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Amazon Fund
UK - Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
The Amazon Fund is a REDD+ mechanism created to raise donations for non-reimbursable investments in efforts to prevent, monitor and combat deforestation, as well as to promote the preservation and sustainable use in the Brazilian Amazon. The UK committed to funding £115 million total for results-based finance at $5 per tonne and £3.5 million for technical assistance, of which £2 million will be destined for GIZ Action for Forests programme. £1.5 million is for MEL.
Land Degradation Neutrality Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The LDN Fund invests in projects which reduce or reverse land degradation and thereby contribute to ‘Land Degradation Neutrality’. The LDN Fund is co-promoted by the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and Mirova. It is a public-private partnership using public money to increase private sector investment in sustainable development. The fund invests in sustainable agriculture, forestry and other land uses globally. The Fund was launched at the UNCCD’s COP 13 in China in 2017.
Legacy Landscapes Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Legacy Landscapes Fund aims to guarantee long-term conservation funding to protect biodiversity, promote climate resilience, and foster equitable development in some of the world’s most outstanding landscapes. The UK will work together with LLF and its partners to help narrow the biodiversity finance gap and deliver the global 30by30 target on land by sourcing significant and sustained funding for protected areas with high biodiversity and critical ecosystems. LLF are a multi-donor conservation trust fund established in 2020 that deliver long-term support to vital protected areas and their buffer zones in the global south. Their ambition is to fund 30 landscapes by 2030, and they benefit from partnerships with a range of public and private donors and NGOs who provide strategic support and effective, inclusive implementation. Central to LLF's approach is an understanding that long term and predictable funding helps them to deliver better outcomes and builds capacity more effectively. LLF, it's partners and Defra are committed to the equitable delivery of 30by30, and this funding will focus on maximising benefits for Indigenous peoples and local communities and promoting gender equity.
Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is a widespread and lucrative criminal activity causing major global environmental and social harm. The IWT has been estimated to be worth up to £17 billion a year. Nearly 6,000 different species of fauna and flora are impacted, with almost every country in the world playing a role in the illicit trade. The UK government is committed to tackling illegal trade of wildlife products and is a long-standing leader in efforts to eradicate the IWT. Defra manages the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which is a competitive grants scheme with the objective of tackling IWT and, in doing so, contributing to sustainable development in developing countries. Projects funded under the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund address one, or more, of the following themes: • Developing sustainable livelihoods to benefit people directly affected by IWT, • Strengthening law enforcement, • Ensuring effective legal frameworks, • Reducing demand for IWT products. By 2023 over £51 million has been committed to 157 projects since the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund was established in 2013. This page contains information about Rounds 7 onwards. For information about Rounds 1 to 6, please see the IWTCF website -https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/
Darwin Initiative
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The Darwin Initiative is the UK’s flagship international challenge fund for biodiversity conversation and poverty reduction, established at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The Darwin Initiative is a grant scheme working on projects that aim to slow, halt, or reverse the rates of biodiversity loss and degradation, with associated reductions in multidimensional poverty. To date, the Darwin Initiative has awarded more than £195m to over 1,280 projects in 159 countries to enhance the capability and capacity of national and local stakeholders to deliver biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction outcomes in low and middle-income countries. More information at https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-darwin-initiative. This page contains information about Rounds 27 onwards. For information about Rounds 1 to 26, please see the Darwin Initiative website -https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/
Low-carbon Agriculture for avoided deforestation and poverty reduction Phase II (Rural Sustentavel)
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
As a follow-up phase to a similar ICF intervention in Brazil, Rural Sustentável aims to promote low-carbon agriculture (LCA) on small and medium-scale farms to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through avoided deforestation, enhance producers’ income and quality of life, increase the adoption of sustainable practices, and foster policy replications in Brazil and abroad. The programme operates through three distinct projects in separate Brazilian biomes: PRS Amazon, PRS Cerrado, and PRS Caatinga. Each project has its own budget, implementing agency, timelines, and activities but despite their differences, all three projects share a common theory of change: by providing small- and medium-scale farmers and landowners with alternative methods of production and income generation, the rate of deforestation can be significantly reduced.
