Disease research institutes get £10 million after UK charity cuts

Three specialist UK research institutions will be given a share of £10 million to make up for income lost as a result of how the pandemic has hit their funding from charities.

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Institute of Cancer Research, London will receive the funding from Research England’s Specialist Institutions Fund.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) said in a statement that the “specialist nature of these institutions” had left them “hit by a loss of charity funding due to the impact of Covid-19”.

“This funding will help them to continue their groundbreaking and lifesaving work, which includes research into cancer and a wide range of the world’s most serious tropical diseases,” the funder said.

The funding has been “reallocated” from the £80 million Specialist Institution Fund announced by the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in the 2020 spring budget, UKRI said.

David Sweeney, executive chair of Research England, pointed out that research by the institutions receiving the funding had included tackling Covid-19 itself. At least four members of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies are based at either the LSHTM or LSTM.

“These institutions undertake vital research into diseases of global importance, including cancer, Covid-19 and tropical diseases, that must continue to be supported to save lives around the world,” Mr Sweeney said.

“Given the importance of these institutions in tackling research agendas, we have reallocated this funding to ensure these operations are not unduly jeopardised by a reduction in charity funding.”

In December, Times Higher Education reported how a slump in charity giving due to the pandemic was causing major concern in the sector, with warnings that research groups were being cut and fellowships cancelled.

Medical research charities fund the salaries of about 17,000 scientists in the UK, but the closure of charity shops and cancellation of fundraising events has forced many charities to scale back their investment.

According to a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research, medical research charities stood to spend £4.1 billion less than expected between now and 2027, with a loss of almost £450 million predicted for 2021-22 alone.

simon.baker@timeshighereducation.com