Stewardship effort to investigate and support more equitable approaches to funding and support for research. Supported by the European Commission, TDR set up a global “Think Tank” of over 130 experts in 2008, and from the outset, the concept was to ensure disease endemic country input, with these countries playing active roles in developing the research agenda on infectious diseases of poverty. Experts were convened from across the globe to work in ten disease-specific and thematic reference groups to carry out a review and consultation process and identify top research priorities. Each reference group was jointly led by a disease endemic country and international chair or co-chair, and each was hosted by a disease endemic country with WHO country or regional offices acting as the secretariat. The analysis and research priorities developed by these expert groups and followed by regional and national consultations with stakeholders and workshops underpins this Global Report. Developed over three years and in three phases (see Box 1), The Global Report for Research on Infectious Diseases of Poverty identifies research-related actions that policy-makers, funders and researchers should focus on if the public health challenges of infectious diseases of poverty are to be met. The report details the drivers of infectious diseases in poor populations and highlights how advances in science and technology can be used to meet the challenges of controlling these diseases. Themes selected for close attention in this report represent some of the most contemporary global discussions as they relate to infectious diseases of poverty, the aim being to draw particular attention to their implications for infectious Introduction Global Report for Research on Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2 the development of this report 3 Box 1.GLOBAL REPORT FOR RESEARCHONINFECTIOUS DISEASESOF POVERTY: development phases PHASE I: Expert discussions and literature reviews Convened by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), a “Think Tank” of world experts reviewed and deliberated on infectious diseases of poverty – particularly social and economic drivers and the communities affected – to produce 10 disease and thematic reference group reports identifying top research priorities. PHASE II: National, regional and global stakeholder consultations A cross-section of national, regional and global stakeholders, including researchers, funders, decision-makers and representatives from public and private organizations, were convened in a forum hosted by ministers of health or regional health organization leaders for each reference group. Here, the findings and recommendations emerging from each Think Tank report were discussed and debated. The outcomes and input from this process were used to update and finalize the priorities outlined in the Think Tank reports. PHASE III: Synthesis of ideas International leaders were invited to be authors of the Global Report and included former ministers of health and of science and technology, policy-makers, research leaders and experts in public health. Supported by research fellows, these authors reviewed the 10 Think Tank reports, conducted additional literature research, and worked together to agree on core themes and develop options for actions. The TDR secretariat and external consultants provided support for the development, writing and production phases of the Global Report. Intorduction Global Report for Research on Infectious Diseases of Poverty diseases of poverty. They include “innovation and new technologies” in line with the call for an agreed set of research priorities in the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (GSPOA)1 . The focus on “environment and climate change” highlights disease vulnerability of poor communities, while the “health delivery systems for universal coverage” theme was chosen following the call to action from the Bamako Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health, November 20082 , (further addressed by deliberations at the Health Systems Research and Universal Coverage Symposium in