Applied global health research

Apply for funding to support research that will address global health challenges and inequities.

We are looking to develop a portfolio of high-quality global research which will be diverse, promote multidisciplinarity and strengthen global health research capacity.

We encourage applications from principal investigators based in the:

• Global South
• UK, working in partnership with Global South investigators.

We will accept proposals of all sizes, including large research projects of approximately £2 million and small to medium-scale applications.

You can apply for this opportunity if you are a researcher based at an eligible research organisation. These include:

• higher education institutions
• UKRI-approved independent research organisations or NHS bodies
• government-funded organisations
• public sector research establishments
• MRC institutes
• MRC units and partnership institutes (including those in Gambia and Uganda)
• institutes and units funded by other research councils
• universities or higher education institutions based in low and middle- income countries (LMICs) with degree-awarding powers recognised by the government in which the organisation is based
• research focused institutes based in LMICs either funded by the government of the country in which the organisation is based or by a not-for-profit organisation
• research focused not-for-profit organisations based in LMICs with dedicated research capacity.

MRC particularly encourages applications from overseas researchers based in LMICs. Please contact the international team to discuss your proposal prior to submitting. The contact details of the international team can be found below.

The board recognises that applied global health research requires the involvement of a diverse range of collaborating organisations in order to affect sustainable change. As such, applications involving a not-for-profit organisation based in an LMIC will be eligible to be named co-investigators. This can include grass-roots organisations and community groups.

Limit on the number of proposals You must not be included as principal investigator on more than two proposals at any one time. You may support others as a co-investigator, as long as you have the capacity to do so without detriment to the project you are leading.

You must have a graduate degree, although we expect most applicants to have a PhD.

Diversity and collaboration:

We recognise the diversity of skills necessary for a successful research team, and encourage proposals to recognise the contribution of technical professionals. This includes through the use of researcher co-investigator status, as appropriate.