Connecting teams across the SOFAR Network

The  SOFAR study coordinator Dr. Mikaela Coleman completed a series of site visits to network partners Zambart in Zambia, Instituto Nacional de Saúde – INS in Mozambique , and Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) in Zimbabwe. The purpose of the visits was to connect with PhD and MSc fellows, principal investigators, and administrative teams, and to strengthen inter-institutional collaboration across the Southern Africa research capacity-building network.

At INS , Dr Coleman met with PhD fellows Denise Milice and Emilia Fumane, who are finalizing their registrations with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and preparing to travel to London in September. Both bring extensive experience from Mozambique’s public health system. The coordinator also engaged with MSc fellow Lina Zeca Mulhanga Muhate, who is implementing next-generation sequencing in her research, to discuss her academic goals and plans for her three-year distance learning programme.

At Zambart, SOFAR PhD fellows Sombo Fwoloshi and Richard Mwape are seeking ways to build their implementation science skillset as they prepare for their careers as infectious disease research leaders in Zambia. Sombo and Richard are planning to launch an Implementation Science exchange to build implementation research capacity across the SOFAR network, within their home institutions and amongst their colleagues. Zambart also prepares to host the SOFAR Annual Meeting in Zambia in November 2025, when all of our fellows, PIs and Supervisors will meet to consolidate our cross-country and cross-continent capacity building network

At BRTI, the visit provided a valuable opportunity to meet with PhD fellows and learn more about their research areas and progress. Fellows JayJay Karumazondo and Fiona Gambanga shared insights into their work on adolescent and youth health in Zimbabwe, which draws on both social science and epidemiological approaches. Mikaela also met with BRTI’s administrative and finance teams to support coordination and ensure smooth implementation of the programme.

As the SOFAR network continues to grow, these site visits highlight the importance of personal connection, mutual learning, and collaboration. We look forward to continued momentum, cross-country partnerships, and fellow-led initiatives that strengthen our shared goal of improving infectious disease prevention and care across Southern Africa.

The project is supported by Global Health EDCTP3 and its members.