Cancer is an urgent and growing global health issue with more than two-thirds of all cancer deaths occurring in low- and middle- income countries. Many of the highest-burden cancers in these regions are associated with infectious diseases, including HIV, human papillomavirus and viral hepatitis.

Uganda and other East African countries are faced with increasing cancer incidence and continue to see higher rates of infection-associated cancers compared with higher-income regions.

The Uganda Cancer Institute, founded in 1967, is a regional center of excellence that provides clinical care and education for cancer patients and their families and led research and training efforts. Because of the high incidence of infection associated cancers in Uganda, Fred Hutch faculty began working with UCI colleagues in 2004 to better understand the biology and treatment of these cancers, particularly HIV-associated malignancies.

In 2008, Fred Hutch and the UCI arranged a formal collaboration to conduct cancer and infectious disease research and training initiatives in Uganda (which was the inception of the Fred Hutch Global Oncology program). Fred Hutch incorporated the Hutchinson Centre Research Institute of Uganda, Ltd.  (HCRI-Uganda) to operate locally in Uganda in order to work with the Uganda Cancer Institute and ensures compliance with Ugandan regulations. In Kampala, there is approximately 50 staff employed locally by HCRI-Uganda, with multidisciplinary expertise ranging from research nurses and research managers to administrative, operations, and finance leaders. 

For over a decade, the UCI-Fred Hutch Collaboration has partnered to conduct cancer and infectious disease research and to support capacity building for research and clinical care at the UCI. Most of the Collaboration’s efforts occur at the state-of-the-art UCI-Fred Hutch Cancer Centre on Mulago Hill in Kampala, Uganda.

Together, the U.S. National Institutes of Health has awarded the UCI-Fred Hutch Collaboration over $13 million in support since 2008. Over $10.4 million has been awarded for research and over $2.6 million has been awarded for training grants. The Collaboration has trained 14 long-term Ugandan physician-scientists and implement other research and clinical training opportunities in Uganda. Through a Burkitt lymphoma project, the Collaboration provided comprehensive case management and care for over 200 children with Burkitt lymphoma in Uganda.