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Past Challenges

Grand Challenges India

Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women's Health

Grand Challenges India - Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (GCI-BIRAC) announce an open call on 'Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women's Health,' a program directed at addressing challenges that limit effective local drug delivery for women's health, particularly in managing reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
This initiative seeks to catalyze the development of context-driven innovative technologies and approaches that can safely and effectively deliver a wide range of vaginal products. By promoting discovery research informed by high-quality end-user input, the call emphasizes the importance of coupling scientific innovation with women's preferences, cultural contexts, and lived experiences.
<h2>Background</h2>
Local vaginal drug delivery remains an underexplored and underutilized approach for the prevention and treatment of female-specific conditions, despite its clear potential advantages, including discreetness, potent local efficacy, large surface area for drug absorption, potential for lower API doses, and fewer systemic side effects as well as providing autonomy and empowerment of women. Progress in this area has been limited by a lack of mechanistic understanding of the vaginal milieu, especially in high-burden, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and by persistent misconceptions regarding the acceptability of vaginally administered products among women and their partners.
Vaginal formulations hold significant promise for the management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), contraceptive innovation, and maintenance of a healthy vaginal microbiome. Emerging scientific and translational opportunities make this an opportune time to reposition vaginal products as both public health tools and user-preferred interventions, for immediate, on-demand use. Evidence suggests that women's interests often extend beyond primary therapeutic or preventive functions to include secondary benefits such as odor control, sexual enhancement, and privacy of use.
While there has been meaningful progress in delivery systems such as gels, films, and intravaginal rings, major gaps remain in acceptability, scalability, affordability, and integration into routine care in LMICs (Das Neves et al., 2021; Hussain et al., 2022). Addressing these gaps will require the development of innovative, scientifically rigorous formulations that integrate end-user perspectives and are adaptable to diverse settings.
Therefore, this initiative seeks to catalyze the development of innovative technologies and approaches that can safely and effectively deliver a wide range of vaginal products with strong user appeal, promoting self-care and other beneficial features that women value, while coupling discovery research with high-quality end-user insights.
<h2>The Challenge</h2>
GCI-BIRAC are soliciting applications that contribute to development of vaginal formulations that promote optimal drug delivery within the vaginal compartment while positively supporting the vaginal milieu, and that also possess beneficial effects, even if unrelated to the API intended effect, that a user might consider desirable, such as enhancement of sexual pleasure. GCI-BIRAC anticipate identifying product-agnostic features that promote vaginal health and that broadly appeal to women to advance product development and formulations for women's health.
GCI-BIRAC welcome innovations at any stage of development that meet the scope of this call.
Applicants may apply to address one or more of the following objectives of this challenge:
<ol>
<li>Leverage biology for vaginally administered products: In this objective, GCI-BIRAC seeks: 1) innovative formulations and delivery approaches that leverage the biology of the vaginal microenvironment to support development of novel delivery technologies and that have high potential for scalable, low-cost manufacturing options; and 2) novel components that could be incorporated into and improve existing formulations (e.g. films, tablets/inserts) that would promote maintenance of or transition to an optimal vaginal microbiome and/or promote other benefit to the vaginal mucosal epithelium. Specifically, GCI-BIRAC seek to assess and de-risk novel approaches to vaginal delivery that can leverage and support features of the vaginal milieu including mucus, host cells and microbes for drug delivery and as such we anticipate proposals including evaluation of the impact of these novel approaches or components on changes in the microbiome and vaginal host components (cells/cytokines, mucins, glycans, lectins, etc.).</li>
<li>Define characteristics of an ideal vaginal product: In this objective, GCI-BIRAC seeks to support qualitative studies aimed at identifying and understanding specific features of a vaginally administered product that would most appeal to women such that many women, especially those of reproductive age in LMICs, would seek to use such a product (for example, 'what would you hope to achieve when using this product in your vagina?'). GCI-BIRAC is particularly interested in defining ancillary benefits (such as odor control, sexual enhancement, etc.) that could be derived from a vaginally delivered product that would likely not be supported by other routes of administration, as well as identifying major hurdles that may prevent a woman from seeking out or preferring a vaginal product. GCI-BIRAC acknowledges that there may be regional, cultural, demographic or other preference differences, and are seeking to identify desires or barriers that are commonly expressed by women across these demographic differences. Applicants may propose methods to prioritize preferences such that the vaginal product developed can benefit as many women as possible. In sum, it is aimed to gather insights into preferred and achievable characteristics that would transform vaginal products from 'tolerable' to 'desirable'.</li>
</ol>
Call to Action
India has the opportunity to lead the world in transformative women's health innovation, being home to over 400 million women of reproductive age. The unique biological, cultural, and healthcare realities of Indian women, spanning diverse geographies from urban metros to rural communities, demand locally relevant, affordable, and acceptable vaginal health solutions.
