Research on Interventions for Global Health Transformation

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Summary

The Research on Interventions for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) programme funds interdisciplinary applied health research in low and middle income countries (LMICs) on areas of unmet need where a strategic and targeted investment can result in a transformative impact. The name of this programme was updated in 2024 (previously known as Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation). The move from ‘Innovation’ to ‘Interventions’ better represents the programme’s focus on applied health research.

The Research on Interventions for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) programme funds applied health research for the primary and direct benefit of people in low and middle income countries (LMICs).

RIGHT aims to strengthen capacity for research and boost knowledge exchange through funding equitable partnerships between researchers in the UK and those in LMICs.

The programme promotes interdisciplinary approaches to research, including, but not limited to, collaborations between clinical, health economics, statistics, qualitative and social sciences disciplines.

Scope

RIGHT funds research on preventing ill health and optimising disease management in LMICs that are eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA). To date, the programme has funded research on:

multimorbidity
mental health
epilepsy
infection-related cancers
severe stigmatising skin diseases

Funding amount and duration

RIGHT typically awards funding of £1-5 million (maximum of £5 million) for research with a duration of 3-5 years. Funding awards can be led by a Principal Investigator (Lead Applicant) employed by an LMIC Higher Education Institution (HEI) or Research Institute; or by a Principal Investigator employed by a UK HEI or Research Institute (UK Joint Lead Applicant) to jointly lead with a Principal Investigator employed by an LMIC HEI or Research Institute (LMIC Joint Lead Applicant).

NIHR RIGHT funding has allowed us to establish a multidisciplinary team of enthusiastic African clinical academic researchers to innovate clinical practice and strengthen diagnostics services for children with virus-related lymphoma, as well as increase translational research capacity.
Anna Schuh, Associate Professor at the University of Oxford and Chief Investigator of the SEREN initiative

RIGHT runs one or two funding calls a year on commissioned topics in applied health research. See the dates for our funding calls.

How to apply

RIGHT holds two-stage funding calls. Stage 1 is a shortlisting process that involves submitting an outline application. Stage 1 applicants invited to submit to stage 2 are required to produce a full application that then undergoes peer review.

An independent international Funding Committee considers eligible applications at stage 1 and stage 2.

Research proposals should be online through the Research Management System.

Read more about the application process

Proposal and Partnership Development Awards

An important aspect of RIGHT funding is the partnership building between researchers in the UK and those in LMICs. Proposal and Partnership Development Awards (PPDAs) of up to £10,000 are available to support partnership development during preparation of a RIGHT stage 2 application.

All RIGHT applicants that are successful at stage 1 and are invited to submit a stage 2 application are eligible to apply for a PPDA.

What we fund

RIGHT funds research proposals from researchers in UK-based (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and LMIC higher education institutions and research institutes.

Applications must include a lead, co-applicant or joint lead applicant from a country eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding and relevant to the research proposal. Applications must demonstrate how the research proposal meets ODA compliance criteria.

Find out more about ODA eligibility

RIGHT will support:

Applied health research that is of primary and direct benefit to people and patients in LMICs
Interdisciplinary applied research teams with demonstrable expertise and a track-record of ensuring clinical research is transferred into benefits for patients
Proposals that incorporate research questions around gender, age, social barriers to health, economic impact and equity that demonstrate strong partnerships with institutions in LMICs
Proposals that demonstrate joint leadership between the LMIC and UK research partners and have clear plans to engage with other relevant partners.
Proposals that include relevant engagement with policy makers, patients, the public, civil society organisations, communities and charities
Proposals that include PhD and master’s students based in LMICs.

RIGHT will not support:

Proposals that are not eligible for ODA funding
Proposals that do not have a LMIC lead, or do not have a LMIC joint lead
Basic research or experimental medicine, including research on animals
Proposals to develop new biobanks and biosample collections
Epidemiological studies
Evaluations of existing services, where the programme of work does not include evidence-based development and improvement of these services
Single randomised controlled trials
Proposals that solely replicate research already undertaken in high income countries
Proposals that primarily focus on observational research, secondary research or health policy implementation.