Developing innovative arts-based approaches to prevent gender-based violence through feminist activism among youth in the favelas of Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
"This project develops an innovative translational arts-based approach to prevent GBV in Brazil and creates engagement and policy pathways that can be scaled-up transnationally. Drawing on established successful international collaborations, it will be conducted in the favelas of Maré in Rio de Janeiro with Redes da Maré (Redes) (a community-based human rights NGO), together with People’s Palace Projects (an arts centre using creativity for transformation - PPP) and Women of the World Foundation (a global movement creating a gender equal world – WOW). Through exploring ways to address and prevent GBV in Brazil, one of the main factors undermining sustainable development is addressed illustrating that this project is directly and primarily relevant to the addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Brazil. More specifically, SDG 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls is at the core of this project. It directly addresses target 5.1 ‘End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere’ and Target 5.2 ‘Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres’. The project also addresses SDG 11 on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, especially in relation to the importance of making public spaces safe for everyone (Indicator 11.7.2)
Newton Fund Brazil programme delivery
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Newton Fund Brazil programme delivery to support the delivery of ODA activities in Newton Fund countries
Mapping the Humanitarian Visa Policy in Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Humanitarian visas (HVs) are facilitated visas that allow people fleeing conflicts, persecutions and humanitarian emergencies to cross an international border safely and find physical and legal protection in another country. The academic literature is highly focused on the discretionary power of European Union countries in individually deciding about HVs and their pros and cons. However, the use of HVs in South-South corridors and its specific dynamics are still understudied. This study addresses this gap in the specific case of Latin America, where scholars have recognised how humanitarian visa policies lack a clear definition, to whom they are applied and how they impact other international protection systems, such as asylum. Most studies focus on HVs in the context of the Venezuelan displacement in the region or on individual HVs in Brazil. The country created its first HV program in 2012, later consolidated in its Migration Law in 2017. Until 2024, Brazil has granted HVs to four different groups: 1) Haitians; 2) people affected by the Syrian armed conflict; 3) Afghans and 4) Ukrainians. By looking at Brazilian stakeholders' perspectives, this study will contribute to better define humanitarian visas and evaluate related policies. This project aims to establish and consolidate a diverse and interdisciplinary network of collaborators to advance knowledge about HVs in Brazil in order to contribute to the conceptual debate and co-develop further research projects on the issue. We aim to answer the questions: How do different stakeholders perceive and evaluate Brazil's humanitarian visa (HV) policy? What can other countries learn from that? The core network will involve three Brazilian early career scholars working in Brazil and the United Kingdom. Through two project visits (one in Brazil and one in the UK), we will develop and consolidate a network with different stakeholders: Brazilian and international scholars (especially from the InterMob/UFSCar (Interdisciplinary group of migration and mobilities research, Brazil) and the Migration Research Group at the University of Sheffield, UK), the Brazilian government, national and international organisations and migrant-led organisations and activists in Brazil. The Brazilian visit will consist of one internal workshop at UFSCar with the core team that will lead to a first conceptual reflection on HVs from a Brazilian perspective. We will visit different partners in order to map the stakeholders involved in the HVs policies in Brazil and discuss next steps and collaborations. Such stakeholders will then be invited to a national forum in Sao Paulo to collect exploratory data to understand the Brazilian humanitarian visa definition, problems and possibilities. The UK visit will involve one final workshop in Sheffield to share the final report in Portuguese and English with the evaluation of the Brazilian HVs experience, policy recommendations and lessons. We will invite other UK researchers and networks involved in HVs discussions to promote Knowledge Exchange. This project co-designed as an equal partnership between the involved actors will allow us to a) contribute to define HVs from a Brazilian perspective b) build a sustainable network of academics, decision-makers and practitioners in Brazil and the UK and c) co-construct a collaborative research environment to apply for larger grant applications. Our project will benefit the different stakeholders by recognising their voices on the topic and will contribute to potentially improve HV policies for people in need of them.