The initiative aims to bridge the critical gap between cutting-edge vaginal formulation science and ground-level implementation in India. The initiative is calling on innovators, researchers, and product developers to push the boundaries of women's health by creating context-driven, bold, transformative solutions for vaginal formulations. GCI-BIRAC encourages applications that combine scientific rigor with creativity, integrating both biological insights and the real-world preferences of women.
This is an opportunity to design products that are not only therapeutically effective but also genuinely desirable, products that women will choose to use because they address their needs, enhance their well-being, and fit seamlessly into their lives.
GCI-BIRAC welcome proposals at any stage of development, from early-stage discovery to near-market innovations. Your work could redefine what is possible in vaginal health, uncover new ways to leverage the vaginal microenvironment, and identify product features that resonate across diverse populations. By coupling cutting-edge science with user-centered design, you have the chance to deliver products that are safe, effective, and widely embraced.
Through this initiative, India can demonstrate global leadership in women's health, catalyze low-cost, high-impact technologies, and inspire the next generation of innovators to think boldly and inclusively.
Deliverables
By the end of this program, the initiative aims to generate actionable knowledge and prototype innovations that are regulation-ready, market-viable, and designed for widespread adoption across India's diverse contexts. The initiative will deliver outcomes across two strategic objectives:
Objective 1: Biology-Driven Formulation Innovation (Leveraging the Vaginal Microenvironment for Indian Women)
<ul>
<li>Novel Formulations or Components: Proof-of-concept mechanisms adapted to Indian environmental and storage conditions, low-cost, locally sourced, with potential for extended or on-demand delivery</li>
<li>Biological Characterization: Impact on vaginal microbiome, epithelial health, pH, mucosal immunity; compatibility with common vaginal conditions; preliminary safety/tolerability</li>
<li>Scalability Roadmap: Cost analysis, manufacturing pathways, stability testing under Indian conditions, regulatory alignment with CDSCO.</li>
</ul>
Objective 2: User-Centered Design Research (Defining characteristics of an ideal vaginal products)
<ul>
<li>Comprehensive User Insights: Preferences, barriers, ancillary benefits (odor control, sexual wellness, menstrual support), across ≥3 demographic segments.</li>
<li>Actionable Design Principles: Prioritized features, regional/cultural mapping, discreet vs. conspicuous formats, preferred delivery formats.</li>
<li>Implementation Framework: Messaging, distribution channels, pricing/willingness-to-pay, community engagement strategies.</li>
</ul>
GCI-BIRAC is looking for proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Focus on vaginally delivery approaches that do not require retrieval and disposal after use and can be adapted for extended- or slow-release of active ingredients.</li>
<li>Use innovative, rigorous qualitative approaches that improve or deepen our understanding of standard acceptability metrics.</li>
<li>Generate biological or end-user data from low- and middle-income regions and comply with national regulations on data security, data protection and privacy.</li>
<li>Propose rigorous scientific approaches to study a clear research question and whose rationale is clearly supported by peer-reviewed literature.</li>
<li>Demonstrate feasibility with preliminary data in support of the proposed approach; if no preliminary data exists then the proposal should be limited in scope.</li>
<li>Request the appropriate funds and time to achieve the objectives of the proposed work. Exploratory projects of lower cost but higher risk are strongly encouraged and will be prioritized.</li>
</ul>
GCI-BIRAC will not fund proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Evaluate the impact of currently available vaginally inserted products on the vaginal milieu (e.g. menstrual products, contraceptive devices, over-the-counter probiotics, etc.).</li>
<li>Focus on approaches that would not be feasible or affordable in India and low- and middle-income countries, including personalized medicine. If these approaches are included, the feasibility of scalable, low-cost development should be explicitly stated.</li>
<li>Focus on the development of therapeutics or interventions for specific conditions, such as treatment for STIs or contraceptive products. While these types of interventions may be used as a test case within the proposal, the work itself should focus on formulations.</li>
<li>Are focused solely on basic exploratory scientific research without a clear translational pathway, including potential end-use scenarios, scalability considerations and regulatory or manufacturing implications.</li>
<li>Center solely on focus groups and interviews. These methods or qualitative approaches are acceptable if embedded within rigorous mixed-methods study designs that generate quantitative, actionable insights beyond anecdotal data or standard acceptability metrics such as affective attitudes.</li>
<li>Do not consider end user preferences or assume end-user preferences. For the purposes of this RFP, end-users can be defined as women of reproductive age in India and low- and middle-income countries. Proposals may focus on subgroups (e.g., adolescents, post-partum women), but the target group must be explicitly defined and justified.</li>
<li>Primarily depend on traditional acceptability questionnaires or surveys (e.g., “if x hypothetical product existed, how interested would you be in using it?”).</li>
<li>Do not directly address one of the core objectives as outlined above.</li>
<li>Cannot be accomplished within a two-year maximum project duration or within the stipulated budget maximum.</li>
<li>Support researchers or research teams who are affiliated with the tobacco industry, or who receive (or are applying for) funding from the tobacco industry, which includes manufacturers and distributors of e-cigarettes or vaping products.</li>
</ul>

