Wellcome Trust Discovery Research Awards is a funding program from Wellcome that supports established researchers generating new knowledge across a broad range of disciplines, including biomedical science, public health, humanities, and social science. The program funds long-term research into life, health, and wellbeing, with an emphasis on equitable global health solutions. Eligible applicants are experienced researchers at any career stage who can demonstrate a strong track record of generating significant insights. Award amounts are not publicly specified; applicants work with Wellcome program staff to determine appropriate funding levels.

Wellcome Discovery Awards is sponsored by Wellcome. This scheme provides funding for established researchers and teams from any discipline who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding related to human life, health, and well-being. The primary location for the research, including the leadership of the program, must be within the UK, Republic of Ireland, and/or a low- and middle-income country.

Wellcome Discovery Awards provide long-term flexible funding for established researchers and teams pursuing bold, creative research that can deliver significant shifts in understanding of human life, health, and wellbeing. AI and computational approaches to biomedical challenges are explicitly welcome, including machine learning for drug discovery, AI-driven clinical diagnostics, computational genomics, and data science for health equity. The world's second largest private funder of medical research (endowment approximately £14.5 billion), Wellcome supports interdisciplinary teams tackling fundamental health questions using novel methodologies. Discovery Awards are discipline-agnostic and value transformative potential over incremental advances, making them ideal for ambitious AI-health intersection research.