£16.5 million to battle infectious disease
28 June 2007
Bacterial resistance to antibiotics, rapidly evolving viruses and germs lurking in food are an ever-present threat to human health. Infectious viruses and bacteria create misery for hospital patients, place a strain on healthcare and challenge policymakers. Now scientists are to be offered a new opportunity to research these dangerous agents of infection.
Seven partners in the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC) are to combine resources to invest £16.5 million in a new Translational Infection Research Initiative to address the threat posed by infectious pathogens. The Medical Research Council will co-ordinate the scheme.
The initiative is the result of efforts by a UKCRC planning group to improve infectious disease and microbiology research in the UK. To inform their plans, the group listened to professional organisations in the field and drew information from recent reviews of research. As a result, the Translational Infection Research Initiative will address three general aims.
Firstly, funding will be given to research that will boost the capacity for both translational and applied research in clinical and public health settings. Secondly, the initiative will provide the opportunity to develop leadership and support training programmes within the microbiology and infectious disease research communities. The third aim will be to encourage collaboration and communication that will in turn strengthen infections disease research.
The £16.5 million funding will be allocated in two ways. The majority will support the formation of groups which may involve scientists from university departments, NHS Trusts, industry or government agencies. There will also be some funding for strategy development grants, aimed at enabling research groups to come together to develop competitive research bids.
In addition to the Medical Research Council, the six other funding bodies that have contributed to the UKCRC Translational Infection Research Initiative are: the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Health Departments in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the Wellcome Trust.
If you are a researcher interested in applying for funding please visit the Translational Infection Research webpage. An open meeting will be held for potential applicants in London on 17 July 2007.
Press contact
Phone: 020 7637 6011
press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
