Welcoming Sesaltina Monteiro as SOFAR Co-Principal Investigator at INS

During this Women’s Month, The SOFAR community is pleased to welcome Sesaltina Monteiro as Co-Principal Investigator for SOFAR based at the Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS) in Mozambique. An accomplished public health leader and researcher, her expertise will further strengthen our shared mission to advance research capacity in Mozambique and the SADC region.

 Sesaltina currently serves as the National Director of Public Health Training at INS, where she plays a key role in developing the country’s public health workforce and promoting evidence-based practice. Her work reflects a strong commitment to institutional strengthening, professional mentorship, and the translation of research into policy and practice.

In addition to her national responsibilities,  Sesaltina is a PhD candidate in Biosciences at the University of Konstanz in Germany. Her research focuses on antimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae, investigating strain frequency and receptor-binding profiles of Opa adhesin proteins in isolates collected from health facilities in Maputo City and Zambézia Province. This work contributes to strengthening antimicrobial resistance surveillance, informing treatment guidelines, and advancing scientific understanding of host–pathogen interactions, with potential implications for vaccine development.

Her appointment as Co-PI reflects both her leadership and the critical role of strong institutional partnerships in advancing SOFAR’s work. It also comes at a time when Women’s Month offers an opportunity to recognize the contributions of women leading in science and public health across the region.

We look forward to the insight, experience, and collaborative engagement she brings in this role as we continue building resilient research systems that support healthier communities.