The WWOneMoz (Wastewater, One Health, Mozambique) project has been awarded funding by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation under the ENVOLVE Ciência PALOP program. This initiative aims to bolster epidemiological surveillance in Mozambique by employing metagenomic analysis of wastewater to facilitate early detection of infectious agents and antimicrobial resistance genes.
The project is led by Dr. Filomena Manjate, a researcher affiliated with both the GHTM and the Manhiça Health Research Center (CISM) in Mozambique. Dr. Manjate, a PhD graduate in Biomedical Sciences from IHMT-NOVA, specializing in Cellular and Molecular Biology, had already already received funding for under the first phase of the ENVOLVE Ciência PALOP program, where she worked under the guidance of Dr. Sofia Seabra and Dr. Sofia Santos Costa, researchers at GHTM | IHMT-NOVA. Professor Ricardo Parreira has also joined the team.
By adopting a One Health approach, which considers the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, the project aims to map the distribution of pathogens and identify risk factors for their dissemination. The ultimate goal is to prevent outbreaks and establish an integrated epidemiological surveillance platform, providing critical data to inform public health policies.
This funding underscores the importance of collaborative research between GHTM – IHMT NOVA and CISM, reinforcing their commitment to global health promotion and scientific innovation in Portuguese-speaking countries. The ENVOLVE Ciência PALOP program, developed by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, supports the development of scientific careers in Portuguese-speaking African countries, particularly among young researchers under the age of 40.