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Wellcome and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation have both pledged $150 million each to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to help end the Covid-19 pandemic and prevent another major outbreak. The funding commitment comes ahead of a global conference in March 2022 where CEPI is seeking $3.5 billion to support its ongoing work.

$300 million invested in vaccine innovations to end Covid-19 and prevent future epidemics 

Epidemics

Covid-19 is here to stay. However, with careful management we can prevent future outbreaks and move from pandemic to endemic. But what does this mean, and what must we do to stop it from erupting again?

How can the world adapt to Covid-19 in the long term?

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Vaccines

The Omicron variant has swept across the world, bringing with it a new wave of uncertainty about the future of the Covid-19 pandemic. One thing we can be certain of, however, is the world-leading science that helped discover it.

Four reasons to celebrate how scientists discovered Omicron

Wellcome is making its biggest funding commitment to science and health in the organisation’s 85-year history, thanks to its strongest investment returns in 25 years.

Wellcome’s new strategy gets extra boost, as organisation makes strongest returns in over two decades

Grant funding

Investments

Government investment helps to support world-leading research and develop the best researchers.

Research culture

Wellcome announcements

The world could have been much better prepared for Covid-19. So now we must ask: How well prepared are we going to be for the next pandemic?

How to prevent another major pandemic 

During a global pandemic, it’s vital that governments endorse and implement scientific recommendations. We asked people around the world whether they felt their government valued scientific advice throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

People worldwide want their governments to value science  

As the World Health Organization (WHO) announces a new variant of concern, we find out what people around the world think about Covid-19 vaccine distribution.

“There isn't a united global strategy” – we need to ensure vaccine equity to end Covid-19

Epidemics Research Lead, Vaccines Team, Wellcome

Divya Shah | Wellcome

Divya Shah

Delta, Omicron, Alpha. Covid-19 variants keep appearing. But this isn't surprising. All viruses naturally mutate and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Epidemics Lead, Divya Shah, explains how variants happen, what they mean for vaccines and treatments and how we can prevent them.

What is a variant? An expert explains

Insights from the Wellcome Global Monitor – the largest global survey of how people think and feel about science – found levels of trust in scientists have increased since 2018, placing it on par with doctors and nurses.

Public trust in scientists rose during the Covid-19 pandemic 

The Coronavirus pandemic has boosted trust in science and scientists, according to the Wellcome Global Monitor 2020: Covid-19 report. The latest survey was conducted at a time that brought science directly into people’s lives. And globally, those who said they trust scientists ‘a lot’ has risen from 34% in 2018 to 43% by the end of 2020.

How Covid-19 has increased the world’s trust in science  

Wellcome is running <a href="https://wellcome.org/what-we-do/our-work/data-science-and-health-trustworthy-data-science/wellcome-data-prizes" target="_self" rel="noopener external nofollow">a series of Data Prizes</a>, the first of which focuses on young people’s mental health in South Africa and the UK. In this post, our partner <a href="https://www.socialfinance.org.uk/about-us" target="_self" rel="noopener external nofollow">Social Finance</a> explains why the prize has been designed to prioritise lived experience, and how we’re working with a group of young experts.

“More than just a data point”: involving people with lived experience in mental health research

Mental health

Wellcome's gender and ethnicity pay gap data, which is a snapshot of Wellcome on 5 April 2021.

Wellcome's pay gap data 2021

Professor Fiona Powrie has been selected as the next Deputy Chair of Wellcome’s Board of Governors.

Fiona Powrie appointed new Deputy Chair of Governors

Associate Director, Policy

Beth leads Wellcome's policy work and is a passionate advocate for better public policy for research and its use in action.

Beth Thompson leads Wellcome&#039;s policy work, and is a passionate advocate for better public policy for research and its use in action. 

Beth Thompson | Wellcome

Beth Thompson

Health was everywhere at COP26, but often invisible. Now, the climate action that follows must be led by science that reaches those who need it, and confidently bridges the gap to policy.

Science's role in protecting health from climate change isn't done

Climate change

Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu will be joining Wellcome’s Board of Governors, the external experts who oversee all our work and provide support and challenge to our executive team.

Ijeoma Uchegbu appointed to Wellcome's board

Chair

Julia Gillard is the 27th Prime Minister of Australia (2010-13) and Chair of Wellcome, a global charitable foundation which supports science to solve urgent health challenges. She transformed education and healthcare in Australia during her tenure.

Julia Gillard is the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of Wellcome, a global charitable foundation which supports science to solve urgent health challenges.

Julia Gillard | Wellcome

Julia Gillard

The damaging effects of a warming planet are not limited to the environment. COP26 in Glasgow was an ideal opportunity for world leaders to demonstrate that they understand that global warming is a health crisis, and that they are learning from the pandemic response.

Global leaders must understand that climate change is a health crisis

From existing antivirals to new antibody therapies – researchers are working tirelessly to find the best drugs to treat Covid-19.

What treatments are working for Covid-19?

Climate change is one of the most urgent health challenges of our time. We outline some of the damaging effects of climate change on health, and why climate action cannot ignore the evidence.

Four reasons why health must be at the heart of climate action

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jameisha Prescod turned to knitting when she felt overwhelmed by everything. Her self-portrait, Untangling, was <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0340ae73-3047-40d8-a7cb-a8a564f7b948" href="/news/wellcome-photography-prize-2021-winning-images-show-unique-perspectives-health" rel="" target="" title="Wellcome Photography Prize 2021: winning images show unique perspectives on health">one of the winners of the Wellcome Photography Prize</a>. She spoke to us about the image, her own experiences of mental health and treatment, and why we should be joining up conversations around mental health.

Knitting to ease depression

“If all systems fail you, and you have no supportive community to help you, where do you turn to?” Sebastian Mar photographed Russian women along with the mental health first-aid kits they have created to help them get through difficult moments.

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