Global health research: achieving international impact
The MRC’s global health research aims to discover solutions to the major burdens of disease globally, and to understand how best to translate those solutions into practice. To achieve a truly global impact it is important to fund research, which specifically addresses health challenges that arise in low and middle income countries.
Global health scope
The MRC has a flexible and open approach to global health research. Our remit includes a longstanding focus on global infections, as well as topics such as chronic non-communicable diseases (eg. heart disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, kidney and liver diseases); cancer, mental health; reproductive, maternal, child and adolescent health.
We welcome research that requires a multidisciplinary and multisectoral focus, and that addresses the wider determinants of health.
MRC Global health research: from fundamental science to health systems
To be classed as global health research a project must focus on health challenges in low and middle income countries (LMICs). MRC global health projects can include:
- Basic, clinical and translational research across our remit
- Population health and the impact of environmental factors, including the social environment, on health and development across the life course
- Aetiology and epidemiology in low and middle income settings
- Development and testing of prevention, detection, diagnostic, treatment and management strategies
- Methodology research: the study of how best to design, conduct, analyse and evaluate medical and health research
- Phase 1 and 2 global health trials
All the above are funded in response mode, meaning that applications can be submitted at any time. Please read more about how we fund research.
- Public health intervention development
- Phase III and IV global health trials
- Global health systems research
In addition, we often issue calls for proposals to address strategic global health topics, or to work with specific countries. For more information please browse our funding opportunities page or contact international@mrc.ukri.org
We welcome applications for global health research across a wide range of research types and health issues. If you have a research idea that has potential to improve health globally, and are not sure whether your idea can be considered by us, or you have questions about how to submit an application please contact us at international@mrc.ukri.org to discuss further.