Queer/feminist understandings of political violence: Leveraging activist connections, experiences and knowledges
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Aims/objectives: The project aims to promote diversity, inclusion and equitable engagements between queer/feminist activists and academics in Brazil/the UK with lived experiences and knowledge of political violence. The key objectives are to a) facilitate knowledge exchange and networking between queer/feminist early career researchers (ECRs) in the UK/Brazil working on political violence, b) catalyse new understandings/frameworks for the study of political violence drawing from Brazilian queer/feminist activist perspectives, and c) leverage new activist/academic insights to promote learning/connection between queer/feminist research/activist communities in the UK/Brazil, using such insights to both co-create/design practical knowledge solutions/strategies to support queer/feminist activists resisting political violence, and generate future funding. Applications/benefits: The new queer/feminist insights generated by this project will provide a more sophisticated understanding of political violence that explore its intersectional impacts/effects and prioritise the voices/experiences of those marginalised in mainstream discussions, thus benefitting interdisciplinary research communities. Blending rigorous academic inquiry with real-world applications of queer/feminist knowledges, the insights can be applied to make sense of lived experiences of political violence in Brazil. The project will benefit queer/feminist ECRs in the UK/Brazil by enabling them to identify common interests, develop new ideas for collaborative future research, and foster innovative discussions on political violence that enhance the personal/professional experiences of ECRs in both contexts. The knowledge generated will also benefit Brazilian queer/feminist activists by connecting them to academic understandings/networks from the UK, strengthening/lending legitimacy/visibility to ongoing strategies/practices of resistance/protection/care. Benefits will be especially pertinent in locations such as João Pessoa, which often falls outside LGBTQ+ and gender inclusion initiatives taking place in larger urban centres. Promoting the inclusion, rights and welfare of women/LGBTQ+ people in Brazil, the project will also benefit broader socio-economic development, in line with the OECD's recognition that inclusion is key to this challenge.
UK-Brazil Eyewitness Memory Network
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The aim of this project is to launch the UK-Brazil Eyewitness Memory Network, which will be formed by prominent researchers in the field of eyewitness testimony from both countries. Eyewitness testimony is crucial in various criminal justice systems to The aim of this project is to launch the UK-Brazil Eyewitness Memory Network, which will be formed by prominent researchers in the field of eyewitness testimony from both countries. Eyewitness testimony is crucial in various criminal justice systems to establish the facts of a case, identify suspects, and prosecute perpetrators. However, research has consistently shown that eyewitness evidence is susceptible to contamination and error, which can impair investigations and lead to wrongful convictions. This project seeks to address these issues by fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange between the UK and Brazil, with the goal of advancing research, improving practices, and developing evidence-based policies that can enhance the accuracy and reliability of eyewitness testimony in both countries. The network will also aim to conduct joint studies, workshops, and training sessions, and aims to engage with legal practitioners, law enforcement, and policymakers to ensure that research findings are effectively translated into practice. Ultimately, this initiative will contribute to the overall improvement of the criminal justice systems in the UK and Brazil, reducing the risk of miscarriages of justice and promoting fairer outcomes for all individuals involved in the legal process. The project promises significant legal, social and economic benefits to Brazil through the adaptation of evidence - based investigative interviewing techniques. Legally, the project aims to introduce standardized methods for investigative interviews nationwide, a critical advancement given that Brazil lacks such unified protocols. This approach can facilitate the development on new laws, public policies, and policy regulations, promoting new consistent and reliable approach to investigations. Furthermore, by involving key Brazilian researchers and police instructors, the project will foster the creation of a sustainable network of researchers and practitioners, ensuring the continuity and on-going impact of the project beyond the funding period.
Sharing learning around the role of Community Health Workers in improving the resilience of health systems in Brazil and the UK
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
We want to build a strong partnership between Imperial College London and Fiocruz Brazil to enable reciprocal learning. Our first goal is to exchange knowledge and research on an effective and affordable healthcare model, the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs), which originated in Brazil. CHWs are a vital part of Brazil's health system, and played a significant role in improving public health over the last 30 years. Inspired by Brazil's success, the UK is now introducing CHWs and there are already 100 CHWs providing support to 20k households nationally. Important learning from the implementation in the UK can offer reciprocal benefit to Brazil, particularly regarding resources and skills, training around chronic disease and mental ill health and research. We want to make sure that as the UK adopts this model, it respects and learns from Brazil's experience and 'gives back' in terms benefits. Brazil's success offers valuable insights for the UK and the adoption of the CHWs is a rare example of 'reverse innovation'.(1) The term 'reverse' is testimony to the bias of lower income countries predominantly learning from high income countries. However, a more balanced knowledge exchange is possible. Brazil can benefit from the UK's experience of implementing their model, especially in dealing with issues like mental health and chronic diseases and how CHWs in Brazil could be trained and supported to deal with these growing issues. By working together, we can learn from each other and strengthen the CHW model in both countries. We plan to involve CHWs from both Brazil and the UK in this process, recognising their expertise and frontline experience. Our second goal is to collaborate on research about making health and social care systems more resilient to system shocks such as pandemics or natural disasters. Fiocruz is a world leader in applying Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) to study resilience in healthcare, in particular how CHWs in Brazil have impacted positively on resilience in the health system there by creating a more adaptable, community-focused approach. Unlike traditional resilience research, FRAM allows us to predict and test how systems work in the every day, not just in crises. We want to use these research methods to understand health system resilience better by applying this research to the UK, where our Brazilian colleagues can advance these methods by directly comparing systems with and without CHWs. In Brazil, CHWs are established as a fundamental part of the SUS and such comparisons are no longer possible in the same way. This collaboration has the potential to make a significant impact in both countries. Global challenges like climate change, future pandemics, and the growing demands on health and social care systems due to an ageing population will require global solutions. The CHW workforce could be a key part of addressing these challenges. This proposal is the foundation for building strong alliances between our teams and organizations in both countries. This includes developing joint funding proposals, research projects, accessible blue prints and toolbox kits and engaging with key stakeholders for reciprocal learning. We will organize roundtable discussions with senior leaders, community members, and academics from both countries to ensure support for scaling and sustaining this model, and to quickly turn research into practice.
