Project description
Training researchers to tackle infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa
Infectious diseases continue to challenge sub-Saharan Africa (sSA), requiring locally driven biomedical solutions. The EU-funded SAHRI-Fellowship project addresses critical health research gaps by training 12 promising researchers from sSA to become leaders in biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship. The partnership unites African institutions – including the Eastern Africa Consortium for Clinical Research and Burkina Faso's Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro – with KU Leuven, the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp and BioNTech SE. Fellows complete a master's degree in tropical medicine, biotech development training, research projects at African institutions, and industry internships. Through structured mentorship and a return-home phase, the project strengthens regional research capacity and fosters south-south and north-south collaborations for sustainable health solutions.
Objective
The SAHRI Fellowship Program addresses critical gaps in health research and innovation in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) by developing a new generation of skilled researchers. This partnership joins African and European institutions, including members from the Eastern Africa Consortium for Clinical Research from Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya, the Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro in Burkina Faso, the KU Leuven's (KUL) Access-To-Medicines Research Centre, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, to collaborate with BioNTech SE.
This unique fellowship program will train 12 promising researchers from sSA to become leaders in biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship, focusing on interventions against prevalent infectious diseases in the region. Fellows will complete a 24-months flexible 60 ECTS Master of Science in Tropical Medicine, a 6 ECTS course on Systems Thinking in Biotech development in KUL, engage in research projects at leading African institutions, and gain hands-on experience through industry internships with BioNTech. The program features a structured mentorship framework, pairing fellows with experienced mentors from academia, African research centres, and industry. A 12-month return-home phase enables fellows to apply their skills in local contexts, driving positive change and fostering sustainable partnerships. By expanding the pool of highly skilled researchers and innovators in sSA, SAHRI aims to enhance regional capacity for health research, promote South-South and North-South collaborations, and contribute to sSA's self-sufficiency in addressing its unique health challenges.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.1 - Health
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-JU-CSA - HORIZON JU Coordination and Support Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-02-two-stage
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
2000 ANTWERPEN
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.