Global health opportunity from the Gates Foundation, due May 19

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seeks applications for its seventh round of Grand Challenges Exploration Grants. The purpose of these grants is to help scientists pursue unconventional solutions to global health issues. For this round, the Foundation will consider proposals in the following areas:

• The Poliovirus Endgame: Creating innovative ways to accelerate, sustain, and monitor eradication;
• Exploring nutrition for healthy growth of infants and children;
• Applying synthetic biology to global health challenges;
• Creating the next generation of sanitation technologies;
• Designing new approaches to cure HIV infection; and
• Creating low-cost cell phone-based solutions for improved uptake and coverage of childhood vaccinations.

Grant recipients will receive $100,000 each; projects showing promise will have the opportunity to receive additional funding of $1 million or more. Applications are due May 19, 2011.

Anyone can apply for this opportunity, regardless of education or experience level. OHSU investigators have been successful in the past with this funding opportunity.  Registration is required prior to the submission of a proposal. Visit the website for details.

Please note: While this is an open RFA, this opportunity requires a completed OHSU Foundation tracking and clearance form.

See the rest of this week’s Funding Alerts.