Excitement is in the air for Dr. Felix Bongomin, a lecturer in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University who has been ranked a top aspergillosis expert in Africa.
Dr. Bongomin’s ranking was made by medical experts ranking website, Experts Scape which publishes names of top experts after 10 years. Dr. Bongomin emerged the best on the continent after publishing 46 articles on fungal diseases.
Aspergillosis is a group of disorders caused by a common mould (fungus ) called aspergillus, that usually affect patients with chronic lung diseases like previously treated tuberculosis and those with cancers.
While speaking about this milestone, he described the recognition as a huge stride and breakthrough to refocus more clinical research and attention to fungal diseases among poor communities that for long have been neglected by medical experts compared to virus diseases like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis among others.
According to Dr Felix Kaducu, the Gulu University Dean Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Bongomin studied his first Bachelors of Medicine from Gulu University back in 2014 and the rating will forever be a record.
“This has to be on record, Dr. Bongomin is an alumnus of Gulu University, his first Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery was from here in 2014 and we are super proud of him,” Kaducu said.
The Gulu University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Openjuru George Ladaah has also congratulated the young scholar before advising all staff to follow suit in a bid to improve their CVs and the university’s profile.
“Congratulations to Dr Felix Bongomin for the great work, this is the path all staff must trek because it improves both their profiles and that of the University.” Prof. Openjuru said.
Dr Bongomin Joined Gulu University in October 2018 after working as a research associate in the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. He has published over 45 papers in international peer-reviewed journals, including clinical infectious diseases and book chapters in the areas of fungal diseases.
He has researched extensively in the areas of aspergillosis complicating treated tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis and histoplasmosis in advanced HIV disease. He is also an advocate for better care of patients suffering from fungal diseases.
