This week we have opened the next VALIDATE pump-priming grant call, as well as the next VALIDATE training grant call, so read all about what these have to offer on their webpages, and apply for some VALIDATE funding! We look forward to receiving lots of interesting applications; both calls close on 14 June 2018.

Other news this week:

Funding:

• ​IVVN: Pump-priming grants - our sister GCRF Network, focusing on veterinary vaccine development - 2 July 2018
• Research England: Expanding Excellence in England fund - up to £75M over 3 years to grow small but excellent research units/departments in English Universities - 17 July 2018
• MRC: DPFS - funds the pre-clinical development & early clinical testing of novel therapeutics, devices & diagnostics - 25 Jul 2018, 28 Nov 2018, 28 Mar 2019
• MRC: Clinician Scientist Fellowship (CSF) - for doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, AHPs and some vets to establish their own research group - 6 Sep 2018, 10 Jan 2019, 3 Apr 2019
• MRC: Immunity & Infection Board New Investigator Research Grants - for researchers becoming PIs - 16 May 2018, 19 Sept 18, 9 Jan 2019, 16 May 2019

Training opportunities:

• Academic Writing Residency Programme, Rockefeller Belagio Center, USA - applications by 1 May 2018 for residency in 2019

Events:

• ISNTD D3 - the International Society for NTDs D3 event will address the drug discover, development and diagnostics equation (including vaccines) for NTDs -  London, 25-26 June 2018
• 49th Union World Conference on Lung Health - The Hague, 24-27 Oct 2018

Job opportunities:

• Programme Coordinator (TB Modelling Group), LSHTM, UK - 15 Apr 2018
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in TB Vaccine Trial Immunology, UCT, South Africa, 15 May 2018

If you're running an event or have a vacancy, let us know so we can publicise it across the Network.

Papers of interest this week:

• #VaccinesWork... don't they?
• The history of In Vivo tuberculin testing in bovines: tuberculosis, a "One Health" issue
•  Vaccine hesitancy around the globe: analysis of three years of WHO/UNICEF joint reporting form data 2015-2017
• Four-gene Pan-African blood signature predicts progression to tuberculosis - by VALIDATE members Gerhard Walzl and Hazel Dockrell and collaborators
• Vaccines for leprosy and tuberculosis: opportunities for shared research, development and application 
• Recent advances in veterinay applications of structural vaccinology

Finally, on Twitter this week we've flagged: a petition to sign to promote self-help groups that support leprosy sufferers; a Guardian article discussing why science is being more open about animals in research; that there are still East African DTMH scholarships remaining for the Professional Diploma in Medicine & Hygiene (East African Partnership); an Independent article "how to help people with tuberculosis avoid the medical poverty trap"; and a Nature discussion about the vast gender pay gap revealed in UK science's wage data. 

Joining VALIDATE is free and easy and we welcome all members, including scientists, policy makers, students, and the general public. There's a level of membership for everyone! Depending on your membership level, you can get access to our grants, mentoring scheme, events, newsletter, new collaborators and much more. So join our Network to find out about, and keep up to date on, vaccine development for TB, leishmaniasis, leprosy and melioidosis. Just complete our quick application form to join, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter @NetworkVALIDATE to easily keep track of our news.

Published: 11 April 2018