Coronavirus Research: Rapid Response Call

Funding of £20 million has been made available for novel coronavirus research via a rapid research call announced today (Feb 4) by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department of Health and Social Care, through the National Institute for Health Research, who will coordinate with other funders and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO and confirmed cases in the UK were announced on Friday 31st January. UK research teams have made vital contributions to the understanding of the virus and further research will be critical to mitigating the severity of the outbreak.

Chief Medical Officer for England, and Co-lead for NIHR, Professor Chris Whitty said: "This call for research is an example of how the UK's health research sector can move swiftly to tackle issues of global importance. The National Institute for Health Research and UK Research and Innovation are launching this call together to ensure that every scientific avenue is explored. An important part of this call is research into possible vaccines for the novel coronavirus, prioritising those that have the potential to be developed rapidly.”

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