Wellcome Trust

What role does food play in the climate crisis? And how can individuals and policymakers be supported to make both healthier and more sustainable choices? Find out in the latest episode of our podcast, ‘When Science Finds a Way’ ⤵️ https://lnk.to/mOIzW4

Extreme heat is changing how we play sport. It’s putting players’ health at risk. The issue came to a head recently at the Shanghai Masters, when Danish tennis star Holger Rune asked:  “You want a player to die on the court?” In this video, Professor Ollie Jay from Heat and Health Research Centre at the University of Sydney explains how rising temperatures affect players’ performance and safety, and what sports organisers must do to protect athletes. At COP30 in Brazil, world leaders need to prioritise and fund climate adaptation, to deal with climate impacts like extreme heat, so we can continue to live, work and play sport outdoors safely - wherever you live and whatever your sport. #Adapt2Win #COP30 #climateadaptation #extremeheat #shanghaimasters #playersafety

I very rarely talk about “my publications” – after all most of them were never read – but there was one paper that I co-authored in 2021 that seems to have had a direct impact on my work. Our paper reported a machine-learning systematic mapping of the global evidence base on the links between climate change and health.  The analysis (see map below) showed a shockingly unbalanced evidence base – with the vast majority of data relating to high income countries and only a tiny fraction coming from Africa. Since taking up my role at Wellcome Trust in January 2022, I’m very proud to say that our Climate & Health team has worked hard to address this inequity including through a greater focus on supporting research among the most vulnerable communities, and competitive calls open only to researchers from low and middle-income countries. I’m therefore particular excited to be heading to Nairobi on Monday to attend the Pan-African Conference on Environment, Climate Change and Health https://lnkd.in/ebxCX5j9 where many of our grantees from Africa will be sharing their latest findings and their wider learnings of conducting research often in incredibly challenging environments. It's very easy to get very gloomy – this week’s report from WMO showing that carbon dioxide levels rose by a record amount to new highs in 2024 being a prime example – but at Wellcome Trust we’re trying to change our future.  By supporting research conducted in the most climate vulnerable regions of the world, by researchers from the most vulnerable regions in the world, we’re hoping to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone, everywhere. For those of you interested (honestly not even my Mum read it) here’s the link to the original paper:  https://lnkd.in/e-9KZ_bs

One month left to submit your applications to our mental health funding award! We’re supporting teams to accelerate the evaluation and roll out of social or psychological interventions for anxiety, depression and psychosis in young people. Learn more about the funding, application process and who can apply on our website ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/e_sb-fsv

Mohammad Firdaus Abdul Aziz, DPhil, from the University of Malaya, once thought research was a solo journey. Now, he sees collaboration with people from different countries, backgrounds and perspectives as key to meaningful research ⤵️

Cholera was discovered centuries ago, but there’s still a lot we don’t know about the disease. Research can help provide answers to how and why it spreads, and how to protect people. But for true impact, these findings need to be usable for policy makers. Rachael Hore, Senior Research Manager at Wellcome, shares why this matters for progress against cholera: https://lnkd.in/dxy4W3Ns

Food production accounts for nearly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. How do we choose diets that are better for our health and the planet? In this episode of our podcast, ‘When Science Finds a Way’, Alisha Wainwright speaks with Professor Pete Scarborough, who is researching how to support more sustainable food systems. We also hear from Jo, a participant testing a new digital tool which helps people make more sustainable choices at the supermarket. Listen here ⤵️ https://lnk.to/mOIzW4

Group singing can reduce symptoms of postnatal depression for up to six months, finds new research funded by Wellcome and published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.   Led by King's College London and Breathe Arts Health Research, the study is the first to evaluate both the clinical and cost effectiveness of group singing sessions for mothers experiencing postnatal depression.   It’s a powerful example of how arts-in-health interventions can offer accessible, effective and engaging support – especially for those facing barriers to traditional care.   📖 Read more via BBC News: https://lnkd.in/eyrNrzuj 🎙️ Or listen to our podcast episode to learn more about how creativity might play a role in supporting mental health: https://lnk.to/KPParI

How does the gut microbiome shape early brain development? That’s what FORM, a new $50 million programme from Wellcome Leap, aims to answer. Critically, it wants to identify the role of the microbiome in autism and other neurological disorders. Applicants from universities, companies and non-profits are invited to submit project proposals by 14 November. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/eAYv5HM5