Wellcome

The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation based in London, United Kingdom, dedicated to advancing health through science, research, and innovation. Founded in 1936 from the will of pharmaceutical entrepreneur Sir Henry Wellcome, it is one of the world’s largest funders of biomedical and health research, known for tackling urgent global health challenges. It plays an important role in advancing rare disease research, particularly through its investments in genomics, data science, and early-stage discovery science.

Wellcome Trust supports discovery research across life, health, and wellbeing, while addressing three strategic global challenges: mental health, infectious diseases, and climate and health. It funds curiosity-driven science and applied innovation, working to ensure that advances in research benefit people worldwide. Beyond grantmaking, the foundation engages in policy advocacy and partnerships with governments, academia, and organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

Wellcome’s grant portfolio spans early-career to senior fellowships, large collaborative awards, and discovery research grants with no fixed upper limit. In 2023–24, it made over 600 awards worth £1.5 billion from nearly 2,800 applications, maintaining an overall success rate near 22%. It also invests heavily in research infrastructure and leadership capacity in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and Asia.