Sexually Transmitted Infection Research Foundation (Stirf)
Charity 1075316
Overview
Summary
STIRF appears to occupy a specialist, enabling role in sexual-health research rather than providing frontline clinical services. Its stated purpose combines small-scale research funding, support for early-career investigators and dissemination of findings, with HIV and sexually transmitted infections as a core focus. The available evidence suggests it seeks to identify underexplored questions and help research become visible through publications and professional forums. Its role may therefore be most valuable as a connector between emerging researchers, sexual-health practice and wider academic knowledge.
Operational geography
Coverage: National
Operational areas:
- City Centre
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
City Centre
Confidence: low
STIRF directs grant applications by post to a c/o arrangement at Whittall Street Clinic, and its principal address is listed there. These administrative and correspondence arrangements do not, by themselves, demonstrate operational activity in Birmingham City Centre. The evidence also does not show that STIRF owns or runs the clinic or uses it as a dedicated STIRF service site.
- STIRF, Application for Research Funds from STIRF
The current application guidance instructs applicants to post research-funding applications to STIRF c/o Whittall Street Clinic in Birmingham. - Charity Commission, Trustees' Annual Report 2024-25
The report lists Whittall Street Clinic, Birmingham as STIRF's principal address. - NHS, Whittall Street Clinic information
NHS-associated information describes Whittall Street Clinic as being in Birmingham City Centre.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence supports an administrative and correspondence arrangement at Whittall Street Clinic, but does not show that STIRF directly delivers clinical services there. The clinic's sexual-health services are operated by other organisations.
- No current evidence identifies Birmingham neighbourhoods, wards, community venues or participant-recruitment sites used by STIRF-funded research. Its current West Midlands-funded research may involve Birmingham, but the available report does not specify Birmingham locations.
- STIRF's operational footprint is primarily grant-making rather than place-based service delivery. Its published eligibility covers several English regions, while its most recent annual report records funded work in Nottingham, the West Midlands and England-wide subject areas; this supports a national-scale research-funding reach, rather than a Birmingham-wide delivery network.
- Jo-Li Trust is a material funding partner for STIRF's research programme, but the available evidence does not show that it extends STIRF's operational reach to a specific Birmingham area.
Additional evidence needed
- A current 2025-26 or 2026-27 annual report identifying the host institutions, study sites and participant geographies for STIRF-052, STIRF-054, STIRF-056 and STIRF-057.
- Confirmation from STIRF or Whittall Street Clinic of whether STIRF has workspace, staff activity or research activity at the clinic beyond its c/o and principal-address arrangements.
- Current grant award notices or project protocols specifying whether any active STIRF-funded studies recruit participants or operate at sites within Birmingham.
Areas of work
- The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
Who they help
- Children/young People
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Makes Grants To Individuals
- Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A catalyst for research that may struggle to secure major funding
STIRF appears to position itself as an early-stage funder, helping researchers test promising ideas before approaching larger funders.
Why it matters
This distinguishes STIRF from a general medical-research charity: its potential contribution is reducing the risk of exploring neglected or emerging sexual-health questions.
Show evidence
“STIRF aims to kickstart funding to young researchers asking the right questions.”
Source:Organisation“It wants to encourage young researchers to try out their ideas before going to large funding bodies.”
Source:Organisation
Research and knowledge-sharing are treated as one pathway
The organisation appears to see funding alone as insufficient; it also aims to move research into publications, conferences and accessible sexual-health knowledge.
Why it matters
This suggests its influence may extend beyond individual grants, through shaping what practitioners, researchers and the public can learn from funded work.
Show evidence
“Its objects include funding research and disseminating and publishing that research.”
Source:Charity Commission“STIRF-funded projects have been presented at national and international meetings and published in international scientific journals.”
Source:Organisation
Its remit may be broadening beyond infection-specific questions
Although STI and HIV remain central, the recent research example linking mental health conditions with sexual-health outcomes suggests an interest in barriers and inequalities surrounding sexual health, not only biomedical disease mechanisms.
Why it matters
This may create opportunities for collaboration with mental-health, inclusion and public-health organisations that would not immediately identify STIRF as a relevant partner.
Show evidence
“A study on poorer sexual health outcomes and additional barriers for people with mental health conditions was accepted for a poster presentation in 2026.”
Source:Organisation“STIRF states that sexual health affects everyone and that many areas of knowledge remain to be explored.”
Source:Organisation
- The scale, frequency and current value of grants are not stated.
- It is unclear which communities, places or clinical settings benefit most from funded research.
- The evidence does not show whether STIRF actively brokers partnerships between researchers and service providers.
Remaining uncertainties
- A current grants list showing recipients, themes, amounts, locations and outcomes.
- Annual reports or impact evaluations showing how funded research influenced practice, policy or public knowledge.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Funding research in HIV: currently funding research in metabolic diseases and causes of blood eosinophilia Funding for Sexually Transmitted Diseases: invitation sent to local centres Funding for HIV course in Russian federation to health care workers: due for 2009
Charity objects
(1) TO ENHANCE THE CARE AND WELL BEING OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SEXUALLY ACQUIRED INFECTION INCLUDING HIV BY FACILITATING ADVANCEMENT IN MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE (2) TO FUND RESEARCH TO ADVANCE MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE OF SEXUALLY ACQUIRED INFECTION INCLUDING HIV AND TO DISSEMINATE AND PUBLISH SUCH RESEARCH (3) TO PROMOTE THE DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE ON SEXUAL HEALTH BY ENCOURAGING AND FACILITATING THE PUBLICATION OF RESEARCH AND MEDICAL REVIEWS IN THIS FIELD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE