Grand Challenges Explorations Round 8 Grants Awarded

More than 100 researchers from 19 countries were awarded Grand Challenges Explorations grants to explore their early-stage projects focused on agriculture, immunization systems, nutrition, synthetic biology, and also more broadly on new global health solutions. Projects include a tattoo-like skin patch to monitor pregnancy, delivering vaccines with unmanned aerial vehicles, spray-on clay to deliver biological agents that protect crop plants from pathogens, and exploring the role of microRNAs in breast milk in promoting healthy growth of infants. In addition, six Explorations grantees received new funding of up to $1 million each to support continued work on their innovative idea.