Grand Challenges India - Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (GCI-BIRAC) announce an open call on 'Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women's Health,' a program directed at addressing challenges that limit effective local drug delivery for women's health, particularly in managing reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Womens Health

Note that this RFP is being launched by multiple partners, across variable geographies, topic areas, and funding levels. Please review the requirements for each RFP to determine your eligibility. The individual RFPs are listed separately <a href="https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenges/JTdCJTIyc29ydCUyMiUzQSUyMmRlc2NlbmRpbmclMjIlMkMlMjJzb3J0RmllbGQlMjIlM0ElMjJkYXRlJTIyJTJDJTIybnVtYmVyUGVyUGFnZSUyMiUzQTEwJTJDJTIycGFnZU51bWJlciUyMiUzQTAlN0Q=/JTdCJTIyeWVhcnMlMjIlM0ElNUIlNUQlMkMlMjJjaGFsbGVuZ2VzJTIyJTNBJTVCJTIyMzI1JTIyJTVEJTJDJTIydGVybXMlMjIlM0ElNUIlNUQlMkMlMjJpbml0aWF0aXZlcyUyMiUzQSU1QiU1RCUyQyUyMmxvY2F0aW9ucyUyMiUzQSU1QiU1RCU3RA==" target="_blank">here</a>. If you are eligible for multiple RFPs, please choose the RFP that most closely aligns with your proposed project.<h2>Background</h2>Climate change threatens hard-earned global health and development progress and puts the health, well-being, and livelihoods of future generations in jeopardy, with a special impact on women. The 2015 Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals signaled a promise from global leaders to act - to limit global average temperature rise to within 1.5°C by 2040 and prevent the worst health and development effects of climate change. While no one is safe from these risks, the people whose health and wellbeing are being harmed first and worst by the climate crisis are also the ones who contribute least to its causes, and who are least able to protect themselves and their families against it - namely people in low-income and disadvantaged countries and communities. In low-income settings, rising heat, extreme weather events, changes in precipitation patterns, climate-related undernutrition, shifts in duration and climate-event-driven surges of malaria and other vector borne diseases such as malaria,&nbsp;foodborne and water-borne diseases, and increased potential for the emergence of novel diseases damage already weak primary health care systems and community structures for health. This compromises accessibility, availability, provision, and uptake of essential health services for the most vulnerable populations. Climate change can also disproportionately affect the health and financial well-being of women and girls: extreme heat increases the incidences of stillbirth, the rampant spread of vector-borne diseases worsens maternal and neonatal outcomes, and gender disparities amplified by climate change can decrease the women's share of economic agricultural gains. Those same changes in climate and weather also negatively impact all aspects of agricultural activities, a major source of income for those in low-income settings.Catalytic research and development (R&amp;D) as well as innovations to scale the impact of existing green technologies are essential to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero and address the unprecedented health, agricultural and environmental challenges posed by climate change, which have an outsized impact on women. It is crucial to understand the emerging problems in health and agriculture, either directly triggered by climate change, or as a result of disruptions (e.g., operational) downstream of crises created by climate change. Consequently, there is an urgent need to invest in creative solutions to help vulnerable populations adapt and build their resilience to the existing and future climate related challenges impacting health and agriculture and build alternative livelihoods. This work will involve making those most affected, especially women, major stakeholders in discussions about how new climate resistant and adaptive innovations will be deployed, as well as giving them a deliberate choice and advantage in the creation of new economic opportunities that result from these investments.In recent years, global leaders, philanthropies, and private investors have begun committing significant resources to climate change mitigation R&amp;D. However, more is needed to unite partners across sectors and accelerate innovations addressing challenges at the intersections of climate, health, gender, and agriculture, particularly for underserved regions and groups.The Grand Challenges family of initiatives seeks to source and seed innovations and accelerate the development of transformational solutions. To this end, Grand Challenges (GC) partners including GC Africa (Science for Africa Foundation), GC Brazil (Ministry of Health of Brazil), GC Ethiopia (Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI)), GC India (Department of Biotechnology of India), and GC Rwanda (National Council for Science and Technology), along with the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation and the Pasteur Network, and supported by Wellcome, Foundation S-the Sanofi Collective, and the Rockefeller Foundation are launching this request for proposals (RFP) to identify and support promising innovations.

Grand Challenges India: Accelerating Catalyzing Solutions for Climate Change's Impact on Agriculture

