The Policy Unit at the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW) works to ensure that MLW’s world-class biomedical research translates into meaningful public benefit for Malawi, the region, and beyond. Working within one of Africa’s leading biomedical research institutions, the Unit connects MLW’s research with the needs of policymakers, health leaders, and communities in Malawi, the region, and globally.

Our work is grounded in team science. We support researchers and decision-makers to shape policy-relevant questions, co-produce evidence, synthesize findings, develop decision-ready policy products, and track how research contributes to policy and health system change.

The Policy Unit strengthens the bridge between science and decision-making by embedding policy engagement across the research lifecycle: from agenda-setting and study design to evidence synthesis, stakeholder engagement, policy translation, and impact tracking. Its renewed strategy moves policy engagement from a downstream support function to a team-science capability, working alongside researchers and policymakers to co-produce evidence that is credible, timely, context-aware, and usable.

Through portfolios in evidence synthesis, policy research, capacity building, and engagement, the Policy Unit supports MLW to become a trusted African-led partner in evidence-informed policymaking. Its work aims to strengthen national and regional policy ecosystems, improve the visibility and use of MLW research, and ensure that scientific excellence contributes directly to health system improvement and societal value.