Sandra is a global health security professional with over seven years of extensive experience in biosafety and biosecurity at national and international levels. She is the co-founder and Executive Director of Nuo Bioscience, a non-governmental consulting organization working with governments and local and international organizations to build and strengthen biosafety and biosecurity systems. Currently, Sandra is consulting for the WHO, leading efforts to pilot the global guidance framework for responsible use of life sciences in Uganda. She also works with Ugandan research scientists to develop capacity through training and development of dual-use research governance mechanisms under a Health Security Partners and Uganda Virus Research Institute collaboration project.
Previously, Sandra worked as a Laboratory Technician at Uganda Virus Research Institute before moving to A Global Health Care Public Foundation (AGHPF) as a Quality Assurance Specialist, where she provided technical assistance in building capacity and strengthening laboratory management systems for the Uganda Ministry of Health. In 2018, she co-founded SynBio Africa, where she served as Chairperson of the Executive Board until 2023.
Sandra is a UNODA’s Youth for Biosecurity Fellow of 2023, an Africa Union biosafety and biosecurity subject matter expert, and a member of the iGEM Safety and Security Committee. She is also an IFBA certified professional in Biorisk Management and a member of the Biosafety and Biosecurity Association of Uganda.
Sandra's contributions to laboratory systems strengthening, biosafety, and biosecurity have earned her several honors and awards, including recognition among the women making the world safer from biological and toxin weapons at the 50th anniversary of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) at the 9th Review Conference in Geneva in 2022.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences, a Master’s degree in Immunology and Clinical Microbiology, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management.