Health Innovation Challenge Fund counters the threat of infectious disease
17 May 2011
The fifth themed call for proposals under the scheme will make available up to £15 million for projects that improve detection, diagnosis, surveillance and containment of infectious agents.
With an ever-changing physical and natural environment, the human population is constantly under threat from new, emerging and re-emerging infections. How we respond to this threat is of paramount importance to prevent widespread disease.
The aim of the latest funding call is to find solutions that contribute to the health of the nation through better clinical management. The fund is particularly looking for simple diagnostic tools, better databases and surveillance systems, and new strategies for the management of anti-infective agents.
The deadline for preliminary applications is 2 September 2011.
The Health Innovation Challenge Fund is a parallel funding partnership between the Wellcome Trust and the Department of Health to stimulate the creation of innovative healthcare products, technologies and interventions and to facilitate their development for the benefit of patients in the NHS and beyond. The HICF operates a succession of thematic calls for proposals, each selected to focus on unmet needs in healthcare relevant to the NHS.
Image: Clusters of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria.
Credit: Annie Cavanagh, Wellcome Images.
