Through support of a broad portfolio of biomedical research, we aim to make a significant difference by advancing understanding of the processes that underpin health and disease. Our continuing support for excellent basic research has provided a platform from which to develop clinical research as a key priority. We also support research that addresses the wider societal and historical context of biomedical science, to help us to understand the present and learn from the past.

Objective 1.1
To provide funding support across the continuum of biomedical research:

• basic – to encourage an experimental and exploratory approach to increase understanding of the biological basis of health and disease in humans and animals
• clinical – to increase our support for clinical research designed to answer questions about health and disease
• population health – to support research to improve understanding of the determinants of disease and quality of life in populations, and generate a sound evidence base to inform decisions in public health and healthcare delivery
• medical humanities – to improve our understanding of the historical, ethical, social and cultural context in which biomedical research and its application take place.

We provide a range of grant mechanisms to support basic and clinical research proposals that address important questions of relevance to our mission. We also support major research activity within the fields of the history of medicine and biomedical ethics. Through our support of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and our funding of functional genomics research, we are making a major contribution to advancing understanding of the role of genomes in health and disease.

During 2005-2010, we intend to:

• increase support for clinical and public health research, both overseas and in the UK
• facilitate the support of interdisciplinary research to help accelerate advances in biomedical science, particularly at the interfaces between biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and engineering
• increase the amount of research we fund that will ultimately lead to health benefits for those in the developing world
• identify key scientific priorities, through a range of mechanisms, including discussions with our five science Strategy Committees
• continue our support for medical humanities and consider whether there are new areas in which to focus support, through discussions with the Medical Humanities Strategy Committee.

See February 2007 update