Grants and Finance Management
Mildmay Research Centre Uganda (MRCU) strongly believes that fostering and building research infrastructure shall deliver national and international benefits. The MRCU Grants Management Unit (GMU) has developed policies and standard operating procedures to assist researchers, administrative and other staff involved in the grant writing and management of the research process. The policy provides guidelines for research projects sponsored by funders, cooperative agreements, contracts, memorandum of understanding to enhance increased collaboration, accountability, and proper stewardship of funds. The guidelines are also aimed at ensuring that management is aware of the commitments and obligations made by both internal and external researchers on behalf of the institution.
At MRCU all research budgets must be approved by the Grants Management Unit (GMU) before submission to a funder; the authorized organizational representative will not sign off any proposals that have not been routed through GMU. MRCU believes that offering comprehensive grants management where performance is tracked and risks are identified and managed increases donors’ confidence in the institution’s management structures and processes.