The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced 81 grants of US$100,000 each “to explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve health in developing countries” under its Grand Challenges Explorations initiative. The foundation said grants were awarded to researchers in 17 countries. The first round of 104 Grand Challenges Explorations grants was announced in October 2008. Dr. Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation’s Global Health Program, said “Investments in global health research are already paying big dividends. An incredible number of new vaccines, drugs, and other tools are becoming available to improve health in developing countries. Grand Challenges Explorations is our way to help inspire the bold ideas that could one day help transform global health.”
In the area of “more efficient and effective vaccines,” grants went to:
– Lucia Lopalco of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Italy will seek ways to generate “self-targeting antibodies” that attack a receptor protein on human immune cells – potentially blocking the HIV virus from entering cells and preventing HIV infection.
– Fasséli Coulibaly at Monash University in Australia will test whether protein crystals produced by insect viruses can be used as a new way to deliver vaccines. These “MicroCube” protein particles are stable, could be used against multiple diseases, and may not require refrigeration.
– Mei Wu at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the U.S. will explore whether illuminating skin with a targeted laser before administering a vaccine can enhance immune response.
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 