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What areas did we cover?

Encompassing illnesses and disabilities of infectious and non-infectious (including mental health) origin, the study of chronic diseases and disorders transcends the traditional boundaries of science and medicine. The research supported ranged from biological studies of disease mechanisms through translational work in vaccine and drug development, to health services, social science and environmentally-linked research. Explorations in medical history and the medical humanities were also supported as was work with creative media (e.g. art, music, poetry), contributing valuable new insights into the origins, understandings and impacts of disease.

How did we support this?

C2D2 served as an institution-wide 'virtual centre' for coordinating, supporting and maximizing the benefit of this exciting and rich body of inter-disciplinary research. Support was provided through priming new research and translational projects, funding key technical research services (e.g. bioinformatics and tissue-banking) and infrastructure and sponsoring the best early career researchers. An equally important part of C2D2's mission was to maximize the engagement of different publics, both younger and older, with this research.

How were we run?

C2D2 was funded by a Wellcome Trust ‘Institutional Strategic Support Fund’ (ISSF) award, and the University of York. It was led by a Steering Group which was chaired by the Director, Professor Alex Wade and included representation from all the major disciplinary areas as well as the central Research and Enterprise Directorate. The Steering Group also included the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, Professor Deborah Smith who is the institutional lead for the ISSF funding and the C2D2 Deputy Director, Dr Sandra Pauletto.

Steering Group Membership 2015/16

Name	Department	Role/Remit
Professor Alex Wade	Psychology	Director and Chair
Dr Sandra Pauletto	Theatre, Film & Television	Deputy Director
Professor Deborah Smith	Vice-Chancellor's	ISSF Institutional Lead
Professor Kate Pickett	Health Sciences	Health Sciences
Professor Michael Brockhurst	Biology	Biomedical Sciences
Professor Sarah Nettleton	Sociology	Social Sciences
Dr Richard Ogden	Language & Linguistics	Arts & Humanities
Dr James Walsh	Research & Enterprise	Business Development
Dr Rachel Curwen	Research & Enterprise	Research Development for Health & Life Sciences
Dr Philip Kerrigan	C2D2	Administrator, Outreach Coordinator & Secretary

What was our strategy?

Our strategy for success was driven forward by investment in four key areas:

Fostering interdisciplinarity

Funding innovative interdisciplinary research, translational and outreach projects
Introducing a discipline-hopping internship program, to equip our best young scientists for leading roles in inter-disciplinary research
Sponsoring interdisciplinary workshops and larger conferences

Innovation and translation

Research-priming funding - supporting higher risk innovative research across all disciplines
Translational funding - nurturing the uptake of new technologies into the clinic, influencing policy and practice
Public engagement funding - funding imaginative new projects that involve individuals beyond academia

Capacity building

Enhancing York's capacity for ‘omics’-based research on human populations, including the tools for research in stratified medicine
Investing in new facilities for biomedical research
Investing in new resources to pursue health-related research in the Social Sciences and the Arts and Humanities

Strength from partnership

Extending our regional partnerships
Expanding our engagement with global agencies and industry
Expanding our engagement with the public, school students and other stakeholders

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