UKRI has already invested millions in vaccines, medicines and other ways of tackling the infections that affect us and our environment.
This includes:
- better, faster diagnosis of brain diseases like meningitis
- research into avian flu
- a suitcase-sized kit that can test for a disease that could devastate wheat crops
But as diseases are constantly emerging and changing, we cannot afford to sit still.
So, we need to:
- make sure the antibiotics, fungicides and other medicines we rely on continue to work
- prevent future epidemic diseases or reduce their impact
Tackling infection is important not just for our personal health but to protect animals, crops and the natural environment. We want to reduce the impact on farming and our environment of infections such as bird flu, monkey pox and ash dieback.
That’s why we’re bringing people and communities together, across disciplines ranging from medicine and engineering to social science and policymaking, to bolster our defences.