The selection criteria used by the RIGHT Funding Committee are:

Relevance of the proposed research to the research requirement outlined in the Guidance for Applicants
Quality of the research design and work plan
Strength of the research team
Impact of the proposed work
Quality of the proposed management arrangements
Value for money provided by the application
Strength of the community engagement and involvement, where relevant to the research question(s)
Equity of partnerships and approach to capacity building

Our people

Applications to the RIGHT programme are peer reviewed by professional and public reviewers, then considered by a funding committee.

The committees recommend projects for funding to the Department of Health and Social Care, which approves which projects should be funded.

Members of NIHR Committees are required to declare any interests which conflict, or may be considered to conflict, with NIHR business, or may be perceived as influencing decisions made in the course of their work within NIHR programmes. All members are asked to complete the Register of Interest form annually, which is intended to capture long term predictable interests that could be perceived to lead to conflicts of interest. These and other interests are judged on a case by case basis at individual meetings.

NIHR registry of interests

Committee Chairs and members

View the full membership of Funding Committees for individual calls below:

Meeting minutes

Calls

Call 8 - Unintentional Injuries and Accidents, including prevention, management, and health system response, with a highlighted interest in the context of climate change and natural hazards

The NIHR launched an eighth RIGHT call on 17 July 2024 that focused on targeted research to address the global burden of unintentional injuries and accidents (including but not limited to falls, drowning, burns, poisoning, environmental heat and cold exposure, road traffic accidents.)

Call 7 - targeted research to develop and evaluate interventions for the early detection and management of metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke

The NIHR launched a seventh RIGHT call that focused on targeted research to develop and evaluate interventions for the early detection and management of metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke in primary and community care settings.

This funding opportunity is open to lead applicants from UK or LMIC institutions.

Call 7 launched on 11 October 2023.

Call 6 - targeted research to prevent, treat and manage multiple long-term conditions in low and middle income countries.

The NIHR is launched a sixth RIGHT call that focused on targeted research to prevent, treat and manage multiple long-term conditions in low and middle income countries.

Call 6 launched on 7 September 2022.

Call 5 - strengthening health service delivery and resilience for extreme weather events (2022)

RIGHT call 5 focused on targeted research to strengthen health service delivery and resilience in low and middle income countries (LMICs) in the context of extreme weather events caused by the changing climate.

Call 5 launched in March 2022.

Call 5 stage 1 guidance for applicants
Call 5 stage 1 application form guidance
Call 5 Global Health Research Programmes core guidance
Call 5 finance guidance
Call 5 frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Call 5 applicant webinar - recording (for a copy of the slides, please email ccf-globalhealth@nihr.ac.uk)

Call 4 - unintentional injuries, and urgent and emergency care (2020)

RIGHT call 4 funded research to address the global burden of unintentional injuries (including but not limited to road traffic accidents, falls, burns and drowning, and urgent and emergency care).

Call 4 launched in November 2020.

Call 4 stage 1 guidance for applicants
Call 4 stage 1 application form guidance
Call 4 stage 2 guidance for applicants
Call 4 stage 2 application form guidance
Call 4 Global Health Research Programmes core guidance
Call 4 finance guidance
Call 4 frequently asked questions
Call 4 applicant webinar - recording (for a copy of the slides, please email ccf-globalhealth@nihr.ac.uk)

Call 3 - multiple long-term conditions (2019)

RIGHT call 3 funded research on interventions to improve outcomes for people with multiple long-term conditions in LMICs.

Call 3 launched in October 2019. A total of £19.3 million was awarded to four projects in November 2021.

Call 2 - mental health (2019)

RIGHT call 2 funded research on the development and evaluation of interventions to improve outcomes for people in LMICs affected by mental health issues.

Call 2 was announced in October 2018. A total of £20 million was awarded to six projects in May 2020.

Call 1 - epilepsy, infection-related cancers and severe stigmatising skin diseases (2018)

RIGHT call 1 funded research on:

Reducing the public health burden of epilepsy
Improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, access to services for infection-related cancers
Reducing the public health burden of severe stigmatising skin diseases

Call 1 launched in June 2018. A total of £34 million was invested into eight projects in November 2019.