Wellcome Trust

The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 upon the death of Sir Henry Wellcome. In his will, Wellcome vested the entire share capital of the drug company, The Wellcome Foundation Limited, in individual trustees. The trustees were charged with spending the income according to Sir Henry Wellcome’s wishes.

Mission

To achieve extraordinary improvements in human and animal health.

Geographic Focus

UK, but also worldwide including major initiatives in Africa, India and South-east Asia.

Programme Areas

The Trust supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities, with the aim of improving human and animal health. It offers a wide variety of funding schemes, including Investigator Awards, fellowships and Strategic Awards, and also supports several major initiatives.

There are six funding areas:

• Biomedical science – Investigating health and disease in humans and animals
• Technology transfer – Helping the development of innovative, early-stage projects with potential medical applications
• International – Supporting research, capacity building and engagement activities in low- and middle-income countries.
• Public engagement – Imaginative and experimental projects that bring biology and medicine to new audiences
• Medical history and humanities – Research at the interface of medical science, history and the wider humanities
• Biomedical ethics – Supporting research into ethical dilemmas in the development and delivery of healthcare