Strengthening health economics and climate change research in Brazil and the UK
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Climate change has a greater impact on the poorest countries and individuals. It adversely affects health, increases healthcare costs, and exacerbates inequalities. Globally, climate change is projected to cause 250,000 additional deaths annually. Brazil is a country highly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. Climate change events have impacted the spread of diseases, caused large outbreaks of water and vector-borne diseases, and increased hospitalisation costs and deaths. Also, Brazil's status as one of the most unequal countries in Latin America puts the most vulnerable populations, which include black people, Indigenous communities, and residents of environmentally fragile areas such as informal settlements, at greater risk of the adverse effects of climate change. It is estimated that climate shocks could push between 800,000 and 3,000,000 Brazilians into extreme poverty by 2030, costing US$2.6 billion, or 0.1% of the country's GDP annually. Despite the severity of this scenario, there is a lack of evidence on how climate change contributes to increased healthcare costs for families and health systems, exacerbating inequalities in healthcare access, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. Although national datasets on healthcare costs for households and the public health system are freely available, they provide fragmented information, and there has been no effort to integrate different sources of information to develop methodological frameworks targeting the economic impact of climate change on the public health system and families. This proposal aims to strengthen health economics and climate change research in Brazil and the UK by developing a methodological framework that will explore the impact of climate change on health system costs, healthcare expenditures for families and inequalities in healthcare access in Brazil. The objectives of this proposal are to 1) examine the type of data that can be used to establish a national dataset to analyse the economic impact of climate change on the health system, families and patient costs, 2) develop a methodological framework to investigate how climate change has exacerbated healthcare inequalities and increased costs for the public health system and families, 3) engage with national stakeholders to promote and sustain health economics and climate change research in Brazil, 4) engage UK and Brazilian researchers to discuss health economics and climate change research and knowledge exchange. This research will identify population groups most at risk of high health expenditure, which can inform and reshape social protection schemes and targeted public health interventions. Also, it will strengthen health economics and climate change research in Brazil and the UK. These topics are crucial for building health system resilience, investing resources to prepare for climate change, mitigating its economic impact. This proposal is the first initiative designed to understand the economic impact of climate change on the public health sector and vulnerable families in Brazil by providing a methodological framework that can be adapted to other countries. This proposal will pave the way for new grant applications with a methodological framework aiming to determine the full economic impact of climate change in Brazil, as well as the cost-effectiveness and social return on investment of policies to mitigate the impact of climate change. Ultimately, the project will open a window of opportunities in health economics and climate change research that can generate strong evidence and benefit those most affected by these events.
