Master of Science in Tropical Medicine - SAHRI Fellowship

The Sub-Saharan Africa Health Research and Innovation Fellowship (SAHRI Fellowship) is a three-year programme designed to strengthen health research capacity and foster biomedical innovation in sub-Saharan Africa.

The fellowship is coordinated by ITM in collaboration with African and European partners, including the Eastern Africa Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR), the Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (CRUN) in Burkina Faso, KU Leuven, and BioNTech.

Two cohorts bring together 12 mid-career researchers from across the African region. Fellows follow a structured training trajectory that combines:

• Academic training: the Master of Science in Tropical Medicine (60 ECTS) at ITM and a course in Systems Thinking in Biotech Development (3 ECTS) at KU Leuven.
• Research & industry placements: hands-on research at leading African centres and a six-month internship at BioNTech in Germany.
• Return-home phase: implementation of a research project in the fellow’s home country, with the possibility to pursue a PhD.

The SAHRI Fellowship aims to create a new generation of leaders in health research and entrepreneurship, driving sustainable change against prevalent infectious diseases in Africa.

For whom?

The SAHRI Fellowship is aimed at mid-career clinical and biomedical professionals from sub-Saharan Africa who want to advance their expertise and leadership in health research and innovation.

It targets two main profiles:

• Clinical or biomedical professionals who wish to work in reference laboratories, research institutions, or organisations engaged in clinical trials, R&D implementation, or drug development in the Global South.
• Clinical or biomedical scientists who aim to conduct fundamental, applied, or operational research in academic or research institutes, as well as in reference laboratories.

How?

Fellows follow a structured three-year trajectory:

- Academic phase:

Master of Science in Tropical Medicine (60 ECTS) at ITM, Antwerp

Systems Thinking in Biotech Development course (3 ECTS) at KU Leuven

- Research & industry placements:

Hands-on research projects at leading African centres (EACCR, CRUN)

Six-month industry internship at BioNTech in Germany

-Return-home phase:

Twelve months of research implementation in the fellow’s home institution or region

Continued mentorship and opportunities to transition into a PhD programme

Throughout the fellowship, participants are supported by a mentorship framework linking them with experts from academia, African research institutions, and industry.