Kurzvorstellung

My name is Erick Evans Kigai Bigala, a Ugandan by nationality, PhD student and One Health researcher currently based at Institute of Virology in Berlin. I did my PhD data collection in the Albertine Rift (AR), a known biodiversity hotspot both in Uganda and Africa at large. As a dedicated One Health researcher, I am involved in studying and contributing to efforts meant to address the growing threat of zoonotic diseases in one of Africa’s most biodiverse and ecologically fragile regions. I am intrigued by the intersection of wildlife, livestock, and human communities in this region because it creates a fertile ground for the emergence and spread of arboviruses, yet research and surveillance remain limited. My impetus is the urgent need to understand how environmental changes impact infectious disease dynamics. My choice of the Institute of Virology in Berlin is premised on the fact that it is a leading centre of excellence with advanced capabilities in arbovirology and molecular diagnostics, where multidisciplinary research is embedded in a strong One Health framework. Its infrastructure and expertise uniquely support the rigorous analysis of my tick and blood samples, enabling robust characterisation of arboviruses circulating in wildlife, livestock, and human populations. My motivation for this work is both scientific and personal: Thus, there is an urgent need to understand how biodiversity loss and land use changes in ecologically sensitive areas like the Albertine Rift influence the emergence and transmission of zoonotic arboviruses. Understanding the ecological drivers behind these threats is essential to designing sustainable, locally informed interventions. There is also a pressing need to protect both vulnerable ecosystems and the health of the communities that depend on them because communities living in close contact with wildlife and livestock in the Albertine ecosystem are increasingly vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases. Following this training, I will return to Uganda and be part of the synergy that will contribute to local capacity building in zoonotic disease surveillance and One Health implementation to scale up arbovirus surveillance efforts. I will also share knowledge through local academic and public health networks, and contribute to national and regional One Health strategies. Supporting my work is not only a contribution to academic advancement, but also a direct investment in practical, scalable solutions to global health challenges emerging from the frontlines of biodiversity loss and land-use change.

Partnerinstitution: Charité Berlin - Institut für Virologie
Zeitraum: Juli 2025 - Oktober 2025