The Environmental Governance of Brazilian Soy Agribusiness During Global Power Transition
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This project will investigate how shifts in economic power in global commodity chains from European to other markets translate into environmental policies and initiatives in Brazilian agriculture, focusing on soybean production and trade. Specifically, we will examine European trade and investment policies and contingent outcomes in Brazil. Over the past two decades, emerging powers have bypassed European demand for Brazilian agri-food exports and have established a strong presence in various segments of Brazilian agricultural production. This entails the Chinese acquisition of leading European agribusinesses, such as the Dutch-based Nidera (acquired by COFCO in 2016) and the Swiss-based Syngenta (acquired by ChemChina in 2017). These acquisitions have allowed these companies to gain market share and further compete with traditional European agribusinesses still on the market, like the commodity trader and processor Louis Dreyfus and the seeds and biotechnology producer Bayer. In the context of global economic restructuring, the EU and the UK have recently introduced 'due diligence' regulations targeting agri-food commodities entering their markets that will hold global food retailers and food production companies responsible for their supply chain's social and environmental impacts. Meanwhile, commodity traders from emerging powers have adopted comprehensive traceability commitments for agri-food imports. We aim to understand the motivations behind these environmental commitments and greening strategies and how each produces different outcomes in terms of environmental regulations and green innovation in Brazil. As the top producer and exporter of soybeans, Brazil faces significant environmental issues like deforestation and human rights violations linked to this supply chain. Regarding the contingent outcomes in Brazil, we will examine how various actors with divergent interests influence and adapt to new regulatory regimes in the Brazilian soybean industry. We will investigate the latest platforms and mechanisms affecting supply traceability and business practices, such as private multi-stakeholder agreements and the roles of NGOs and government institutions in Brazil. We will investigate how they shape policies and greener agri-business practices at local levels while incorporating environmental regulations from the two global blocs. The analysis will also consider the interests of Brazilian farmers and agribusiness associations - which often see sustainability standards and certifications as obstacles to accessing foreign markets due to the additional financial burdens they impose. We will explore their economic links and political preferences regarding sustainability initiatives and mechanisms developed by Europe. To investigate the interactions between multiple actors in Brazil and the shifting regulatory regimes from global powers, the project will bring together researchers who have dedicated themselves to the subject through empirical research. The project will catalyse collaboration between UK- and Brazilian-based academics to build capacity and create new knowledge through this and future research activities. We will also engage with civil society organisations involved in environmental advocacy in a workshop hosted by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. As a result of this academic exchange, the project will coordinate a special issue in a social sciences journal and further engage with political and research communities by producing a policy report suitable for submission to parliamentary inquiries or expert working groups. The research team will also present project findings at the Development Studies Association (DSA) Annual Conference in London.
Environmental consumption, production, and voting preferences: corresponding implications for structural transformation in Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The role of evolving preferences over consumption goods has long been understood as a determinant of the pattern of structural transformation. However, the role that will be played by consumption preferences over particularly 'green' and 'brown' goods during the required climate transition is less well understood. The climate transition is also a 'structural transformation' problem - an issue of evolving sectoral structure -- and there is scope for extension of traditional analysis from development economics and development studies to the emergent problem of realising a just and developmental transition. Among the important socio-economic and political considerations for key stakeholders to ponder in driving forth climate action are the following issues: 1) that consumption preferences are likely to differ depending on where an individual sits in the income distribution; 2) that there may be conflict within firms over the choice of production technique since this influences the energy-intensity and emissions path of production; and 3) that workers and firm-owners, as well as other actors, influence the political process as voters, independent of their respective roles in consumption and production. In short, there are significant behavioural elements to the climate transition that require better empirical and theoretical understanding. Without understanding this behaviour, strategising a just and developmental transition to a greener economy is impossible. The central objective of this research is correspondingly to strategise how to reconcile structural transformation (raising the share of manufacturing production in total output) with the just transition. Given the historic energy intensity of manufacturing, this will be no mean feat, but it is surely one of the central global challenges for environmental activists, trade unions, policymakers -- and academics to strategise today. To do so, we aim to generate new empirical and theoretical insights into how preferences over consumption, production techniques, and voter behaviour impact the climate transition. Specifically, using the Brazilian context as an initial starting point, our research will help better understand preferences and behaviour in developing countries regarding these three crucial dimensions to the just transition. The research will consist of a survey investigating individual behaviour in each of these three dimensions and heterogeneity in behaviour along these dimensions. The objective of the research is to channel knew knowledge about behaviour of the aforementioned key actors to policy-relevant insights that can inform emboldened climate action for trade unionists, environmental activists, central bankers, treasury officials, and presidencies. This research will primarily benefit the Brazilian economy. Brazil faces substantial multi-dimensional development challenges related to its still limited levels of industrial development, high rates of poverty, and pronounced social and economic inequalities. It is ethnically heterogeneous, faces persistent legacies of institutionalised racial discrimination, has been historically influenced by non-democratic political traditions, and ranks among the most income -unequal economies in the world. Addressing those issues is the central focus of this research.
