Uganda Cancer Institute wins three global oncology awards

 ________________ 

The Uganda Cancer Institute has won major international recognition after three of its scientists were named winners of the 2026 Global Oncology Young Investigator Award by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, becoming the only recipients from Africa selected in this year’s highly competitive global programme.

The award recipients, including Dr Derrick Bay Abila, Dr Racheal Angom and Dr Anthony Kayiira, were selected from more than 500 applicants worldwide, with Uganda emerging as the only African country represented among this year’s winners.

Each scientist will receive research funding worth $50,000 (about sh185 million) to support independent oncology projects, while also joining a year-long mentorship and leadership programme bringing together some of the world’s leading cancer researchers and clinicians.

The ASCO Global Oncology Young Investigator Award is one of the world’s leading programmes supporting early-career cancer researchers from low- and middle-income countries through funding, mentorship and international scientific exposure.

The achievement marks another milestone for the Uganda Cancer Institute, which has increasingly gained international recognition as a regional centre for cancer treatment, training and scientific research.

Speaking about the awards, Dr Jackson Orem described the recognition as a strong endorsement of Uganda’s growing scientific capacity.

“Winning three of the ASCO 2026 Global Oncology Young Investigator Awards and emerging as the only recipients from Africa is a tremendous achievement for the Uganda Cancer Institute and for Uganda as a whole,” Orem said.

“This recognition affirms the strength of our research programmes, the quality of our scientists and the effectiveness of our mentorship and training initiatives. It demonstrates that UCI is building a new generation of globally competitive oncology leaders,” he added.

The awards come at a time when Africa is facing a rapidly increasing cancer burden driven by population growth, late diagnosis, limited screening services and shortages of specialised treatment facilities.

Uganda alone records nearly 48,000 new cancer cases and over 34,000 cancer-related deaths annually, with cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and childhood cancers among the leading causes of cancer-related illness and death.

Orem said investment in local scientific research is critical for improving cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment tailored to African populations, where healthcare systems and disease patterns often differ from those in wealthier countries.

One of the award recipients, Dr Racheal Angom, said the funding would significantly strengthen ongoing research work while opening opportunities for international collaboration.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this award and excited about the opportunities that come with the yearlong programme,” Angom said.

“The research funding will significantly support my work, and I look forward to collaborating and learning from fellow young oncologists and researchers from around the world,” she added.

The 2026 award cohort also includes Dr Syeda Mina from the Mayo Clinic and Dr Eduardo Gonzales.