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MRC Outstanding Team Impact Prize
A BSI-linked, international team of scientists led by Professor Paul Denny has been awarded The MRC Outstanding Team Impact Prize, which recognises the major impact its collaborative team science approach has made in medical research.
Working Across Disciplinary Boundaries
The Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases brought together over 500 researchers from 14 institutes worldwide. It was funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund from the Medical Research Council (MRC) in 2018 at a value of £6.8 million and key contributors included the Durham academics and BSI members Professor Steven Cobb, Professor Ehmke Pohl and Professor Patrick Steel.
The MRC Impact Prize recognised the outstanding achievements of the Global Network for NTDs, celebrating the team's collaborative approach to addressing complex health challenges.
Equitable Cooperation across borders
The network's core mission was to democratise and decolonise research in this field by building laboratory capacity and expertise in endemic countries across Asia and South America.
Through cross-disciplinary partnerships between scientists in these regions, the team demonstrated globally equitable working practices.
Scientific Breakthroughs and Private Sector Engagement
Beyond fostering international cooperation, the Global Network achieved notable scientific advances.
Researchers developed multiple new techniques and discovered and validated many novel drug targets to combat leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.
The team's exemplary work influenced and attracted private sector collaborators, revealing a tangible legacy and impact that will outlive the initial funding award.
By engaging industry partners, the network has paved the way for further progress in developing treatments for these neglected diseases.
- Partners from > 14 international organisations.
- Training of >100 early career researchers.
- Multiple drug targets have been validated in Leishmania species and Trypanosoma cruzi.
How we Supported the Team
We have been proud to support the NTD group from its very early days as a Special Interest Group (co-sponsors with Wolfson Research Institute), through a Fellowship for Professor Bergmann (Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho at the University of Rio de Janeiro) in 2013, a grant building (MRC) workshop, a 2017 pump priming award and several Summer Research Internships.
“This fellowship was essential to starting the discussions that led to the GCRF”
Professor Patrick Steel, Durham University Chemistry.
Find out more
- Learn more about the work of Professor Paul Denny, Professor Steven Cobb, Professor Ehmke Pohl and Professor Patrick Steel
- Visit the NTD Network website.