Advancing Global Health Through Breakthrough Innovation
DNA Medicine Institute Awarded $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations Grant for Breakthrough Global Health Innovation
Cambridge, MA — May 11, 2010 – The DNA Medicine Institute has been selected to receive a US$100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in support of a pioneering global health initiative led by Eugene Y. Chan, M.D., titled “Optomagnetic Finger Scanner for Malaria.”
This project is one of only 78 proposals chosen worldwide in the program’s fourth funding round, reflecting the bold, high-impact vision behind this innovation. Nearly 2,700 proposals were reviewed from scientists across 18 countries on six continents, demonstrating the highly competitive nature of the award.
Dr. Chan’s team is developing a revolutionary non-invasive diagnostic device that scans a patient’s finger to detect malaria — eliminating the need for blood draws, lab equipment, or skilled technicians. By leveraging simple components such as light-emitting diodes and custom electronics, the technology offers a rugged, mobile solution designed for use in low-resource or remote environments where the disease burden is highest.
“We are excited to advance a solution that challenges the current paradigm of malaria diagnosis,” said Dr. Chan. “Malaria affects up to 500 million people annually, taking millions of lives — disproportionately children in developing nations. Our goal is to create a device that anyone, anywhere can use to detect infection instantly, without the need for blood samples or complex machinery.”
Dr. Tachi Yamada, then-president of the Gates Foundation’s Global Health Program, noted:
“The winners of these grants show the bold thinking required to confront the world’s greatest health threats. I look forward to seeing some of these exploratory ideas evolve into transformative, life-saving breakthroughs.”
About Grand Challenges Explorations
Grand Challenges Explorations is a $100 million, five-year initiative from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation designed to accelerate innovation in global health. The program embraces high-risk, high-reward ideas and uses a streamlined, rapid submission process — applicants submit only two pages and are not required to provide preliminary data. Awards are selected by a panel of experts, with funding decisions made in approximately three months.
Applications for the current round are open through May 19, 2010. Additional information, including proposal topics and application guidelines, is available at:
http://www.grandchallenges.org/explorations