The world’s second largest foundation has launched a fund for underrepresented British researchers at the tune of £20 million.  

Awards aim to bring in more researchers from Bangladeshi, Pakistani and black British backgrounds. 

The announcement comes off the back of findings published in 2022 identifying that $46.2 billion trust made ‘insufficient progress’ and ‘perpetuated racism’ within the organisation. 

Wellcome publicly recognised in June 2020 that it had perpetuated racism and acknowledged there is structural racism within Wellcome and the wider research system. 

An analysis of data from the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the 2021 Census of England and Wales found that Black or Black British researchers in the UK made up 2.9 percent of the academic research population in 2021-22. 

Researchers of Bangladeshi heritage made up 0.5 percent, while researchers of Pakistani heritage in the UK made up 1.1 percent. 

By contrast, white researchers made up 79.5 percent. 

Individuals will be able to apply for grants of up to £200,000 ($217,000) for a period of up to two years. Applications will be open from this spring.  

“If we are to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone, we need the creativity and expertise of people from all backgrounds. Diversity of people will open the doors to new scientific questions and insights, bringing about discoveries which will benefit everyone,” said Wellcome senior manager of research culture and communities Shomari Lewis-Wilson. 

“Researchers of Black, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani heritage are not adequately represented in research in the UK. We hope that these awards will help talented underrepresented researchers fulfil their potential and transform science.” 

Shafi Musaddique is the news editor at Alliance Magazine.