Definitions of global health challenges:
Digital technologies. Projects that feature, directly or indirectly, digital technologies, including developing and/ or integration of digital health tools, improving access to healthcare through digital solutions, building capacity in digital skills and infrastructure, developing interoperable data systems and ensuring the ethical use of digital data. This category also includes the use of emerging digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) for the development of health technologies, enhancing research data analysis, among others.
Health security. Projects that focus, at least to some extent, on health security, including strengthening the resilience of health systems to infectious disease threats and improving global health security. This also includes research on pandemic preparedness and response, the development of surveillance systems to detect and track outbreaks, the strengthening of public health infrastructure, and the development of global health governance mechanisms to address cross-border health challenges.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) or drug resistance. Projects that address, directly or indirectly, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), defined as the ability of micro-organisms to survive or grow despite an antimicrobial agent that normally inhibits or kills that micro-organism. This category includes drug resistance within a broad range of infectious agents, including viruses and macroparasites.
Climate crisis or adaptation. Projects that address, directly or indirectly, the climate crisis/adaptation, including involving proactive measures to minimise the negative health impacts of climate-related shifts in infectious diseases. This includes, for example, combating a climate-sensitive infectious disease, tackling emerging and re-emerging diseases with a connection to climate change, addressing infectious diseases that take advantage of climate-related stressors, improving health systems' resilience to climate-related events, developing climate-resilient health interventions, reducing and/or mitigating the climate impact of health interventions, and studying the climate influence on infectious disease dynamics.
Women's health. Projects that address, at least to some extent, the unique health challenges faced by women in the context of infectious diseases.
Comorbidities and non-communicable diseases. Projects that address, at least to some extent, co-morbidities and non-communicable diseases, focusing on the intersection of infectious diseases with chronic illnesses (co-morbidities) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. It includes research projects on how infectious diseases may cause NCDs or impact their progression, as well as how NCDs increase vulnerability to infection, and the development of integrated care models to address both infectious and non-communicable conditions simultaneously.
Environment and biodiversity. Projects that address, directly or indirectly, environment and biodiversity, including by investigating the impact of environmental change on infectious diseases emergence, exploring the role of biodiversity in disease regulation, promoting eco-friendly health system practices, and developing eco-friendly health technologies for tackling infectious diseases.
Emerging technologies. Projects that feature, directly or indirectly, emerging technologies (with the exception of digital technologies). For example, nanotechnology in drug delivery, gene editing, next-generation sequencing, and advanced materials, among others, which have the potential to transform the landscape of infectious diseases' interventions.