Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Overview

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, taught at Makerere University, is highly demanded in the study of emerging problems such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Rift Valley Fever.  Some of our local institutions especially the Uganda Virus Research Institute and the Joint Clinical Research Center need molecular biology and biotechnology to make modest advances in control of diseases.  Therefore molecular biology and biotechnology is highly relevant in Uganda and Africa just like in other parts of the developed world.   

With this knowledge powerful new therapeutics, or prophylactics and diagnostic tools or control strategies can be developed to manage diseases more efficiently.  For example recombinant DNA technology can facilitate the development of recombinant vaccines such as DNA vaccines that can be produced at a lower cost and are more thermal stable than conventional vaccines.  

Students at Molecular Biology and Biotechnology techniques taught at Makerere University will:

• learn basic molecular biology techniques that are essentially the same for plant, animal or human scientists.  Therefore, molecular biology and biotechnology has a demand that cuts across many disciplines. 

• be engineered to have a wider spectrum of protection especially useful if mutations or variants occur.  Animals or plants with new desirable characteristics can be developed using genetic engineering in order to improve productivity and food security.