Award for sleeping sickness work

African sleeping sickness is caused by a parasite spread by tsetse fly bites

A Ugandan scientist based at Glasgow University has won this year's £65,000 Royal Society Pfizer Award.

Biomedical researcher Dr Enock Matovu, 40, won the prize for groundbreaking work into sleeping sickness, which kills about 50,000 people each year.

The tropical disease is caused by a parasite which is spread through the bite of the tsetse fly.

Dr Matovu's work on drug resistance in the parasite changed the course of how the disease was treated.

As a result of his findings, the Ugandan authorities ordered a change in drug legislation saving thousands of patients.

Mike Barrett, Professor of Biochemical Parasitology at Glasgow University, has worked with Dr Matovu for a number of years.

Dr Matovu's greatest strength lies in his ability to link hardcore scientific research to the on-field situation. He is undoubtedly one of Africa's research stars Professor Mike Barrett University of Glasgow

He said: "Dr Matovu's greatest strength lies in his ability to link hardcore scientific research to the on-field situation. He is undoubtedly one of Africa's research stars.

"There are only two drugs used to treat sleeping sickness. Melarsoprol is so toxic it kills 5% of patients, regardless of the disease.

"However, thanks to Dr Matovu's research, the Ugandan authorities replaced the arsenic-based Melarsoprol with Eflornithine, a less toxic drug, in areas where Dr Matovu had identified the presence of resistant parasites."

Dr Matovu will collect his award at a ceremony in London hosted by the Royal Society.

He has also been given an honorary research fellow position from Glasgow University.

"I am greatly honoured and privileged to have been selected for the Pfizer award," he said.

"It is reassuring that someone out there recognizes my humble contribution."