September 3, 2024 — The Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) is pleased to announce the launch of its Climate + Health Excellence (CHEX) Centers awards. This initiative aims to foster research, education, and public communication at the intersection of climate change and human health. Three grants will be awarded over two cycles, supporting the development of CHEX Centers across U.S. and Canadian institutions or consortia.
This program is offering institutions up to $10,000,000 in funding. It aims to foster the development of research, education, and public communication dedicated to understanding and mitigating the impact of climate change on human health. CHEX Centers will serve as leaders in discovering the health consequences of climate change, translating basic climate and health science toward developing interventions and bridging the gap between understanding climate’s impacts on health and creating a better-informed population.
“The CHEX award will let funded research institutions pull together insights into the impacts of a changing climate on human health, translate those insights into inventions and interventions, and move what they have learned into the public sphere,” said Chief Strategy Officer Dr. Victoria McGovern. “It will provide flexibility that can stabilize and strengthen interdisciplinary collaborations, and that opens doors to training students to think in more health-informed ways about the considerable challenge of maintaining or improving health in a changing climate.”
Fostering Interdisciplinary Collaboration
The CHEX Centers award is designed for institutions or consortia already progressing towards becoming centers of excellence in climate and health. This funding supports innovative research that bridges basic, applied, and translational sciences, encouraging collaborations across departments and institutions. By cultivating strong, interdisciplinary partnerships, CHEX aims to accelerate the development of new solutions addressing the pressing health challenges of climate change.
Amplifying Impact Through Education and Communication
Beyond research, the CHEX Centers will invest significant effort into enhancing public understanding of the climate-health nexus. Successful applicants will integrate significant educational or communication components into their proposals, ensuring that the insights gained from research are effectively communicated to the broader public or used to inspire future generations of scholars. Whether through K-12 education, public outreach, or interdisciplinary training programs, these efforts will help build a more informed and resilient society.
The application portal will open early in 2025 to allow ample time for planning. The letter of Intent deadline is August 7, 2025. For more information, visit the CHEX landing page.
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund is a private, independent foundation dedicated to advancing biomedical science and supporting research that addresses critical health challenges. BWF seeks to enhance scientific understanding and improve human health outcomes globally through its grants and initiatives.
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