Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Report Published
1st May 2008
The UKCRC today published the report of a
strategic planning group whose work led to a £16.5 million funding
initiative to strengthen microbiology and infectious diseases
research.
The report documents the activities of the
UKCRC Strategic Planning Group which reviewed the microbiology and
infectious diseases research area in the UK. The group brought
together all the key UK organisations involved in the funding of
research into microbiology and infectious diseases with the aim of
strengthening this field. Its activities included reviews of
current funding patterns and previous reports, and a consultation
with key stakeholder organisations.
Based on the group’s findings, seven funding
organisations came together to commit £16.5 million to the UKCRC
Translational Infection Research Initiative. Launched in June 2007,
this Initiative aims to provide a direct boost to research capacity
and infrastructure and establish new career development and
training programmes. It will fund Consortium Grants to support new
research partnerships focused on high quality research targeted at
national priority areas, and Strategy Development grants to develop
new partnerships and improved research bids.
The initiative is now underway and its second
funding round is scheduled to be launched in January 2009.
The initiative is supported by the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council; the Medical
Research Council; National Institute for Health Research /
Department of Health; Research & Development Office for the
HPSS in Northern Ireland; Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish
Executive Health Directorate; Wales Office of Research and
Development for Health and Social Care, Welsh Assembly Government;
and Wellcome Trust.