Professor Sabiha Essack has been inducted as a UKZN Fellow in recognition of her outstanding and sustained contributions to research, innovation and capacity development in the field of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
This honour is among the university’s highest accolades bestowed on scholars, who have demonstrated exceptional academic and professional distinction.
“It is a singular honour to be recognised by one’s alma mater,” said Essack.
“This Fellowship is the collective effort of postdoctoral fellows, postgraduate students, collaborators and institutions that have contributed to this shared vision of combating AMR through science, innovation, and inclusive global partnerships.”
Essack, South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Antibiotic Resistance and One Health; Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences at UKZN; and Honorary Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Jordan, has carved an illustrious path as a globally-recognised authority on antibiotic resistance.
Her research, advocacy and leadership, have significantly influenced policy and practice locally, regionally and internationally.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Essack’s journey began with a Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1988. After practising as a hospital pharmacist for three years, she returned to academia to pursue her Master’s and PhD degrees, during which time she was awarded a Wellcome Trust Research Fellowship to undertake research training in the United Kingdom.
On her return, she established the Antimicrobial Research Unit at UKZN – now one of Africa’s leading research hubs on AMR.
Her pioneering research integrates human, animal and environmental health through a one health lens, addressing surveillance, resistance mechanisms, infection control and policy reform.
A formidable academic leader, Essack has graduated 28 PhD and 46 Masters students – many of them women from across Africa. Her commitment to mentorship and transformation in research earned her the 2021 National Research Foundation Champion of Research Capacity Development and Transformation Award.
She has a career total of 230 journal articles and 198 conference presentations, and was ranked among UKZN’s top 30 researchers for three consecutive years. Her recent accolades include the 2024 Christiana Figueres Policy to Practice Award and a Horizon Award from Applied Microbiology International.