Climate Science for Service Partnership (WCSSP) Brazil - Calls - tender
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Collaborative climate science research programme between Brazilian and UK to improve understanding of recent climate changes and Brazil’s role in mitigation activities to inform international negotiations; to enhance projections of future weather and climate extremes and impacts to inform decision making and contribute to disaster risk reduction in Brazil
Speaking up for COPD through Artificial Intelligence in Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
CONTEXT: The burden and disability associated with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) is considerable, often falling on the most vulnerable in societies including those living in low- and middle-income countries such as Brazil. Specifically, the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasing, and COPD presents a particular health challenge in Brazil where the prevalence in adults exceeds 17%. Most people with COPD in Brazil remain undiagnosed, and therefore untreated, because of limited access to the current diagnostic test called 'spirometry'. Spirometry is not widely, or equitably available in many primary healthcare settings in Brazil - including in Sao Paulo state. Innovative approaches to the diagnosis and management of COPD are therefore urgently required. THE CHALLENGE WE ADDRESS: We seek to transform the diagnosis of CRDs in primary care in Sao Paulo state, Brazil. We will do this through the use of vocal biomarkers derived by artificial-intelligence analysis of speech patterns. This technique has shown promise in English and Dutch languages, as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in CRDs, but has not been applied in (Brazilian) Portuguese, nor been deployed in real-life primary care settings where the need for easier tools to diagnose CRDs is greatest. AIMS and OBJECTIVES: Our over-arching aim is to develop and test AI-derived vocal biomarkers to support better diagnosis and management of CRDs in Brazil. To do this, we will work as an equitable partnership between the Federal University of Sao Carlos (Brazil) and University College London (UCL), with voice analysis experts at the University of Maastrict (Netherlands). We will: AIM 1: establish a dataset of voices from individuals with and without CRDs in Brazil. AIM 2: test the discriminative accuracy of AI-derived vocal biomarkers to distinguish those with CRDs from those with normal lung function. AIM 3: evaluate the utility of vocal biomarkers in COPD to detect the development of exacerbations of disease which are the major cause of ill-health and lost productivity in COPD. AIM 4: evaluate the utility of vocal biomarkers in COPD to provide objective evidence of benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes, reflecting improvements in breathlessness, health status, and exercise capacity. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS and BENEFIT: Transforming diagnosis and management of CRDs in Brazil would have wide health, social and economic benefits and provide an exemplar AI-health solution in an area of considerable unmet need
I-GAME: Integrated Genomics and AI as a tool for Malaria Elimination in Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites, continues to be a major global health concern, with millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. In 2023, Brazil reported over 140,000 cases, marking it as the country with the highest malaria burden in South America. Notably, there are significant data gaps, particularly in high-risk regions such as indigenous communities and gold mining areas around the Amazon. Efforts to control malaria worldwide are further complicated by the emergence of Plasmodium drug resistance (DR), especially against artemisinin-based treatments. While resistance to artemisinin has primarily been observed in Southeast Asia, there is concern that similar issues may arise in other regions with comparable transmission dynamics, including parts of South America like the Brazilian Amazon. The generation and analysis of Plasmodium genomic data are critical for identifying DR mutations and understanding transmission patterns, including the cross-border movement of strains. Advanced genomic techniques, such as whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and targeted gene amplicon sequencing (AMP-SEQ), are used to identify species, DR mutations, and genetic diversity. Platforms like Oxford Nanopore and Illumina provide detailed clinical and epidemiological insights, thereby enhancing surveillance strategies. However, the effective utilisation of extensive genomic datasets is often hampered by a shortage of bioinformatics expertise and advanced informatics tools. Developing AI-driven informatics tools, such as the Malaria-Profiler software, is crucial for the rapid analysis and interpretation of WGS data. These tools can provide actionable insights into species identification, DR profiles, and geographic origins, which are essential for guiding clinical management, surveillance efforts, and public health interventions, particularly in data-limited regions like Brazil. Leveraging a well-established collaboration in malaria epidemiology, with extensive field site access and expertise in genomics and AI methodologies, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of São Paulo (ICB-USP) aim to further enhance these informatics tools. The project seeks to integrate AI models to continuously update mutation libraries and improve the predictive accuracy for species identification, DR profiling, and geographic profiling, alongside other genomic information that could support the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP). This initiative includes conducting WGS/AMP-SEQ in Brazilian malaria hotspots to better understand genetic diversity and inform strategies for disease control