Mary De Silva

Mary De Silva leads the Population Health team which directs Wellcome’s funding of population health research in the UK and in low- and middle-income countries.

Our portfolio spans aetiological research to understand the individual and wider determinants of health, and translational science to develop and test effective and scalable interventions to prevent and treat ill health, ensure health systems are robust, and that evidence is translated into policy and practice.

Current strategic areas of interest include Wellcome’s Longitudinal Population Studies Strategy, catalysing advances in nutrition, health of the public and multi-morbidity research, and strengthening the pathways through which research evidence improves health. I also co-developed and sit on the Programme Board for the Mental Health Priority Area at Wellcome, a new research investment of £200 million.

Before joining Wellcome I was Deputy Director of the Centre for Global Mental Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. My research included the design and evaluation of complex interventions to improve mental health in low- and middle-income countries, implementation research to ensure that these interventions are scalable and sustainable, and policy influence work to encourage the translation of evidence into policy and practice. I also co-founded and led the Mental Health Innovation Network (http://www.mhinnovation.net/).