Note that this RFP is being launched by multiple partners, across variable geographies, topic areas, and funding levels. Please review the requirements for each RFP to determine your eligibility. The individual RFPs are listed separately <a href="https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/grant-opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>. If you are eligible for multiple RFPs, please choose the RFP that most closely aligns with your proposed project.
<h2>Background</h2>
Climate change threatens hard-earned global health and development progress and puts the health, well-being, and livelihoods of future generations in jeopardy, with a special impact on women. The 2015 Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals signaled a promise from global leaders to act - to limit global average temperature rise to within 1.5°C by 2040 and prevent the worst health and development effects of climate change. While no one is safe from these risks, the people whose health and wellbeing are being harmed first and worst by the climate crisis are also the ones who contribute least to its causes, and who are least able to protect themselves and their families against it - namely people in low-income and disadvantaged countries and communities. In low-income settings, rising heat, extreme weather events, changes in precipitation patterns, climate-related undernutrition, shifts in duration and climate-event-driven surges of malaria and other vector borne diseases such as malaria,&nbsp;foodborne and water-borne diseases, and increased potential for the emergence of novel diseases damage already weak primary health care systems and community structures for health. This compromises accessibility, availability, provision, and uptake of essential health services for the most vulnerable populations. Climate change can also disproportionately affect the health and financial well-being of women and girls: extreme heat increases the incidences of stillbirth, the rampant spread of vector-borne diseases worsens maternal and neonatal outcomes, and gender disparities amplified by climate change can decrease the women's share of economic agricultural gains. Those same changes in climate and weather also negatively impact all aspects of agricultural activities, a major source of income for those in low-income settings.
Catalytic research and development (R&amp;D) as well as innovations to scale the impact of existing green technologies are essential to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero and address the unprecedented health, agricultural and environmental challenges posed by climate change, which have an outsized impact on women. It is crucial to understand the emerging problems in health and agriculture, either directly triggered by climate change, or as a result of disruptions (e.g., operational) downstream of crises created by climate change. Consequently, there is an urgent need to invest in creative solutions to help vulnerable populations adapt and build their resilience to the existing and future climate related challenges impacting health and agriculture and build alternative livelihoods. This work will involve making those most affected, especially women, major stakeholders in discussions about how new climate resistant and adaptive innovations will be deployed, as well as giving them a deliberate choice and advantage in the creation of new economic opportunities that result from these investments.
In recent years, global leaders, philanthropies, and private investors have begun committing significant resources to climate change mitigation R&amp;D. However, more is needed to unite partners across sectors and accelerate innovations addressing challenges at the intersections of climate, health, gender, and agriculture, particularly for underserved regions and groups.
The Grand Challenges family of initiatives seeks to source and seed innovations and accelerate the development of transformational solutions. To this end, Grand Challenges (GC) partners including GC Africa (Science for Africa Foundation), GC Brazil (Ministry of Health of Brazil), GC Ethiopia (Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI)), GC India (Department of Biotechnology of India), and GC Rwanda (National Council for Science and Technology), along with the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation and the Pasteur Network, and supported by Wellcome, Foundation S-the Sanofi Collective, and the Rockefeller Foundation are launching this request for proposals (RFP) to identify and support promising innovations.

This Grand Challenges request for proposals seeks innovative research and pilot/feasibility projects utilizing transdisciplinary approaches to better adapt to, mitigate, or reverse the combined, deleterious effects of climate change on health, women's lives, and agriculture in the geographies of interest. These innovations include early warning and disease surveillance systems to respond to climate-event-driven surges in malaria and other vector borne diseases, as well as improved mapping of expanded vector ranges and vector-borne disease transmission.

Grand Challenges India Accelerating Catalyzing Solutions for Climate Changes Impact on Agriculture

Grand Challenges India: Accelerating Catalyzing Solutions for Climate Change's Impact on Health

Grand Challenges India Accelerating Catalyzing Solutions for Climate Changes Impact on Health

<h2>Background</h2>Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significant potential to transform healthcare around the world. But as AI technology continues to advance, there is an urgent need to position low- and middle-income countries<a href="#_ftn1" title="" id="_ftnref1" name="_ftnref1">[i]</a> (LMICs) to lead on the design and co-creation of AI-enabled technologies – thereby helping to improve the health and well-being of their women, children, and vulnerable communities. Through this call for proposal, we are emphasizing AI solutions that are locally driven and owned hence more relevant to address the needs of people they intend to serve and more likely to be accepted and used by local communities.Responsible global use of AI entails a safe, equitable, transparent, reliable, and beneficial process that is adhered to with a high level of accountability. As the world rapidly moves to seize AI's opportunities, it is imperative to monitor and mitigate the safety, ethical, equity, and reliability dimensions of AI deployment. This will allow the enormous resilience, creativity, and commitment of researchers, scientists, and policymakers to capture the full capability of AI for lasting good.Grand Challenges (GC) partners including GC Brazil, GC Ethiopia, GC India, GC Senegal, GC South Africa, and GC Africa (pan-African), along with the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and the Pasteur Network, have jointly discussed the need for an equitable and responsible approach to the use of AI and specifically Large Language Models (LLMs) in LMICs. This call by the various GC partners is a follow-up to the initial call by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation representing collaborative steps towards identifying, nurturing, and catalyzing the creativity, energy, and skills that researchers, implementers, governments, and technical partners have demonstrated in solving specific challenges in their countries and regions through LLMs. We are optimistic that this family of related AI RFPs will provide a platform for potentially transformative solutions to improve the lives and conditions for numerous vulnerable communities.Note that this request for proposals is being launched by six Grand Challenges partners: African researchers located in Ethiopia, Senegal, and South Africa, should apply through the corresponding country specific Grand Challenges portal; African researchers located in all other African countries should apply through the Grand Challenges Africa portal; Brazilian researchers located in Brazilian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges Brazil portal; and Indian researchers located in Indian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges India portal. Eligible Pasteur Network sites located in Africa should apply through Grand Challenges Africa and Pasteur Network sites located in Brazil should apply through Grand Challenges Brazil. All other eligible Pasteur Network sites (not located in Africa or Brazil) should apply through Grand Challenges Senegal. Please consult the information provided in the subsection referencing geography of interest on the linked partner site to ensure that your application fits the requirements of the RFP you are applying to._______________________________________________________<a href="#_ftnref1" title="" id="_ftn1" name="_ftn1">[i]</a> See <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/country/XO" target="_blank">World Bank – Low Income Countries</a> for definitions.

