About MORU
The MORU Tropical Health Network, which hosts the ‘Thailand Wellcome Africa and Asia Programme’, conducts targeted clinical and public health research that aims to discover and develop appropriate, practical, affordable interventions that measurably improve the health of people living in resource-limited parts of the world.
Aims & Objectives
MORU’s mission is to improve health and wellbeing in low-resource settings through research on infectious diseases and maternal and child health. Grounded in equity and community engagement, our vision emphasises locally led solutions, addressing health threats linked to poverty, conflict, climate change, and rising antimicrobial and malaria resistance.
With a 45-year track record, MORU has built a collaborative network across Asia and Africa. We conduct research through eight core units and 60 clinical sites, supported by specialised laboratories and cross-cutting programmes. Current priorities include malaria, sepsis, antimicrobial resistance, maternal health, and climate-driven health challenges, focusing on underserved rural and migrant communities.
Study Sites
For better health equity
MORU is committed to advancing equity across our research, community engagement, team practices and priority-setting. We recently expanded inclusive research participation, deepened partnerships with marginalised communities, and strengthened our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) efforts, ensuring that disadvantaged populations are central to our health research and decision-making.
MORU’s equity strategy includes targeted outreach, multilingual materials, and diverse advisory boards to engage underrepresented groups such as hill tribes, disabled communities and rural populations. With a dedicated EDI Committee and inclusive workplace policies, MORU also prioritises diversity within our teams, reflecting the communities we serves across Southeast Asia.
Visit our page on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Structure
Significant achievements
MORU continues to deliver impactful, patient-centred research through 50 clinical sites across Asia and Africa, focusing on infectious diseases, drug resistance, and maternal and child health. Key achievements include advances in malaria elimination, antimicrobial resistance mapping, neonatal survival programmes, medicine quality research, and ethical community engagement in resource-limited settings.
Over the years, MORU published thousands peer-reviewed papers, led XXX clinical studies, trained XXX graduate students and expanded translational research partnerships. Landmark studies advanced triple artemisinin therapies, malaria vaccine integration, and low-cost diagnostics. Upgraded laboratories, expanded ICU registries, and Wellcome-funded translational initiatives strengthened MORU’s capacity to translate research into accessible, practical healthcare innovations for low-resource communities.
Request data
The Bioethics and Engagement team coordinates MORU’s Data Access Committee.
Requests for data underlying MORU’s publications can be requested by sending an email to datasharing@tropmedres.ac
How to find us
Contact us
Supporters
MORU is generously supported with significant funding from Wellcome (UK), our major funding partner. We also receive funding from other trusts and foundations, governments, and multi-lateral donors.
