FIND Call for Collaborators: Advancing research and development for women’s health diagnostics in the Global South

FIND opens an Expression of Interest (EOI) on Advancing research and development for women’s health diagnostics in the Global South: Call for collaborators from Africa, South and Southeast Asia.

The primary objective of this EOI is to map and identify stakeholders currently working in R&D of diagnostic solutions for women’s health in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Eligibility criteria: 

• Organization: Manufacturers, biotechnology companies, academic institutions and developers working on diagnostic R&D, at any stage from discovery to market entry, for conditions that affect women and girls uniquely, differently or disproportionately across the life span, from puberty into postmenopause.
• Geographical focus: Organizations located in Africa (any of the 54 countries), South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka), and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, or Malaysia). Organizations located outside of these countries but with significant diagnostic R&D activities in these countries, preferably working with an in-country stakeholder with equal partnership, are welcome to apply.
• Language of submission: English or French.
• Diagnostic products: This EOI primarily focuses on in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDs), imaging solutions, and non-invasive diagnostic devices that can be deployed in low-resource settings and at lower levels of care (L0–L1). This includes artificial intelligence (AI)- enhanced IVDs, imaging solutions, and non-invasive diagnostic devices

Benefits for applicants: 

• Organizations meeting the requirements of the EOI will be contacted to discuss the following potential opportunities:
• Participation in a collaborative network that fosters partnerships, accelerates innovation and enhances the development and accessibility of diagnostic tools tailored to women’s health needs in the Global South.
• Match-making with organizations across different regions to accelerate product development.
• In-kind support such as technical guidance, expert consultancy, access to biospecimens, and independent evaluations of prototype assays to inform product development.
• Listing in a women’s health diagnostic R&D organization directory, providing enhanced visibility
• Recognition as an eligible partner for FIND projects related to product development/evaluation of diagnostics for women’s health.

There is a period for written queries which closes on December 1, 2024.

Read more here. 

Expression of Interest submission deadline December 20, 2024.