Name
Established
Headquarters
Mandate
Founding
document
Legal entity
Membership
(geographical
coverage)
Governance
UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
(TDR)
1978
Geneva, Switzerland
TDR is a global programme of scientific collaboration that helps coordinate, support and promote global
research efforts to combat infectious diseases of the poor and disadvantaged. TDR also promotes the
translation of innovation into ways of impacting health in disease endemic countries.
TDR is co-sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and WHO. It is hosted by WHO, its executing agency, and operates
within a broad framework of intergovernmental and interagency cooperation and participation.
WHO Resolution WHA27.52
Memorandum of Understanding, 1978, (amended 1988, 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2013)
It is a joint venture, co-sponsored (financed and governed) by UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank and WHO.
WHO is the executing agency of TDR.
Governments and other cooperating parties, including nongovernmental organizations, are eligible for
membership on the TDR Joint Coordinating Board (JCB). The JCB currently consists of 34 members,
including one nongovernmental organization. As of 1 January 2014, the JCB will consist of 28 members and
the number of nongovernmental organizations will increase.
Main governing body: Joint Coordinating Board (JCB): http://www.who.int/tdr/about/governance/jcb/en/
TDR is governed by three bodies: the Joint Coordinating Board, the Standing Committee and the Scientific
and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC)
The JCB usually meets once a year. It comprises Government representatives from donor countries;
government representatives from each of WHO’s six regions; other collaborating parties of TDR, which
may include nongovernmental entities, and TDR’s 4 co-sponsoring agencies, UNICEF, UNDP, the World
Bank and WHO (www.who.int/tdr/about/governance/jcb/membership_image.jpg). TDR is periodically
reviewed externally, focusing on direction, strategies, output and impact.
Diseases and
technologies
covered
The Standing Committee oversees the management and financing of TDR and comprises the four cosponsors - UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank and WHO, the Chair and Vice-Chair of JCB, Chair of STAC, one
representative of a resource contributor country and one representative of a disease endemic country
member of JCB. The STAC meets on an annual basis and oversees TDR's scientific activities. The STAC
provides strategic and scientific advice and reports to the JCB.
Technologies: implementation research and research capacity strengthening for implementation research,
medicines, vaccines, diagnostics
Disease areas: infectious diseases of poverty including African trypanosomiasis, chagas, dengue,
Helminths, leishmaniasis, malaria, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, TB/HIV co-infection and tuberculosis
The overall portfolio of TDR is balanced between research and research capacity strengthening.
Funding
Experience in
funding and
managing R&D
Governments and international agencies, other public groups such as philanthropic foundations,
nongovernmental organizations and private companies make voluntary contributions to TDR.
Funding R&D: Building on its 35-year history, TDR supports innovative research on neglected priority needs
for disease control. TDR research is conducted throughout the world through its funded grants.
Managing R&D: TDR focuses on research that develops innovative new products, tools and strategies.
Research and development at TDR is conducted in collaboration with researchers and research institutions
in approximately 150 countries.
Criteria to
distribute
funding publicly
available
http://www.who.int/tdr/research/en/index.html
http://www.who.int/tdr/about/where/en/
Currently not available, but the JCB at its 2013 meeting requested for the criteria for distribution and
funding to be developed and made publicly available. They should be in place shortly after the 2014 JCB
meeting.
Minutes of
governing body
meetings
publicly available
Website
Summaries of the following governing body meetings are available on the TDR website.

Joint Coordinating Board (JCB)
http://www.who.int/tdr/about/governance/jcb/en/

Standing Committee
http://www.who.int/tdr/about/governance/standing_committee/en/

Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee
http://www.who.int/tdr/about/governance/stac/en/
http://www.who.int/tdr/