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NIHR and Wellcome partnership boosts global health research

Published: 04 July 2019

Some of the world’s poorest people will benefit from a new multi-million pound partnership* that will fund research tackling major health concerns in low income countries.

The NIHR and the Wellcome Trust have joined forces to increase the number of high quality research projects in countries with limited resources.

The NIHR-Wellcome Global Health Research partnership is particularly interested in supporting research into diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks and cancer, as well as mental health, nutrition, snake bite, and multi-morbidity - where individuals have two or more long-term conditions. It will focus on applied health research with patients and communities at its heart.

The funding will support research projects which will expand a range of Wellcome’s existing schemes in priority areas for both funders. Applications are open to researchers based in a university or research institute in a low- or middle-income country or the UK with the majority of the work being conducted in low-resource setting.

The collaboration will be a significant global health partnership between the NIHR and the Wellcome Trust to jointly develop a programme for delivering world-class global health research evidence.

The NIHR funds applied health research for the direct and primary benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries, using UK aid funding from the Department of Health and Social Care. 

Health Minister Nicola Blackwood said: 

“Diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes are a growing problem for ageing populations around the world. Particularly in low income countries where resources are limited and treatment can be less readily available.

“I'm determined to do all we can to improve the lives of the poorest people across the globe and I am delighted we have teamed up with the Wellcome Trust to unlock solutions to some of the biggest problems facing low and middle income countries.”

Jeremy Farrar, Director Wellcome Trust, said:

“We are thrilled to join forces with the NIHR to support more high-quality research driven by a diverse range of scientists in low- and middle-income countries.” 

The funding will be announced during a ministerial visit to UCL, where a number of researchers are already working on successful global health projects funded by previous NIHR and Wellcome Trust grants. For more details about these projects, visit the UCL website.

*The NIHR will provide funding which will help us to expand a range of Wellcome’s existing schemes in agreed areas of mutual interest.

 

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