ISID and the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) established their joint fellowship program in 2010 to foster international, peer-to-peer collaboration and the exchange of scientific knowledge and best practice. The program enables early-career investigators, from low and lower-middle income countries outside of the region, to travel to Europe for multidisciplinary clinical and laboratory training.

Congratulations to Sosina Ayalew Tafese from Ethiopia and Sèsséya Arnaud Sas Soha from Benin as this year's 2023 fellowship awardees! 👏

Sosina Ayalew Tafese, Ethiopia

Project: Identification and validation of proteomics markers of tuberculosis diagnosis

Sosina Ayalew Tafese is an Associate Researcher and PhD student in medical biotechnology. She graduated with a master's degree in clinical laboratory science (diagnostic and public health microbiology) from Addis Ababa University in 2014 after getting her bachelor's degree in medical laboratory technology from the University of Gondar. She has several years of work experience in both a hospital laboratory setting and in a research institute. In particular, for the past 7 years, actively involved in different TB research projects at Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) including a project called ScreenTB set out to validate immunological biomarkers for TB diagnosis and The project ETHICOBOTS set out to investigate the impact of zoonotic bovine tuberculosis in Ethiopia.  She is currently interested in gaining insights into non-sputum-based TB diagnosis approaches and her Ph.D. dissertation work focuses on the development and evaluation of Plasma and urine-based TB diagnosis approaches.

Sèsséya Arnaud Sas Soha, Benin

Project: Antimicrobial resistance and the issue of antibiotic residues in table eggs sold in markets in Southern Benin

Sas Arnaud Sèsséya Soha is a postdoctoral research fellow in animal health, physiology and pharmacology of natural substances at the university of Abomey-Calavi, Research Unit of Applied Microbiology and Pharmacology of natural substances, Abomey-Calav, Benin. He gives theoretical and practical courses in “Animal Experiments” to Master students as well as courses “Biosafety and One Health Approach” to undergraduate students in Animal Production and Health. He is currently working on two projects. The first project aims to reduce the import of antimicrobial resistance through day-old chicks and haching eggs imported into Benin and the second aims to develop a system of early warning and response to epidemics of climate-sensitive aquatic diseases in Benin.