Grand Challenges India: Catalyzing Equitable Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use to Improve Global Health

<h2>Background</h2>
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significant potential to transform healthcare around the world. But as AI technology continues to advance, there is an urgent need to position low- and middle-income countries<a href="#_ftn1" title name="_ftnref1" id="_ftnref1">[i]</a> (LMICs) to lead on the design and co-creation of AI-enabled technologies – thereby helping to improve the health and well-being of their women, children, and vulnerable communities. Through this call for proposal, we are emphasizing AI solutions that are locally driven and owned hence more relevant to address the needs of people they intend to serve and more likely to be accepted and used by local communities.
Responsible global use of AI entails a safe, equitable, transparent, reliable, and beneficial process that is adhered to with a high level of accountability. As the world rapidly moves to seize AI's opportunities, it is imperative to monitor and mitigate the safety, ethical, equity, and reliability dimensions of AI deployment. This will allow the enormous resilience, creativity, and commitment of researchers, scientists, and policymakers to capture the full capability of AI for lasting good.
Grand Challenges (GC) partners including GC Brazil, GC Ethiopia, GC India, GC Senegal, GC South Africa, and GC Africa (pan-African), along with the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and the Pasteur Network, have jointly discussed the need for an equitable and responsible approach to the use of AI and specifically Large Language Models (LLMs) in LMICs. This call by the various GC partners is a follow-up to the initial call by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation representing collaborative steps towards identifying, nurturing, and catalyzing the creativity, energy, and skills that researchers, implementers, governments, and technical partners have demonstrated in solving specific challenges in their countries and regions through LLMs. We are optimistic that this family of related AI RFPs will provide a platform for potentially transformative solutions to improve the lives and conditions for numerous vulnerable communities.
Note that this request for proposals is being launched by six Grand Challenges partners: African researchers located in Ethiopia, Senegal, and South Africa, should apply through the corresponding country specific Grand Challenges portal; African researchers located in all other African countries should apply through the Grand Challenges Africa portal; Brazilian researchers located in Brazilian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges Brazil portal; and Indian researchers located in Indian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges India portal. Eligible Pasteur Network sites located in Africa should apply through Grand Challenges Africa and Pasteur Network sites located in Brazil should apply through Grand Challenges Brazil. All other eligible Pasteur Network sites (not located in Africa or Brazil) should apply through Grand Challenges Senegal. Please consult the information provided in the subsection referencing geography of interest on the linked partner site to ensure that your application fits the requirements of the RFP you are applying to.
_______________________________________________________
<a href="#_ftnref1" title name="_ftn1" id="_ftn1">[i]</a> See <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/country/XO" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Bank – Low Income Countries</a> for definitions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significant potential to transform healthcare around the world. But as AI technology continues to advance, there is an urgent need to position low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to lead on the design and co-creation of AI-enabled technologies – thereby helping to improve the health and well-being of their women, children, and vulnerable communities. Through this call for proposal, we are emphasizing AI solutions that are locally driven and owned hence more relevant to address the needs of people they intend to serve and more likely to be accepted and used by local communities.

Grand Challenges India Catalyzing Equitable Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use to Improve Global Health

<h2>INTRODUCTION</h2>

Lymphatic Filariasis is a major public health issue in India. Even though the National Filaria Control Programme was established in 1955, it is estimated that there are over 30 million micro-filaremics, over 23 million cases of symptomatic filariasis and almost half-a-billion individuals that are potentially at risk of infection. The last 10 years have seen positive advances in the diagnostics, treatment and control of filariasis.

Circulating microfilariae can be detected by examining thick smears (20–60 μl) of finger-prick blood. The blood must be collected at a specific time – either at night or during the day – depending on the periodicity of the microfilariae. This method is inexpensive and feasible at individual and community levels for mapping the endemicity of lymphatic filariasis and monitoring mass drug administration (MDA).

The Filariasis Test Strip (FTS) is a rapid diagnostic test used to detect the Wuchereria bancrofti&nbsp;antigen in human blood samples.

<h2>The Challenge</h2>

This call-for-proposals aims to:

<ul>
	<li>Explore alternative tests that meet or exceed the current Filarial Test Strip (FTS) or microfilaria detection tools.</li>
	<li>Seek novel methods for identifying viable adult filarial worms in the human body, i.e. the absence of signal must indicate the worms are either not present, dead or permanently sterilized (as would be needed for making decisions).</li>
	<li>Explore the identification of new methods specific for early exposure or pre-patent infection of Lymphatic Filariasis-causative species (as would be needed for surveillance).</li>
</ul>

Diagnostics for Neglected Tropical Diseases - Lymphatic Filariasis

Developing and validating approaches to foster maternal and child health is difficult due to the interaction of biological, environmental, and social factors. Furthermore, policy recommendations for such approaches frequently lack sufficient supporting scientific evidence, while clinical trials are expensive, time-consuming, and increasingly difficult to implement. There is now a key opportunity to accelerate research in this area by analyzing existing data arising from multiple sources in India and formulating public health recommendations that are data-driven and cost-effective.

