The Encephalitis Society's research budget derives from donations and fundraising
and is held in a restricted fund - the Natalie Taylor Research fund. Any money for
the fund should be submitted with a covering note stating that the money is for
research.
As the Encephalitis Society gains a higher national and international profile it
is attracting more requests from researchers to support research. The Society has
developed a robust research strategy to ensure that the projects chosen match the
aims. All recipients of funding are asked to give yearly, or in some cases twice
yearly, reports to the Board of Trustees on their progress. The Annual Review and
the Annual General Meeting is used to propagate the successes and progress of funded
projects.
Priorities for Research into Encephalitis
Encephalitis is a group of diseases about which little is known. It is an inflammation
of the brain that comes on suddenly and produces serious neurological disease. It
can have a variety of causes of which virus infection is the most frequent and important.
We need research to address the following questions relating to encephalitis.
- What is the precise incidence and distribution of encephalitis?
- What is the precise burden of mortality and morbidity attributable to encephalitis?
- Which are the most frequent viruses and other organisms that cause encephalitis?
- Once we understand which organisms cause encephalitis, we need to know why encephalitis
occurs only in certain individuals, when many of the viruses involved can be detected
in so many normal unaffected people. Is this due mainly to something in the virus,
in the make-up of the affected individuals, or in both?
- How can we improve the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of those affected by
encephalitis; and can we predict outcome?
- Can we develop more specific and effective therapies to combat viral encephalitis
than are currently available?
- What is the best standard of care for patients affected by encephalitis?
- How can we improve outcome from encephalitis in terms of both mortality and morbidity?
- How can we improve the rehabilitation of patients who have been affected by encephalitis?
- Can we prevent this devastating disease? e.g. with prior immunisation with vaccines.