UKCRC Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Strategic Planning
Group
The UKCRC Partners agreed to develop a coordinated
approach to improving research into microbiology and
infectious diseases in the UK.
A Strategic Planning Group
(SPG) was established to identify and implement actions to achieve
this aim. The SPG was composed of senior representatives from the
major funding organisations in the field and included a
representative member of the public. It was chaired by Sir John
Lilleyman.
The SPG started by mapping the research
activities and priorities of the main funders of microbiology and
infectious disease research in the UK. It then examined findings
from recent major reviews in the area, consulted key professional
organisations in the field, and reviewed other sources of evidence,
including the results of the
UKCRC Health Research Analysis.
The predominant issues that emerged were:
- A lack of clinical and
translational infection research
- Difficulties in translating basic research
advances into practice
- A relative lack of evidence e.g. for basic
efficacy of existing diagnostics or treatments
- Insufficient work on new diagnostics
- Under-exploitation of existing surveillance
data
- Barriers to communication and collaborative
working
- Insufficient academic capacity across workforce,
training and career structure.
The outcome of the SPG’s work was the £16.5
million UKCRC Translational Infection
Research Initiative. The SPG’s report, 'Developing
Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research in the UK', and
the Executive Summary
can be downloaded.