In 1947, scientists researching yellow fever placed a rhesus macaque in a cage in the Zika Forest.

The monkey developed a fever, and researchers isolated from its serum a transmissible agent that was first described as Zika virus in 1952.

[1] UVRI also plays a large role in coordinating and administering virology related clinical trials within the country.

This department is responsible for administration, accounting, payroll, transport, security, human resources management, logistics, legal affairs, storage and community awareness programs.

The department specializes into two areas, (a) the study of cellular and humoral immunity and (b) the practice of diagnosis and surveillance of viral and vector-borne diseases.

This department serves as a national and international reference centre in the field and laboratory research and epidemic aid investigations of vector-borne viral infections and their arthropod vectors.

This department is responsible for drawing up annual and five-year institutional funding plans and programs.

Human resource planning and forecasting, budgetting, report-writing and dissemination, are some of the activities that occur here.

The unit also offers basic clinical services to staff and the immediate family members in a healthcare centre, supervised by Entebbe General Hospital.

(4) Quality Assurance Unit, is responsible for setting standards, monitoring, evaluation of clinical and operational research.

The unit arranges and coordinates national, regional and international participation of UVRI in all health research-related matters.