Wellcome Trust to Launch New Anxiety Disorder Funding Call in July 2023

A new funding opportunity will be launched by the Wellcome Trust in July 2023 for research on anxiety- and trauma-related problems.

The Wellcome Trust will soon launch a new Mental Health Award to understand how anxiety- and trauma-related problems develop, persist and resolve.

Anxiety-related problems are the most prevalent mental health conditions worldwide. It is estimated that over 300 million people (around 4% of the global population) were living with an anxiety disorder in 2019. However, anxiety is under-researched and underfunded, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Wellcome Trust will address this crucial gap by launching a new grant scheme in July 2023.

Through this funding call, the Trust seeks to advance understanding of anxiety- and trauma-related problems, which could ultimately lead to early detection and getting the right interventions delivered at the right time.

The primary focus of the call will be on anxiety and trauma-related disorders, defined here to include:

  • Generalised anxiety disorder
  • Panic disorder
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • All types of phobias
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Acute stress disorder
  • Transdiagnostic symptoms strongly associated with the above conditions (eg threat hyperreactivity, repetitive negative thinking etc)

Applicants will be required to address at least one of the following:

  • Research that considers multiple levels of explanation.
  • Research in LMICs.

Projects will be able to attract a maximum of £4 million for up to five years. The funding will be available to applicants based anywhere in the world (except mainland China), with preliminary applications due in mid-November 2023.

More information on how to apply will be available when the funding call opens in July 2023.

(This report was the subject of a RESEARCHconnect Newsflash.)