At the heart of our vision for a world free from meningitis is our bold research strategy for 2025–2030.
This is a research strategy that aims to fuel innovation for real-world impact. One where research is not just important – it’s essential. By implementing this research strategy on meningitis, we believe we will turn hope into progress and progress into better health outcomes for us all.
Our research strategy has been shaped by the voices that matter most. Our dedicated supporters told us what it is they value. And the global research community urged us to strengthen our commitment to research with more focus than ever before.
That’s why we’re investing up to £1 million in pioneering research efforts across the globe. We’re funding the most promising, high-impact projects to bring us closer to defeating meningitis.
Together, we’re not just imagining a world free from meningitis – we’re building it.
Our 2025–2030 goals for research
1. Optimising use of, and access to, meningitis vaccines
We will fund research that will optimise access to meningitis vaccines. This is to ensure that in the UK and globally there is equitable use and uptake of the vaccines that prevent meningitis.
2. Understanding and reducing the lifelong impacts of meningitis
We will fund, enable and partner on research to transform understanding of the lifelong impacts of meningitis due to any cause. This will improve the quality of life for all those affected by the consequences of a meningitis diagnosis.
3. Enhancing equitable access to pathogen genomics
We will partner on research that strives to improve the accessibility of pathogen genomics, globally. We will enable the development of data standards to promote equitable sharing of genomic and associated metadata.
Our route to impact
Funding
Between 2025 and 2030, we’ll award funding to innovative research projects that address:
- Optimising use of, and access to, meningitis vaccines (our research goal 1).
- Understanding and reducing the lifelong impacts of meningitis (our research goal 2).
To reflect our commitment to support and nurture the next generation of research leaders, our funding will focus on catalytic grants. These will support early career researchers and enable early-stage projects or feasibility studies. We’re building on our strong heritage, where our £19.5 million investment has helped train a generation of researchers.
An enabler and partner
As a research enabler and partner, we know we can accelerate the pace of research on meningitis. That’s why, between 2025 and 2030, we’ll support, establish and participate in innovative partnerships that bring together expertise to achieve more. These include our work on the Global Meningitis Genome Partnership, continuing to participate in multi-disciplinary networks, and identifying new partnerships and funding opportunities that enable us to drive change on the lifelong impacts of meningitis.
Connecting the research community
For more than 30 years, we’ve hosted the world’s leading research conference dedicated to meningitis. It brings together thousands of experts in infectious disease, paediatrics, vaccinology, public health and tropical medicine.
Through our conferences and virtual spotlight sessions, we’ll continue to support the international research community to meet, share information and develop new ideas and ambitious plans to tackle meningitis.
We believe equitable access to our programme of events is vital. That’s why we’ll continue to offer reduced rates for trainees and bursary schemes to support delegates from low- and middle-income countries to attend.
People affected by meningitis shaping the future of research
People affected by, and at risk of, meningitis are the ultimate beneficiaries of the work that we do. In many cases, they make our work possible through their generosity. We remain committed to ensuring that the research we fund is informed by people with lived experience of meningitis. This includes establishing a patient panel to shape the research we fund and the wider research environment.
Upholding best practice for medical research charities
We are a proud member of the Association of Medical Research Charities. This is a membership organisation of the UK’s leading medical and health research charities. As a member, we follow the six principles of expert review. And we support its position on the use of animals in research, supporting research in universities, and involvement in medical research.
Our Scientific Advisory Panel
Our Scientific Advisory Panel ensures independent and rigorous review of proposals for research funding. It makes recommendations to our trustees (who make the final decision on funding recommended proposals).
All panel members adhere to our code of conduct and conflicts of interest policy. This is to ensure impartial assessment of any research applications from members of the panel, or from researchers based in a panel member’s academic department or institution.
Research integrity
We support Universities UK’s Concordat to Support Research Integrity. This is a cross-disciplinary national framework for good research conduct and its governance. It means that we:
- Uphold the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research.
- Ensure that research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards.
- Support a research environment that is underpinned by a culture of integrity and based on good governance, best practice and support for the development of researchers.
- Use transparent, robust and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct should they arise.
- Work together to strengthen the integrity of research and to reviewing progress regularly and openly.
Read more about our research integrity policy and our code of conduct.
Thank you for supporting us on this journey so far, as we strive towards defeating meningitis by 2030.
Resources
Our 2025–2030 research strategy
Our 2025–2030 research strategy (one-page summary)