UKZN Professor wins top accolade
Professor Sabiha Essack, the South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Antibiotic Resistance and One Health, Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and Honorary Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Jordan, has been awarded the Christiana Figueres Policy to Practice Award.
The accolade, part of the Applied Microbiology International (AMI) Horizon Awards has recognised Prof Essack for her contributions in bridging the gap between scientific research and policy, in the realm of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The Christiana Figueres Policy to Practice Award celebrates individuals who have excelled in scientific research and have also translated their findings into practical and impactful solutions to real-world challenges.
Commenting on the award, Prof Essack said she was honoured and humbled to receive this prestigious recognition of her work.
“Alleviating AMR in low and middle income countries that bear a disproportionate burden has become my personal and professional goal,” she told Sunday Tribune.
Director of AMI, Dr Lucy Harper said Prof Essack was recognised for the vital work that she has carried out to address the challenges of antimicrobial resistance.
“We are so delighted to be able to present this well-deserved award to Dr Essack,” said Harper.
Essack’s illustrious career is marked by numerous accolades and roles at national and international levels.
She has served as a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow who undertook research training for her PhD at St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry in the UK and has been a leading figure in the field of AMR through her research, advisory roles, and policy guidance.
Her work has informed policies and strategies for AMR prevention and containment across the globe, and she has published extensively in high-impact scientific journals.
A pioneer in AMR research, Prof Essack established the Antimicrobial Research Unit at UKZN and has secured several research grants from prestigious organizations such as the Wellcome Trust, the Joint Programming Initiative on AMR (JPI AMR), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE), the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust, the South African MRC and the National Research Foundation (NRF) investigating strategies and policies for the prevention and containment of AMR.
Her research is published in several high impact journals and presented at a number of national and international conferences.
Beyond her research, Prof Essack plays a significant role in various international organizations dedicated to combating AMR.
She is co-chair of the Quadripartite Technical Group on Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Integrated Surveillance (QTG-AIS), Senior Implementation Research Advisor at the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) in Denmark, member of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Antimicrobial Resistance (STAG-AMR), member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Joint Programming Initiative on AMR (JPIAMR) in Sweden, member of the International Pharmacy Federation (FIP) AMR Commission at The Hague in The Netherlands and member of the Wellcome Trust Surveillance and Epidemiology of Drug Resistant Infections Consortium (SEDRIC) in the UK.
She is chairperson of the Global Respiratory Infection Partnership (GRIP), vice chairperson of the AMR Insights AMR Ambassadors Network and serves on the Advisory Board of the Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) in the US and the Fleming Fund Expert Advisory Group in the UK.
Prof Essack previously served as Vice Chairperson of the South African Ministerial Advisory Committee on AMR, the FIP Working Group on AMR, the South African Chapter of the Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership (GARP) and the South African Antibiotic Stewardship Programme (SAASP).
She was also founder of the South African Chapter of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA). All of these positions has enabled her to inform policy, develop policy implementation guidance and evaluate policy at global, regional and national levels.
Her current research focuses on three key areas to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR):
Prevention and Containment Strategies: Developing evidence-based approaches through the One Health framework, which considers the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Her research includes monitoring antibiotic use, identifying risk factors for resistant bacteria, and enhancing infection prevention and control measures such as water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), good husbandry practices, and biosecurity.
Molecular Epidemiology and Pathogenomics: Utilizing advanced techniques like whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics to study the genetic characteristics of resistant bacteria. This work helps trace resistance genes, understand bacterial evolution, and identify targets for intervention.
Health Policy and Systems Strengthening: Advising on policies and health system improvements to enhance infection management and stewardship, supporting effective responses to AMR at both national and global levels.