Data Science Approaches to Improve Maternal and Child Health in India

Developing and validating approaches to foster maternal and child health is difficult due to the interaction of biological, environmental, and social factors. Furthermore, policy recommendations for such approaches frequently lack sufficient supporting scientific evidence, while clinical trials are expensive, time-consuming, and increasingly difficult to implement. There is now a key opportunity to accelerate research in this area by analyzing existing data arising from multiple sources in India and formulating public health recommendations that are data-driven and cost-effective.

Appropriate antibiotic use has the power to save lives in the most vulnerable communities, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) impacts multiple global health priority areas: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, maternal and neonatal health, pneumonia, and enteric and diarrheal diseases. It is critical to better understand the prevalence of AMR and its impact on mortality in developing countries so that access to appropriate antibiotics is ensured while inappropriate use of antibiotics is limited. In particular, there is a need to better understand resistance in bacterial infections of newborns and young children – and to this end, understanding what is the prevalence of AMR in the community, how it impacts mortality, and how it impacts health targets. Tackling AMR will require a global, coordinated approach and the linking together of different research communities for new perspectives on the problem.

Note that this request for proposals is being launched on sequential dates by four Grand Challenges partnerships: African researchers located in African organizations should apply through the joint Grand Challenges Africa/Grand Challenges South Africa portal; Brazilian researchers located in Brazilian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges Brazil portal; and Indian researchers located in Indian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges India portal.

<h3>What we are looking for:</h3>

We seek new approaches that have the potential to transform public health action on a regional or global scale by identifying and filling gaps in knowledge on the burden of resistance to antibacterial agents – we are not seeking incremental improvements in typical disease surveillance solutions. Specifically, we seek projects that propose innovation in the following areas:

<ul>
	<li>Data sources: Pilot tests of new sources of data, particularly those that would bring together different research communities for new perspectives on the problem</li>
	<li>Analytical methods: Pilot tests of bioinformatics approaches, including those that combine or connect existing databases in novel ways</li>
	<li>Biomarkers: Pilot tests of new biomarkers or combinations of biomarkers that could lead to new understanding of the actionable implications of antimicrobial resistance surveillance data</li>
	<li>Low-cost technologies and products: Exploratory work in developing new technologies and products, including 1) those that specifically target improved infection prevention and control in healthcare settings to reduce reliance on healthcare provider behavior change, and 2) technologies to remove antibiotics from effluents</li>
</ul>

<h3>We will give highest priority to those projects that:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Pilot test approaches that could be added to existing surveillance platforms, since we are not seeking to create new surveillance platforms</li>
	<li>Incorporate multiple of the areas of innovation listed above</li>
	<li>Could contribute to a portfolio of funded projects that addresses a country’s regional diversity and the diversity of vulnerable populations</li>
	<li>Explain how proposed approaches will be tested so that they have the highest likelihood of being relevant for implementation in the country’s public health system</li>
</ul>

<h3>Examples of what we are looking for:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Characterizes type examples of the burden of AMR (e.g., exploring the role of AMR in community or hospital sepsis-related mortality, focusing on children)</li>
	<li>Includes data sources that could indirectly reflect AMR burden (e.g., antimicrobial usage patterns or specifically how vaccination against respiratory or diarrheal diseases impacts antimicrobial use)</li>
	<li>Addresses the diversity of vulnerable populations and the different aspects of the AMR burden that might be reflected in urban versus rural settings</li>
	<li>Includes data sources ranging from the level of the individual (e.g., microbiome across body sites) to the community (e.g., public toilets and sanitation systems), while maintaining a focus on gaining new understanding of the actionable consequences of AMR gene flow.</li>
	<li>Includes data sources that could reflect AMR transmission dynamics between communities (e.g., modes of transportation) or within communities over time (e.g., seasonal-related behaviors)</li>
	<li>Provides an ecological perspective, such as a One Health perspective integrating antimicrobial use in livestock or perspectives that can integrate environmental monitoring in the community setting with medical monitoring in the hospital setting – if these perspectives are explicitly linked to human health outcomes and particularly a focus on vulnerable populations</li>
	<li>Leverages opportunities to build in new ways on existing public health interventions or environmental monitoring platforms - and to bring together different research communities</li>
	<li>Contributes to control of infections in healthcare settings: novel techniques and products to control hospital infection rates and break the chain of transmission of bacteria in clinical settings</li>
	<li>Exploratory work into developing low-cost technologies to remove antibiotics and associated chemicals from effluents</li>
</ul>

