Wellcome Trust

Have you heard of visceral leishmaniasis? Also known as kala-azar, it’s the most deadly form of leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease spread by the bite of infected female sandflies. An estimated 50,000 to 90,000 new cases occur every year, and the true number is likely far higher. Nearly three-quarters of reported cases are in eastern Africa, where half of patients are children. The disease is closely linked to poverty, malnutrition and displacement. Without treatment, visceral leishmaniasis is fatal in over 95 percent of cases. Despite its severity, it remains a neglected disease. There is no licensed vaccine, and current treatments are limited; they're often toxic, difficult to deliver and tied to costs such as travel and long hospital stays, which can put them out of reach for the people who need them. But elimination is within reach. The World Health Organization aims to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis as a public health problem by 2030, and Bangladesh got there in 2023. At Wellcome, we’re funding research into how the disease spreads, new oral treatments that could replace painful injections, and bacteria that may stop the parasite developing inside sandflies. Can it be eliminated everywhere? Read our new explainer: https://lnkd.in/dCS4cFp9

Extreme heat is putting growing pressure on maternal healthcare. But are health systems prepared? In a survey of 1,000 healthcare professionals across Australia, Brazil, India, the UK and Zimbabwe, 92% said they wanted more training, guidance and resources to protect pregnant women from extreme heat. Wellcome's global call to action sets out recommendations for protecting pregnant women and newborn babies, including stronger clinical guidance and integrating women's needs into national climate adaptation plans. Explore the findings and read our recommendations for protecting mothers and babies in a warming world. https://lnkd.in/eGpgxNrm

Most people have heard of ketamine. It was originally developed as an anaesthetic, but it is now being used in some settings to treat severe depression. This is an example of repurposing – finding new uses for medicines that already exist. How can we make the most of repurposing existing drugs for mental health? Advances in AI and biological sciences are making it possible to search through massive drug libraries, clinical data and genetic data to find promising medicines. New ways of performing trials can allow us to test multiple treatments at the same time. Wellcome is funding PUMA and PearlDiver Technologies, new dynamic trial platforms, which will test repurposed medicines for mental health conditions.

In an ecosystem, every living thing depends on others. Muzlifah Haniffa says the cells that build our bodies work the same way. "How do these cells come together, how do they build the tissue, and how do they come together to build the human?" Understanding those cellular relationships helps researchers see how tissues form, how diseases develop and where new treatments might be possible. Watch this short clip from our film on the Human Cell Atlas. #HealthWonders #HumanCellAtlas

We are pleased to welcome two new additions to our Board this month. Professor Dame Molly Stevens DBE and Dr Jean-Philippe Vert join our Board of governors, bringing experience in nanoscience and machine learning, to guide us in our work to create a healthier future for everyone.   Professor Dame Molly Stevens is John Black Professor of Bionanoscience as well as Deputy Director of the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery at the University of Oxford.  Dr Jean-Philippe Vert is co-founder and CEO of Bioptimus, the AI-powered biomedical drug discovery platform working to refine a universal World Model of Biology.  https://lnkd.in/e7FwS_TX

We're making new additions to our board of governors this month: Professor Dame Molly Stevens DBE and Dr Jean-Philippe Vert. Professor Dame Molly Stevens is John Black Professor of Bionanoscience and Deputy Director of the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery at the University of Oxford. She is also a widely respected science communicator. Dr Vert is co-founder and CEO of Bioptimus, an AI-powered biomedical discovery platform. He was previously Chief Science Officer at Owkin and a Research Lead at Google Brain. Their expertise in nanoscience and machine learning will help guide our work ensuring that Wellcome continues to support the discoveries of tomorrow and shape a healthier future for everyone. "Wellcome has the scale and independence to take a long view, while staying focused on some of the most important challenges in human health. Different fields are coming together and I’m particularly interested in how we can turn that creativity and discovery into things that genuinely improve people’s lives across the world. " Professor Dame Molly Stevens. "Wellcome is one of the pillars leading science-driven progress in health for all, in the middle of what is a challenging environment. I'm particularly excited by the mission to make sure that the expected progress triggered by AI does not only benefit the happy few." Dr Jean-Philippe Vert. We’d like to welcome both of our new board members. https://lnkd.in/e7FwS_TX

Last week, Wellcome attended Pre-COP31 in Fiji to present the science on climate change and human health. Wellcome Chair, The Hon. Julia Gillard AC reflects on the two main things that will stay with her: - Witnessing the impacts that rising sea levels are already having on low lying island communities - The huge determination of Pacific island leaders and communities for global action on climate change COP31 takes place next month in Turkïye, where we will be continuing to advocate for action to protect human health from the effects of climate change.

As part of our World Health Summit programme, we welcomed more than 200 colleagues, partners and friends from across the global health community to our Europe office to discuss the burning platforms shaping the week's agenda - from trust in science to the future of global health reform. #WHS2026 Thanks to everyone who joined us and contributed to such an engaging evening. We're extremely grateful for all the discussions, debates and collaboration. John-Arne Røttingen Natasha Sunderji

What can 140,000 people tell us about trust in science?    In the first episode of our special mini-series on trust in science of When Science Finds a Way, Alisha Wainwright speaks to social researcher Dr Cary Funk to discuss findings from the Wellcome Global Monitor, the world’s largest study on how people think and feel about science.    She is also joined by Dr Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), to explore the findings.   🎧 Listen to When Science Finds a Way to hear the full conversation: https://lnkd.in/esWNMCku