Funding opportunities and impact

The Wellcome Trust is currently actively seeking high-quality research proposals aiming to further the understanding of human and animal influenza via the project grant and programme grant schemes.

Research proposals addressing questions that are particularly urgent and timely will be fast-tracked through our assessment procedures.

A snapshot of research funded by the Trust that has improved our understanding of influenza is highlighted below:

• Research shows H1N1 swine flu can infect cells situated deeper in the lungs (press release 11 September 2009)
• Vaccinating children may be effective at helping control spread of influenza (press release, 18 June 2009)
• Scientists examine bird flu infections to monitor for ‘pandemic’ mutations 1 (press release, September 2008)
• Controlling lung inflammation (news, 28 July 2008)
• Avian influenza survivors’ antibodies effective at neutralising H5N1 strain (press release, 19 May 2007)
• ‘State of the art’ science boosts fight against influenza pandemics (press release, 10 October 2006)
• Symptoms of avian flu could be more diverse than previously suspected (news, 17 February 2005)

The Trust also funds a number of Major Overseas Programmes around the world, including at sites in South-east Asia that are at the forefront of influenza activities and research in the region. The centres of this programme form part of the South-east Asia Infectious Disease Clinical Research Network - a collaborative partnership of hospitals and research institutions in South-east Asia.

• Funding: Influenza research (news, 12 February 2007)