Under its Framework Six funding programme, this new European Union initiative aims to translate medical research results into clinical trials in developing countries, particularly in Africa. The first move is to provide 200 million Euros for the development of new medicines and vaccines for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. The website contains a general outline of this scheme and information about its projects.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation is a United Nations body with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations.

This foundation's mission is to reduce malnutrition through food fortification. It focuses on providing supplements — such as iodised salt — and healthy food to malnourished populations. The website includes downloadable fact sheets of GAIN's programmes around the world and overviews of vitamins and nutrient deficiencies.

The organisation targets vulnerable groups such as young children, pregnant women, people with infectious diseases, remote rural populations, or refugees. GAIN takes a business-minded approach to funding better nutrition, pooling its money with financial institutions, not-for-profit global venture funds and venture capitalists to encourage local businesses to develop new products, distribution channels and marketing approaches.

The Global Forum for Health Research provides evidence, tools and discussion forums for decision-makers in research funding and policy to improve the health of the poor. Although it covers issues for both infectious and non-communicable diseases, the agency recognises that mental health problems are severely neglected in developing countries. As well as links to various publications and reports, the website also hosts RealHealthNews, which aims to share news on research and interventions that can improve the health of those in developing countries.

The International Council for Science (ICSU) aims to protect the rights of scientists by working at the crossroads of the right to science and the protection of science as a right. ICSU's work, particularly through the Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the Conduct of Science, promotes human rights-based approaches to climate change research, and social and environmental well-being. The ICSU website contains a collection of key international charters and declarations relevant to human rights and science.

A unit within the World Health Organization, IVR aims to develop and promote a global and sustainable research and development pipeline. This would deliver cost-effective vaccines against diseases that are particularly devastating in developing countries. The website provides a useful summary of its vaccine portfolio  and a report of the IVR Global Vaccine Research Forum

The International AIDS Society is the world's professional society for scientists, healthcare and public health workers, and others engaged in HIV/AIDS prevention, control and care. It organises two biennial events: the International AIDS Congress, and the Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment. Other IAS activities include a clinical trials partnership for improving the coordination and information sharing of clinical trials in developing countries.

IAVI is a global organisation working to speed the development and distribution of preventive AIDS vaccines. IAVI’s work focuses on: mobilising support through advocacy and education; accelerating scientific progress; encouraging industrial participation in AIDS vaccine development; and assuring global access. Its newsletter, IAVI report, is a useful source of up-to-date information and insights, and is accompanied by a lay summary Vax. The website also includes recent policy publications, HIV/AIDS news headlines, an excellent glossary and a vaccines trials database.

The INCTR is dedicated to helping build capacity for cancer treatment and research in countries in which such capacity is limited. The network, which has support from the US National Cancer Institute, aims to build capacity for cancer treatment and research in countries with limited resources through long-term collaborative projects coupled to training and educational programmes. It also seeks to promote international collaboration on cancer control between developed and developing countries. The INCTR is located at the Institut Pasteur in Brussels but also has branches in the US, France, Brazil, Egypt and Nepal and offices in the UK, India and Tanzania. The website contains details of the network's activities in various countries.

International Rice Functional Genomics Consortium was formed in 2003 following publication of draft sequences of two rice subtypes by the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project. The Consortium will facilitate research in the post-sequencing "functional genomics" era. Objectives include establishing an integrated online network of rice functional genomics databases. The Consortium includes member institutes in China and India, as well as the International Rice Research Institute and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture.

The International Risk Governance Council recognises that nanotechnology can potentially lead to improvements in medical diagnostics and water treatment but argues that the use of this technology comes with significant human and environmental risks that are more complex and far-reaching than many other innovations.

In response to these risks, the council's nanotechnology project has developed a generic approach to risk governance that is summarised, together with key recommendations for action, in a White Paper and policy brief.

The Millennium Promise is a non-profit organisation, founded in 2005 by philanthropist and business leader Ray Chambers and economist Jeffrey D. Sachs, committed to supporting efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to halve extreme poverty by 2015. It oversees the Millennium Villages project, which helps integrate social and business development services to meet the basic needs of more than 500,000 people living in rural areas across ten Sub-Saharan African countries.

The website provides information on their work, which covers the areas of health and nutrition; agriculture and environment; gender equality; business development; education; and infrastructure. It highlights progress towards the MDGs, success stories and toolkits, and publishes a blog, press releases, news, videos, links to useful resources, as well as information on how to get involved.

This information resource, published by the international public health agency Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), provides daily situation updates on the A(H1N1) influenza virus, or 'swine flu', including the number of confirmed cases reported in individual countries in the Americas and PAHO activities and recommendations.

The site publishes documents in English and Spanish that include background information on the virus as well as guidelines on laboratory procedures, surveillance, clinical management and infection control. It also links to videos of PAHO press conferences on influenza A(H1N1) and other online swine flu resources.