NIHR has announced a new global health funding opportunity to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), this programme will support research that tests effective solutions and integrates them into routine services, including late-stage clinical trials.
The aim is to reduce the impact of AMR, improve health systems, and improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations, including maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. Funding will focus on research in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, and the findings are likely to benefit people much more widely, including in the UK. Researchers can apply for awards ranging from £0.5 million up to £5 million.
Professor Lucy Chappell, CEO of NIHR and Chief Scientific Adviser at DHSC, said: “Antimicrobial resistance is making it harder to treat everyday infections, with the greatest impact on people in low-resource settings.
“The research we fund will generate solutions that can be used in health settings and communities in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia to prevent infections and improve diagnosis and access to effective treatments – so vulnerable groups, including women, babies, children and adolescents, get safer care and better outcomes.”
Real-world impact in action
NIHR research delivered by the Global Health Research Unit on Genomics and enabling data for Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance is showing how genomic surveillance can help countries act faster on AMR. Across India, the Philippines, Nigeria and Colombia, the unit has helped detect drug resistance outbreaks earlier, improve infection control, and use genomic data in real time to guide public health decisions.
The Global Health Research Unit’s work is also helping to shape the global response to AMR. As a WHO Collaborating Centre on Genomic Surveillance of AMR, the unit is helping to inform global policy and supporting countries to adopt genomic surveillance within their national health systems. The tools and platforms developed through the programme also support WHO initiatives and improve how AMR is tracked and understood worldwide.
This approach is already making a difference. In Nigeria, genomic analysis found a hidden E. coli outbreak in an intensive care unit, so teams could act quickly to reduce spread. In the Philippines, it identified outbreaks affecting newborns that had not been detected before and helped changes to strengthen national surveillance.
Overall, this shows how funding research that can be scaled up and used in practice can speed up public health action, strengthen health systems, and better protect people most affected by AMR.
Building sustainable impact
The ‘Tackling bacterial and fungal AMR in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia’ funding opportunity will support research led by low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), bringing together diverse international teams to generate practical evidence that reflects local needs and priorities in tackling AMR. The focus is on producing research that can quickly inform policy and be put into practice to improve health outcomes.
By prioritising later-stage research, the scheme aims to turn promising ideas into real-world solutions that strengthen health systems and can be sustained over time. Projects will focus on supporting the poorest and most vulnerable populations, ensuring research is inclusive and shaped by communities, and encouraging collaboration across different fields to address the complex challenges of AMR.
Professor Kara Hanson, Director of the NIHR’s Global Health Research Programme, said: "Antimicrobial resistance is an escalating global health emergency that threatens to undo decades of medical progress. It is a silent pandemic that requires urgent, bold, and coordinated action.
“By focusing on implementation research and clinical trials, we are not just seeking new knowledge - we are seeking life-saving solutions that can be deployed immediately in LMIC health systems. The need for robust, LMIC-led research has never been more critical to protect global populations and ensure our health systems remain resilient."
Details of the funding opportunity and how to apply are available on the NIHR website.