<h3>We will NOT consider funding for:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Proposals to develop diagnostic devices and technologies or for drug discovery. Although diagnostic devices and new drugs are potentially critical to AMR solutions, these areas are not unique to AMR challenges and should therefore be advanced more comprehensively against a broader landscape of possible needs and solutions. Thus, while excluded here, they may be part of a future request for proposals.</li>
	<li>Proposals without a clear application to surveillance or facilitating the development of new evidence describing the global burden of AMR</li>
	<li>Proposals seeking to apply existing tools in ways that do not transform our understanding of the global emergence or spread of AMR</li>
	<li>Incremental improvements to conventional solutions or typical disease surveillance. We will not consider local surveillance programs or projects or small improvements in surveillance, e.g., use of mobile data collection, automation of traditional processes, or improving access to existing tools or technologies.</li>
	<li>Proposals that simply expand the availability of primary data without a clear link to informing our understanding of global AMR epidemiology</li>
	<li>Applications proposing basic research</li>
	<li>Ideas not directly relevant to low- and middle-income contexts</li>
	<li>Genomic and other laboratory-based approaches that lack a clear application to AMR surveillance or epidemiology</li>
	<li>Ideas focused on quantifying resistance in animal or livestock populations or in environmental samples without a direct linkage to how data would impact public health practice</li>
	<li>Proposals involving clinical trials in human volunteers or patients (note: use of existing datasets or other outputs from clinical trials may be considered, as long as the proposed approach is feasible within the time and financial envelopes provided).</li>
</ul>

Grand Challenges India: New Approaches to Characterize the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance

Appropriate antibiotic use has the power to save lives in the most vulnerable communities, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) impacts multiple global health priority areas: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, maternal and neonatal health, pneumonia, and enteric and diarrheal diseases. It is critical to better understand the prevalence of AMR and its impact on mortality in developing countries so that access to appropriate antibiotics is ensured while inappropriate use of antibiotics is limited. In particular, there is a need to better understand resistance in bacterial infections of newborns and young children – and to this end, understanding what is the prevalence of AMR in the community, how it impacts mortality, and how it impacts health targets. Tackling AMR will require a global, coordinated approach and the linking together of different research communities for new perspectives on the problem.
<h3>What we are looking for:</h3>
We seek new approaches that have the potential to transform public health action on a regional or global scale by identifying and filling gaps in knowledge on the burden of resistance to antibacterial agents – we are not seeking incremental improvements in typical disease surveillance solutions. Specifically, we seek projects that propose innovation in the following areas:
<ul>
<li>Data sources: Pilot tests of new sources of data, particularly those that would bring together different research communities for new perspectives on the problem</li>
<li>Analytical methods: Pilot tests of bioinformatics approaches, including those that combine or connect existing databases in novel ways</li>
<li>Biomarkers: Pilot tests of new biomarkers or combinations of biomarkers that could lead to new understanding of the actionable implications of antimicrobial resistance surveillance data</li>
<li>Low-cost technologies and products: Exploratory work in developing new technologies and products, including 1) those that specifically target improved infection prevention and control in healthcare settings to reduce reliance on healthcare provider behavior change, and 2) technologies to remove antibiotics from effluents</li>
</ul>
<h3>We will give highest priority to those projects that:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Pilot test approaches that could be added to existing surveillance platforms, since we are not seeking to create new surveillance platforms</li>
<li>Incorporate multiple of the areas of innovation listed above</li>
<li>Could contribute to a portfolio of funded projects that addresses a country’s regional diversity and the diversity of vulnerable populations</li>
<li>Explain how proposed approaches will be tested so that they have the highest likelihood of being relevant for implementation in the country’s public health system</li>
</ul>
<h3>Examples of what we are looking for:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Characterizes type examples of the burden of AMR (e.g., exploring the role of AMR in community or hospital sepsis-related mortality, focusing on children)</li>
<li>Includes data sources that could indirectly reflect AMR burden (e.g., antimicrobial usage patterns or specifically how vaccination against respiratory or diarrheal diseases impacts antimicrobial use)</li>
<li>Addresses the diversity of vulnerable populations and the different aspects of the AMR burden that might be reflected in urban versus rural settings</li>
<li>Includes data sources ranging from the level of the individual (e.g., microbiome across body sites) to the community (e.g., public toilets and sanitation systems), while maintaining a focus on gaining new understanding of the actionable consequences of AMR gene flow.</li>
<li>Includes data sources that could reflect AMR transmission dynamics between communities (e.g., modes of transportation) or within communities over time (e.g., seasonal-related behaviors)</li>
<li>Provides an ecological perspective, such as a One Health perspective integrating antimicrobial use in livestock or perspectives that can integrate environmental monitoring in the community setting with medical monitoring in the hospital setting – if these perspectives are explicitly linked to human health outcomes and particularly a focus on vulnerable populations</li>
<li>Leverages opportunities to build in new ways on existing public health interventions or environmental monitoring platforms - and to bring together different research communities</li>
<li>Contributes to control of infections in healthcare settings: novel techniques and products to control hospital infection rates and break the chain of transmission of bacteria in clinical settings</li>
<li>Exploratory work into developing low-cost technologies to remove antibiotics and associated chemicals from effluents</li>
</ul>
<h3>We will NOT consider funding for:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Proposals to develop diagnostic devices and technologies or for drug discovery. Although diagnostic devices and new drugs are potentially critical to AMR solutions, these areas are not unique to AMR challenges and should therefore be advanced more comprehensively against a broader landscape of possible needs and solutions. Thus, while excluded here, they may be part of a future request for proposals.</li>
<li>Proposals without a clear application to surveillance or facilitating the development of new evidence describing the global burden of AMR</li>
<li>Proposals seeking to apply existing tools in ways that do not transform our understanding of the global emergence or spread of AMR</li>
<li>Incremental improvements to conventional solutions or typical disease surveillance. We will not consider local surveillance programs or projects or small improvements in surveillance, e.g., use of mobile data collection, automation of traditional processes, or improving access to existing tools or technologies.</li>
<li>Proposals that simply expand the availability of primary data without a clear link to informing our understanding of global AMR epidemiology</li>
<li>Applications proposing basic research</li>
<li>Ideas not directly relevant to low- and middle-income contexts</li>
<li>Genomic and other laboratory-based approaches that lack a clear application to AMR surveillance or epidemiology</li>
<li>Ideas focused on quantifying resistance in animal or livestock populations or in environmental samples without a direct linkage to how data would impact public health practice</li>
<li>Proposals involving clinical trials in human volunteers or patients (note: use of existing datasets or other outputs from clinical trials may be considered, as long as the proposed approach is feasible within the time and financial envelopes provided).</li>
</ul>
Note that this request for proposals is being launched in parallel by four Grand Challenges partnerships: African researchers located in African organizations should apply through the joint Grand Challenges Africa/Grand Challenges South Africa portal; Brazilian researchers located in Brazilian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges Brazil portal; and Indian researchers located in Indian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges India portal.

