Funding for health research relevant to international development

Representatives from some of the world’s main health research funders attended a ‘town hall’ style meeting organised by UKCDS in London on 4 December 2012.

Facilitated by Andrée Carter, Director of UKCDS, the following speakers discussed their research funding programmes:

• Chris Whitty, Director of Research and Evidence and Chief Scientific Advisor, DFID
• Trevor Mundel, President of the Global Health Programme, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (See Trevor's slides from the event here)
• Mark Palmer, Head of International Strategy, MRC
• Jimmy Whitworth, Head of International Activities, Wellcome Trust

Read an article on the event from Research Fortnight here.

Listen to the speakers:

Each of the speakers introduce themselves and describe their current funding priorities.


Trevor Mundel, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, provides information on the Gates’ Global Health Programme.

Chris Whitty, Mark Palmer and Jimmy Whitworth provide information on the funding mechanisms of DFID, MRC and Wellcome Trust respectively.


The attendees are invited to address the panel with the questions.

The aims of the meeting were to:

1.    Explain how funders determine their strategies and funding priorities
2.    Alert the audience to upcoming funding opportunities
3.    Encourage two-way dialogue between funders and researchers

UKCDS hopes the series of Town Hall meetings will lead to:
1.    Transparency of funder decision-making processes
2.    Well informed funders and researchers.
3.    Improved quality of research specifications, tenders and projects

Follow @ukcds and use #devfunding for all future ‘Town Hall’ meetings.