African research, by many measures the least competitive in the world, got a financial pick-me-up this week.

On 2 July, the UK Wellcome Trust launched a £30-million (US$50-million) plan to support more than 50 institutions across the continent, organized in themed networks that will study water and sanitation, infectious diseases and population health.

"There are other collaborations and networks but the lack of research capacity in Africa is a huge problem and it's going to take more than one initiative to achieve this," says Jimmy Whitworth, the Wellcome Trust's head of international activities.

The funding will be used to revamp laboratories, to train laboratory personnel and to support competitive grants aimed at encouraging African scientists to remain working in their home countries.