Research overview

Meningitis UK's sole focus is to develop vaccines to eradicate all forms of meningitis and associated diseases. Since the charity's inception in 1999, we have invested £2.6 million into meningitis research and we don't plan to stop until we achieve our goal.

Why is vaccine research needed?

Research in the lab Because meningitis can kill in hours and its symptoms are notoriously difficult to spot, we believe a preventative vaccine is the only way to put a stop to the disease.

Sadly, newspapers report on the pain of families affected by meningitis and its associated diseases almost every day. Based on average figures for the past 10 years, around 3,400 people will be affected by bacterial meningitis and septicaemia in the UK each year, of which more than 300 will die and hundreds more will be left with permanent disabilities.

The vaccines currently available to protect against certain forms of meningitis have been incredibly successful, saving thousands of lives. However, there is still no vaccine to protect against all forms, including the most common in the UK, Meningitis B, and Streptococcal Group B. It is also extremely important to monitor and improve existing vaccines. Our scientists across the UK are working tirelessly in these areas to achieve our overall aim to eradicate all forms of meningitis.

Why is it so difficult to find a vaccine?

Picture of syringe Scientists know that approximately one in 10 people have the meningitis-causing bacteria living harmlessly in their noses and throats. But what they don't know is why the bacteria sometimes become harmful, spreading to the tissues surrounding the brain causing meningitis and crossing into the bloodstream causing septicaemia.

There are also various types of meningitis-causing bacteria, all of which have a number of different strains, so a vaccine which can fight one sort, might not be able to fight another. Past meningitis vaccines have been based on the capsule that surrounds the bacteria. With Meningococcal group B, this capsule has the same properties as nerve tissue in the brain so it can't be used in a vaccine as the body would see it as 'friendly' and not launch an immune response.

Watch our interactive flash game to see the problem with Meningococcal group B.

What is Meningitis UK's role in funding research?

Research in the lab Meningitis UK is the only charity solely focussed on funding meningitis vaccine research in the UK.

We are a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) - the leading membership organisation representing medical and health research charities in the UK. AMRC member charities are required to have a clearly defined research strategy and demonstrate good peer review when awarding research grants. The organisation also provides information and guidance plus shares best practice, improving public dialogue about research and science, and influencing government.

In the UK, approximately one third of all public expenditure on medical and health research in the UK comes from medical research charities. The combined contribution of AMRC's member charities is greater than that of the Medical Research Council or the Department of Health (including the NHS).

Why Meningitis UK only funds research in the UK

There are many different strains of meningitis and the prominence of the different strains varies from country to country. The UK has also always been at the forefront of meningitis research. The knowledge gained through the research we fund is not only moving us closer to finding a vaccine in the UK, but also adding to the global understanding of these bacteria which will help the fight against theses diseases worldwide.

Meningitis UK's Research Awards

Research in the lab Meningitis UK runs a rigorous peer review process to ensure that your money is used to fund only the most worthy research. Established research groups across the UK with a track record in preventative research into meningitis and its associated diseases are invited to apply for a grant to aid existing or new research.

All applications are reviewed reviewed by our Scientific Medical Advisory Panel, made up of top scientists within the field of meningitis, who scrutinise the project proposals. In addition to this, internationally renowned scientists are invited to comment on the scientific merit of the projects as independent referees. Our researchers ensure that all useful knowledge acquired from their research is made widely available to further the charity's aim to eradicate all forms of meningitis.

Meningitis UK’s primary focus is on funding research into vaccine development, disease mechanisms, therapeutics and new technologies. Our research strategy is governed by the recommendations of our Scientific Medical Advisory Panel and the changing areas of need. We review our research strategy on a regular basis and are currently looking at future priority areas for funding.

We are very pleased to say that Meningitis UK has been awarded National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Partnership Status. This means that our research teams are eligible for NHS support costs on top of the grants we provide.

Find out more about our current projects or the progress that has been made as a result of past research studies.

Find out how you can help us achieve our goal.

If you are a scientist interested in applying for a research award, visit our research grants page.