We seek new approaches that have the potential to transform public health action on a regional or global scale by identifying and filling gaps in knowledge on the burden of resistance to antibacterial agents, including the linking together of different research communities for new perspectives on the problem.

Grand Challenges India New Approaches to Characterize the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance

The Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation are inviting proposals through Grand Challenges India for the program Immunization Data: Innovating for Action (IDIA) with technical partnership from the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Health Research (DHR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The program seeks innovations in data systems for immunization to aid real-time visibility of the correlation between consumption and coverage of immunizations. It seeks solutions that address the challenges in immunization data systems in India that are different from current approaches and that have the potential to be scaled up in multiple settings. The program also encourages proposals for translating best practices and solutions developed by the private sector as well as academic research, including those from outside the health sector.

Immunization Data: Innovating for Action (IDIA)

The Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation are inviting proposals through Grand Challenges India for the program&nbsp;Immunization Data: Innovating for Action (IDIA)&nbsp;with technical partnership&nbsp;from the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Health Research (DHR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The program seeks innovations in data systems for immunization to aid real-time visibility of the correlation between consumption and coverage of immunizations. It seeks solutions that address the challenges in immunization data systems in India that are different from current approaches and that have the potential to be scaled up in multiple settings. The program also encourages proposals for translating best practices and solutions developed by the private sector as well as academic research, including those from outside the health sector.

The Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation are inviting proposals through Grand Challenges India for the program&nbsp;Immunization Data: Innovating for Action (IDIA)&nbsp;with technical partnership&nbsp;from the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Health Research (DHR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The program seeks innovations in data systems for immunization to aid real-time visibility of the correlation between consumption and coverage of immunizations.

Immunization Data Innovating for Action (IDIA)

This challenge focuses on new measurement tools and new combinations of approaches to ensure all children thrive – that they not only survive, but also have the chance to live healthy productive lives.&nbsp; The ultimate goal of this challenge is to determine what packages of interventions should be delivered to which group of individuals at what point in their life cycle to reduce the burden of fetal growth impairment and preterm birth, stunted postnatal growth, and impaired cognitive development.This challenge joins the All Children Thriving platform, which links Grand Challenges programs targeting healthy birth, growth, and development, including the global programs <a href="http://www.grandchallenges.ca/saving-brains/" target="_blank">Saving Brains</a> and <a href="http://savinglivesatbirth.net/" target="_blank">Saving Lives at Birth</a> and a set of four new programs launched concurrently. These new programs are <a href="https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/all-children-thriving-brazil" target="_blank">Grand Challenges Brazil: All Children Thriving</a>; Grand Challenges India: All Children Thriving; <a href="http://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/all-children-thriving-1" target="_blank">Grand Challenges South Africa: All Children Thriving</a>; and <a href="http://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/creating-and-measuring-integrated-solutions-healthy-birth-growth-and-development" target="_blank">Creating and Measuring Integrated Solutions for Healthy Birth, Growth, and Development</a> (a global program with awards to investigators in low- and middle-income countries).

All Children Thriving - India

The Grand Challenges India partnership opened its second grant opportunity, "Reinvent the Toilet Challenge - India." This program seeks to support the development of innovative, new sanitation technologies, products, and services. Projects should focus on stand-alone, affordable and environmentally and economically sustainable solutions that do not require connection to the sewer or electrical grid, to enable their deployment in rural and poor urban communities that often need them the most. Grants will be to Indian innovators, but partnerships with researchers in other countries are encouraged, especially where the opportunity exists to build on established collaborations.