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DNA Medicine Institute Receives $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations Grant for Innovative Global Health Research
Cambridge, MA, May 11, 2010 - The DNA Medicine Institute announced today that
it has received a US$100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will support an innovative global
health research project conducted by Eugene Y. Chan, M.D. titled "Optomagnetic
Finger Scanner for Malaria."
Dr. Chan's project is one of 78 grants announced by the Gates Foundation in
the fourth funding round of Grand
Challenges Explorations, an initiative to help scientists around the world
explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve health in developing countries.
The grants were provided to scientists in 18 countries on six continents.
To receive funding, Dr. Chan showed in a two-page application how his idea
falls outside current scientific paradigms and might lead to significant advances
in global health. The initiative is highly competitive, receiving almost 2,700
proposals in this round.
Current diagnosis of malaria requires invasive blood tests requiring sizable
equipment. Using light-emitting diodes, magnets, and electronic components available
to do-it-yourself hobbyists, Dr. Chan will develop a non-invasive finger scanner
that detects the presence of malarial hemozoin crystals in infected individuals.
"I am pleased to have the opportunity to pursue an idea that pushes the
envelope of malaria diagnosis. Malaria is a deadly disease that afflicts up
to 500 million people each year. Millions die from it, including many young
children in developing countries. My group is developing a tiny device that
scans a finger, without any blood, to allow anyone, anytime, and anywhere to
check for malaria infection," said Dr. Chan.
"The winners of these grants show the bold thinking we need to tackle
some of the world's greatest health challenges," said Dr. Tachi Yamada,
president of the Gates Foundation's Global
Health Program. "I'm excited about their ideas and look forward to
seeing some of these exploratory projects turn into life-saving breakthroughs."
About Grand Challenges Explorations
Grand Challenges Explorations
is a five-year, $100 million initiative of the Gates Foundation to promote innovation
in global health. The program uses an agile, streamlined grant process - applications
are limited to two pages, and preliminary data are not required. Proposals are
reviewed and selected by a committee of foundation staff and external experts,
and grant decisions are made within approximately three months of the close
of the funding round.
Applications for the current round of Grand Challenges Explorations are being
accepted through May 19, 2010. Grant application instructions, including the
list of topics for which proposals are currently being accepted, are available
at http://www.grandchallenges.org/explorations.
About The DNA Medicine Institute
The DNA Medicine Institute is a commercial organization whose mission is to
advance patient care, alleviate human suffering, and treat disease through innovation.
Founded by Eugene Y. Chan, M.D., its core beliefs are that successful, innovative
commercial products can make a long-lasting impact on patient care. It currently
does research on intuitive medical devices, smartly designed drugs, and powerful
research instrumentation. The DNA Medicine Institute's multi-faceted approach
to innovation draws upon diverse fields including medicine, nanotechnology,
genomics, biophysics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and advanced engineering.
For more information, visit: www.dnamedinstitute.com.
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