"The Bloomsbury SET Impact Connector programme will support innovators as they take promising therapeutics from the laboratory to communities worldwide" - Professor Richard Bomphrey.

The research alliance has announced new grants to fight infectious diseases and AMR.

A research alliance led by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), The Bloomsbury SET, has announced 12 new grants for projects to fight against infectious disease or antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The projects, which are supported by over £1 million of funding, will develop tools to deliver new vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics to benefit both animal and human health. 

Comprised of the RVC, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON) led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and SOAS University of London, the consortium targets academics in the early stages of commercialisation. 

Twelve projects have been awarded grants, including a project looking at the probabilistic diagnostic algorithm doe the early serological detection of Johne's Disease (JD) in dairy cattle, led by Professor Javier Guitian. 

Other projects awarded grants include a study led by Dr Nicholas Furnham, which seeks to advance inhibitors targeting Cathepsin D as a new drug treatment for schistosomiasis, and a research project led by iiCON focusing on the commercialisation of the LSTM barrier bed net. 

Dr Emma Tomlinson, Chair of The Bloomsbury SET Steering Committee, and head of Research Development at the RVC, said: “These twelve projects represent the strongest applications received by The Bloomsbury SET from our partner universities, all working with relevant industry partners. 

“In addition to development funding, the Commercialisation Pilot also includes support from a dedicated mentor and networking and training opportunities through The Bloomsbury SET. We look forward to seeing these ideas develop further along their translation journey.”

Interim vice principal for Research at the RVC, Professor Richard Bomphrey, added: “There has never been a better time to bring together an outstanding interdisciplinary and inter-sectorial consortium to take on the globally important and pressing issues of infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance. 

“The Bloomsbury SET Impact Connector programme will support innovators as they take promising therapeutics from the laboratory to communities worldwide.”

Image (C) Royal Veterinary College