Annual Review 2011: Focus area 2 - Accelerating the application of research

We are committed to maximising the application of research to improve health by focusing on new product development and the uptake of patient-oriented research advances into clinical practice.

In this year's ‘Annual Review’, we report on activity from the Health Innovation Challenge Fund, a funding partnership with the UK Department of Health. Other activities in this focus area included ten awards to support global health trials in lower-income countries, funding for the development of a new design of artificial aortic valve and an enhanced membrane-targeted antibiotic, and support for the development of new MRI equipment specifically designed for use with newborns at risk of brain injury.

Further resources

Here are links to information relating to each of this year's 'Annual Review' stories in focus area 2:

Health Innovation Challenge Fund (page 13)

• About the Health Innovation Challenge Fund
• HICF: funded projects

Global health trials (page 14)

• The Joint Global Health Trials scheme
• The Wellcome Trust’s international strategy

Artificial aortic valve (page 14)

• UCL: Dr Gaetano Burriesci

Membrane-targeted antibiotic (page 14)

• University of Queensland: Cooper group
• Seeding Drug Discovery

MRI for newborn intensive care (page 15)

• News: £2.5m collaboration to explore MRI
• GE Healthcare website

Image credit: Wellcome Images