Kijakazi Mashoto is a Principal Research Officer at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in Tanzania and a WIPO-certified Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC) Staff member.
Beginning her career as a dentist and tutor at the National Hospital’s Assistant School of Dental Officers, she transitioned into public health research and joined NIMR in 2006, where she has served as Head of Policy Analysis and Advocacy (2011–2014) and Head of Innovation, Commercialization and Technology Transfer (2022–2025). She currently coordinates health research evidence generation, advises institutions on intellectual property protection and commercialization, and champions gender equity in innovation.
Dr. Mashoto earned scholarships for her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Dar es Salaam and her PhD from the University of Bergen, Norway.
She is driven by the urgency of closing the gender gap in innovation and by the transformative impact women leaders bring to global public health systems.
Fun fact: Dr. Mashoto has a very persistent niece who regularly orders her to close the laptop and take a walk, a battle the niece is slowly winning.