Cissy Kityo Mutuluuza, currently the Executive Director of the Joint Clinical Research Centre, is a medical doctor, public health specialist and researcher with over 30 years’ experience in AIDS research and care for people living with HIV. She has a Master’s from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and a PhD from the University of Amsterdam. She is a pioneer of ART use in Africa and a mover in scaling up treatment in Uganda. Cissy has worked on more than 100 trials of treatment of HIV and related conditions, and has been closely involved in studies of prevention of HIV and preparation for vaccines, which have informed policy and practice in low- and middle-income countries. She is an executive member of various scientific committees in HIV research, prevention and treatment. Cissy is leading the first long-acting ART trial in Africa and catalysed the alliance of experts in gene therapy to support bridging gaps in HIV cure research between high- and lower-income countries. She has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals.