Abstract

The MRC was tracking the COVID-19 outbreak from early January 2020. Drawing on our experience of responding to the Zika outbreak in 2016, we launched a rapid call for research and development proposals targeting COVID-19, in partnership with the National Institute of Health Research, on 4 February 2020. The presentation will provide examples of the work supported through this and linked initiatives that have been impactful in the prediction, understanding, and management of the outbreak, and established new models of vaccine and drug development, with potential application beyond this outbreak and in other disease areas.