R&D funds levied on business must build organisations that offer short-term benefits through a clear strategy, says Athar Osama.

The revised malaria death toll suggests a need for research into uncertainties in controlling neglected tropical diseases, says Mark Booth.

Deep-rooted philosophies discourage data sharing and specialised research services, hampering research quality, says Peng Gong.

Some Muslim countries' powerful financial incentives to make quick progress in research could backfire, cautions Athar Osama.

Rio+20 should set up a scientific cooperation mechanism drawing on capabilities in both North and South, say Gisbert Glaser and Alice Abreu.

The developing world is not well served by traditional research publishing, but can break new ground with open access, argues Leslie Chan.

Christian Lienhardt and colleagues outline where research and innovation must advance to meet the goal of eliminating tuberculosis.

North-South partnerships dominate university funding in Tanzania, but they are failing to build capacity, says Johnson M. Ishengoma.

Much progress has been made in genomics research, says Stephen Baker, but the impact on public health is limited in the developing world.

Indian science is bureaucratic and needs to keep up with the demands of liberalisation, says M. Vijayan.

Health systems in developing nations aren't ready for the diseases that accompany ageing, writes Priya Shetty.

Several collaborations between researchers and indigenous communties are underway, but more needs to be done, says Henry P. Huntington.

Online tools reveal a lot about world science — except location. 'Geotags' can fill a knowledge gap and throw up surprises, says Nigel Pitman.

Nuclear power can benefit developing countries but requires long-term planning and an educated workforce, says Michael J. Mangala.

Healthcare policies and research strategies in developing countries must adapt to the new big killers, says Priya Shetty.

To see the research they fund in action, donors should work with good local governance, not informal networks, writes Justin O. Parkhurst.

Health scientists in developing countries can use social media to tackle research priorities, argue Alexander E. T. Finlayson and colleagues.

The two regions have much to gain from coordinating research and enhancing scientific cooperation on solar energy, says Frank Lehner.

Assessing each country's needs is key to ensuring that medical technologies fulfil their promise, say Sidhartha R. Sinha and Michele Barry.

Developing countries forging ahead with nanotechnology need regulation and research into local risk patterns, say Alok Dhawan and Vyom Sharma.