and elimination in the country. The integration of AI methods with genomic data for parasite profiling has the potential to revolutionise malaria control. It enables proactive surveillance, personalised treatment strategies, and rapid responses to emerging threats, such as DR, including the identification of critical emerging Plasmodium mutations. This approach not only improves clinical care but also strengthens public health systems by facilitating informed decision-making and promoting collaborative data sharing among researchers and healthcare providers globally. The project will also involve key stakeholders, including Brazil's NMCP, to enhance capacity in AI and genomics through workshops and the development of dashboards and end-user reports. These resources will aid in implementing and validating the informatics platform, incorporating AI functionalities such as spatial analysis for public health applications. These efforts aim to ensure the tools' readiness for clinical and surveillance purposes, thereby contributing to reducing malaria and other infectious diseases in Brazil and aligning with the World Health Organization's regional elimination goals and global health objectives.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Risk Prediction in Multi-Incidence Mammograms: Leveraging UK and Brazilian Data and Expertise
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This collaborative project aims to develop novel AI (Artificial Intelligence) methods for breast cancer diagnosis and risk prediction using mammograms, by leveraging the combined expertise and diverse mammogram datasets from the UK and Brazil. Breast cancer remains a significant global health burden, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases and 685,000 deaths in 2020 alone. Early detection is crucial for improving patient outcomes. However, AI-based cancer detection and risk prediction models can be biased if the training sample is not representative of the entire population. The UK and Brazil have distinct demographic characteristics. By leveraging mammogram data from both countries, this project aims to reduce bias and improve the generalizability of the diagnosis and risk prediction models, contributing to more equitable and effective breast cancer screening worldwide. The UK-based team has developed a deep learning model called BREST (Breast Risk Evaluation from Screening Test) for three-year risk assessment using mammograms. The Brazilian team has proposed a breast cancer diagnosing algorithm called "Patch to Multi-View" (P2MV) that simultaneously uses the two standard views of the breast to significantly increase the accuracy, compared to other strategies that also use the two views. We will test whether the breast cancer risk prediction provided by BREST can be improved using multiple mammographic views via the P2MV algorithm. When a radiologist finds a suspicious lesion, he/she may request complementary mammogram views, such as cone view, cleavage view, compression view, etc., to better evaluate the detected abnormality. We propose to investigate whether using these complementary views can help to improve breast cancer detection and risk prediction. P2MV algorithm is well-suited for this task, as it can extract information from multiple views. A recent study analyzed 134,870 breast cancer deaths in Brazil in women aged 20 to 69, from 1996 to 2013. Unfortunately, there was a temporal trend of increased breast cancer mortality in young women aged 20 to 49. Therefore, early diagnosis of cancer in young women becomes increasingly important. However, young women have dense breasts, making it difficult to diagnose cancer using X-rays. We want to determine how well AI models perform in detecting and predicting breast cancer risk in young women. This would allow us to propose the best strategies for early cancer diagnosis for this age group.
AI-Based Support for Mental Health Communication (AIM-Health)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Depression is a mental health disorder that affects a large portion of the global population, being the second largest contributor to a decrease in healthy life expectancy. Depression is characterised by a clinically significant form of psychological suffering that leads to significant impairment in someone's functionality, reduced quality of life and, in severe cases, can lead to death due to the risk of suicide. However, according to the World Health Organization, only a quarter of individuals suffering from mental health disorders receive proper care. Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) research have been developed to a level that can be used for proposing computational solutions that assist in the detection and intervention in mental health conditions. AI and NLP based solutions that aid in the identification of signs of depression can be useful both in individual treatment and in making public policy decisions. Similarly, solutions that offer autonomous, ethical, reliable, controlled, and engaging intervention, in real time, can help mitigate the damage caused by depression. This project works on proposing and developing AI and NLP based solutions for the detection and intervention of mental health conditions that can have a broader reach and allow mental health support to individuals and populations that would not otherwise have access to it. Furthermore, as social determinants are frequently mentioned as risk factors for mental health conditions, this project also aims at furthering the understanding about them in two contexts (Brazil and the United Kingdom). This project aims to address scientific challenges that are still present and very relevant in this context: (i) dealing with more abstract language (such as figurative language) commonly used in mental health self-narratives, and (ii) outputting personalised interventions suitable for an individual's context.