Initially, up to £1 million from the government’s Global Challenges Research Fund will be made available through the UK Medical Research Council (UK MRC) to researchers applying for grants to investigate the nature of the virus, its transmission and the potential links to neurological conditions including microcephaly.
Possible avenues of research to be funded by this initiative could include:
- epidemiological characteristics, eg vector transmission potential, geographical spread, interactions with other arboviruses, changing viral genotype, host susceptibility, incubation period
- development of more specific rapid diagnostic tests for Zika virus that can reduce misdiagnosis that may occur due to the presence of dengue or other viruses in a test sample
- viral pathogenicity, association with and potential mechanistic links to neurodevelopment / microcephaly
- mechanisms of infection and host immune responses and potential therapeutics / vaccine
For full details please see the UK Government press release here