Infection Transmission Sandpit Event
Location: The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, London, United Kingdom
About the Event
Companies and research groups with novel solutions to tackle infection transmission will have the opportunity to shape the direction of the UK’s infection response and bid for funding through a new initiative to stimulate innovation.
iiCON has been appointed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to deliver the new initiative.
The consortium will bring together and support the formation of diverse cross-disciplinary networks to propel the development of new concepts and solutions that leverage disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital and automation, advanced humanised infection models, and novel diagnostics to combat the spread of infection.
Companies and groups will have the opportunity to apply to take part in the 'sandpit' event held in London on May 9th. A similar event was held in Liverpool on March 14th. The goal of these intensive sessions is to spark ideas, foster innovation, and create new collaborative approaches to tackle this urgent challenge and drive forward novel projects.
Complementing the work of UKRI’s flagship AMR and epidemic preparedness programmes, the sandpit will look to pump-prime radical new approaches to tackling infections by engaging new communities and capabilities with the challenge.
The programme is supported with £1.5 million funding from UKRI to bring new research communities together and support feasibility studies. The sandpits will shape the call for funding pots of £50,000 to £150,000 to test disruptive approaches to tackling infections. Network support grants of up to £50,000 will also be available.
The development of new antibiotics and companion diagnostics are out of scope for the new fund, as these are covered by the recently announced PACE initiative.