What thematic areas will we fund?

SEA DREAM aims to fund research that responds to the ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda (APHDA) Health Priorities, across four thematic areas: (1) Infectious Diseases; (2) Impact of Climate Change on Health; (3) Mental Health; and (4) Strengthening Health Systems and Access to Care.

By supporting the research careers of regional talent and funding research that aims to address these priorities, SEA DREAM aims to accelerate discovery and innovation that advances science, builds the foundation for the development of new solutions and products, and foster evidence generation for policymaking, tackling some of the most urgent and emerging health challenges in Southeast Asia.

Applications submitted to SEA DREAM can embrace a diversity of disciplines (e.g., from physical sciences to fundamental biology, population and public health, clinical sciences to the humanities and social sciences) and may focus on a single thematic area or address multiple themes. Exploring connections across multiple themes and priorities is encouraged only when beneficial to the proposed research and demonstrably covering major cross-cutting topics.

1. Infectious Diseases

 Infectious diseases remain a major health challenge in Southeast Asia, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries and vulnerable populations. The region faces ongoing threats from emerging and re-emerging pathogens, vector-borne diseases, neglected tropical diseases, and antimicrobial resistance, compounded by climate change, natural disasters, and inequities in care and treatment. 
 
SEA DREAM supports innovative discovery and translational research that aims to increase our understanding of and insights relating to infectious disease threats in the region, the outcomes of which could lead to or inform future prevention, detection and public health strategies. This includes, but not limited to:

• Investigating the burden, drivers, and transmission dynamics of communicable, emerging, and re-emerging infectious diseases, including neglected tropical and zoonotic diseases.  
• Building, developing, and evaluating strategies for outbreak preparedness, early detection, and regional response to public health emergencies.  
• Addressing antimicrobial resistance, including patterns, drivers, and mitigation strategies.  
  examining environmental determinants of infectious diseases, including climate impacts, pollution, and ecosystem changes. 
• Studying the effects of natural disasters and climate-related shocks on infectious disease risk and explores strategies to improve related regional disaster preparedness.  
• Exploring factors contributing to inequities in vaccine coverage and access to preventive interventions. 

2. Impact of Climate Change on Health 

Southeast Asia is one of the regions most affected by climate change, with rising temperatures, extreme weather events, food insecurity, and air pollution already threatening health and livelihoods. These pressures are contributing to more heat stress, outbreaks of vector-borne diseases, malnutrition, and respiratory problems, especially among vulnerable populations. 

To address these challenges, SEA DREAM supports innovative discovery and translational research that aims to increase our understanding of and insights relating to mitigating the health impacts of climate change, including topics such as, but not limited to:

• Examining the links between climate variability, heat, environmental change, and health outcomes. 
• Strengthening the resilience of health systems to climate-related shocks 
• Developing and evaluating solutions for climate adaption e.g., early-warning and surveillance systems for climate-sensitive diseases, heat-health, and vector-control. 
• Advancing climate and health data systems and cross-sectoral data integration to improve prediction, preparedness, and response. 
• Addressing the health impacts of air pollution and other environmental exposures 
  applying Planetary and One Health approaches connecting human, animal, and environmental health 
• Generating economic evidence on the costs, benefits, and macro-economic impacts of climate-related health risks and adaption measures to inform policy and investment decisions. 

3. Mental Health 

Mental health conditions are a major contributor to disability in Southeast Asia, undermining well-being, daily functioning, and social participation. Vulnerable populations, including children, adolescents, migrants, and those affected by disasters, bear disproportionate impacts. Stigma, limited access, and social and structural barriers further intensify these challenges across the region. 
 
SEA DREAM supports research that guides future interventions, fosters innovation, and strengthens mental health outcomes and inclusion across Southeast Asia. Research must ensure meaningful involvement of people with lived experience at multiple stages of research design, governance, implementation, and dissemination. This may include topics such as, but not limited to: 

• Investigating the burden, drivers, and risk factors, and understanding of the aetiology and underlying biological, psychological, social and environmental mechanisms of mental health conditions. 
• Examining the impact of disasters, pandemics, and climate-related events on mental health. 
• Evaluating early detection, intervention, and community-based approaches to improve mental health outcomes. 
• Exploring strategies to reduce stigma, promote inclusion, and address social determinants of mental health. 
• Fostering innovation to develop scalable solutions for equitable mental health care and psychosocial support. 
• Understanding why mental health interventions work, for whom, and in which contexts, and identifying how they can be tailored to individual, cultural, and community-specific factors. 

4. Strengthening Health Systems and Access to Care

Health inequities in Southeast Asia, rooted in social, economic, and environmental factors, limit access to quality and affordable care. Rural populations, migrants, and marginalized groups face disproportionate barriers and risks, while fragmented financing, workforce shortages, climate change impacts, and uneven technology adoption challenge health system performance. 

SEA DREAM supports innovative discovery and translational research that aims to increase our understanding of health inequities that could guide or inform future policy, strengthens health system performance, and enhances equitable access to quality health services in the region, including topics such as, but not limited to: 

• Improving maternal, neonatal, and child health and promoting life-saving solutions and interventions. 
• Strengthening health system capacity and expanding access to universal health coverage. 
• Improving inclusion of migrants and mobile populations in health services. 
• Supporting the development of coordinated, integrated and accessible multi sourced data platforms along with novel analytical tools that transform fragmented and missing health information, into layered, interconnected understandings of health phenomena and inequalities. 
• Exploring and evaluating digital and innovative approaches for health and public health interventions. 

Cross-Cutting Theme: Health Equity

Health equity is a foundational lens that informs all SEA DREAM-funded research. By centering equity, SEA DREAM seeks to ensure that innovations, interventions, and evidence generated from research benefit all populations, especially the marginalized and underserved. Health equity considerations are relevant across the four thematic areas, guiding research questions, methods, and implementation strategies to reduce disparities and promote inclusive health outcomes across Southeast Asia.