The International COVID-19 Data Alliance (ICODA) and the Grand Challenges initiative are supporting ten global projects that will accelerate knowledge of COVID-19 through data science. These projects address urgent research questions relating to the ongoing pandemic using innovative data science approaches and seek to have rapid impact on the health of communities across the world.
The projects address a range of critical COVID-19 research questions from exploring the effectiveness of vaccination programmes, understanding disease transmission, the impact on different vulnerable patient groups and populations, and the impact on health services delivery. The goal is to find new ways to prevent and treat the disease across communities and countries globally in ways that will transform outcomes. Outputs from their research are already emerging.
These projects were identified following a global funding call launched at the end of 2020 with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Minderoo Foundation and Microsoft’s philanthropic AI for Health program. More than 400 applications were received from 69 countries. The projects were selected after a rigorous review process involving an international panel. They have global reach and involve researchers in 19 countries with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries including Brazil, Colombia, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Read more about the projects here
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Project Title |
Lead Institution |
Geographical Scope |
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Effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination in Brazil using mobile data |
Fiocruz, Brazil |
Brazil |
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Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, USA |
Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Laos, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa - KwaZulu-Natal province only, USA |
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Addressing Critical COVID-19 questions through Research using linked population Data (ACCORD) |
University of Cape Town, South Africa, |
South Africa |
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City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong |
China - with potential for wider collaboration |
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Universidad de La Sabana, Colombia |
Global scope including UK, Australia, Malawi, Malaysia, Russia, S Africa |
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Evaluating social inequalities effects on the COVID-19 pandemic in a LMIC country |
Fiocruz, Brazil |
Brazil |
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MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Uganda |
Uganda |
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Routine assessment of infections, prevention and control of SARS-COV-2 on unequal populations. |
Fiocruz, Brazil |
Brazil |
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Partners in Health, USA |
Haiti, Malawi, Mexico, Rwanda |
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The University of Sheffield, UK |
UK, South Africa, Sudan |
Map of Grand Challenge Grantee's locations (Image: ICODA)
