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Grand Challenges is a family of initiatives fostering innovation to solve key global health and development problems. Each initiative is an experiment in the use of challenges to focus innovation on making an impact. Individual challenges address some of the same problems, but from differing perspectives.

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Radioimmunotherapy in Patients on ART for HIV Cure

Ekaterina DadachovaAlbert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva UniversityBronx, New York, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
7 Apr 2011

Ekaterina Dadachova of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the U.S., in collaboration with Arturo Casadevall, proposes to use radioimmunotherapy as a strategy to eliminate HIV-infected cells in patients on anti-retroviral therapy. Targeting viral antigens on these cells with radioactivity-armed antibodies could lead to HIV eradication. This project's Phase I research demonstrated that radioimmunotherapy can kill HIV-infected primary human cells in conjunction with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and that this antibody can also reach HIV-infected cells in the central nervous system. In Phase II, Dadachova and colleague Joan W. Berman will work with collaborators to study if radioimmunotherapy can kill cells latently infected with HIV, and will also investigate whether eradication of HIV in the central nervous system is an effective and safe modality.

Cell Surface Biomarkers of Latently Infected Cd4+ T Cells

Fabio RomerioUniversity of Maryland, BaltimoreBaltimore, Maryland, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
7 Apr 2011

Fabio Romerio of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in the U.S. seeks to identify surface biomarkers of HIV latently infected cells by comparing membrane proteomes of latently infected and uninfected cells. Unique biomarkers allow selective killing of latently infected cells with specific ligands, or targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents.

Combining HAART and HIV Immunization to Eradicate HIV

Nicolas ChomontVaccine & Gene Therapy InstitutePort St. Lucie, Florida, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
7 Apr 2011

Nicolas Chomont of the Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute Florida in the U.S. will determine if the stimulation of latently infected cells with HIV antigens is a viable strategy for eradicating the HIV reservoir. If successful, the strategy could be used to cure HIV by combining HAART and immunization with HIV antigens.

Sensor Strategies to Eliminate HIV-1 Infected Cells

Joao GoncalvesFaculty of Pharmacy University of LisbonLisbon, Portugal
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
6 Apr 2011

Joao Goncalves of ADEIM - Faculdade de Farmacia Lisboa in Portugal proposes to develop molecular sensor strategies using nanoparticles to target memory T cells to deliver a toxin that will be expressed when zinc-finger proteins detect HIV-1 sequences.

Reversion of HIV Latency by Small Molecule Inhibition of miR

Alexander DeitersNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, North Carolina, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
6 Apr 2011

Alex Deiters of North Carolina State University in the U.S. will work to discover small molecule inhibitors of short ribonucleic acids (microRNAs) that cause HIV latency in resting T-lymphocytes. Inhibiting the function of these microRNAs could reverse HIV latency, purge HIV reservoirs, and ultimately represent a chemotherapeutic approach to eradicating HIV infection.

Testing Novel Nanoparticles for Antagonizing HIV Latency

Jerome ZackUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
6 Apr 2011

Jerome Zack of the University of California, Los Angeles in the U.S. will test nanoparticles for their ability to specifically activate HIV from latently infected cells. Once the latent cells express viral proteins, host immune responses and targeted therapies can be used to kill the cell. If successful, this project could provide an effective approach to eliminate an important viral reservoir from HIV infected individuals.

Safe Sludge

Kara NelsonUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
5 Apr 2011

Kara Nelson of the University of California, Berkeley in the U.S. proposes to disinfect excreta in latrines by converting the ammonia naturally found in urine and feces into a powerful disinfectant by adding an alkalinizing agent to raise the pH level. By killing pathogens immediately and turning excreta into “safe sludge,” all subsequent activities required for excreta management become safer.

The Earth Auger Toilet: Innovation in Waterless Sanitation

Marcos FioravantiFundación In TerrisGuayaquil, Ecuador
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
4 Apr 2011

Marcos Fioravanti and Chris Canaday of Fundación In Terris in Ecuador will develop an easy-to-use urine-diverting dry toilet that uses a pedal to "flush" feces into a pipe and mix the waste with dry material for faster composting. Following toilet use, pushing the pedal turns an auger in the pipe, withdrawing the waste to eliminate odors and to enable safe sanitation, after which it can be used as fertilizer. In Phase I, they designed, built and laboratory-tested three prototypes with varying designs. The two best designs, one for home use and one for public use, were field tested in Ecuador to evaluate performance and usability. In Phase II, Fioravanti, now working with co-investigator Chuck Henry, will further refine the design through feedback from the field, and test modified prototypes with a view to conduct large-scale local demonstrations across different continents to promote user acceptance. They will also look to scale-up manufacturing to low-cost mass production.

Using Senecio lyratipartitus Extract After Anal Ablution

Asafu MaradufuUniversity of Eastern Africa, BaratonEldoret, Kenya
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
4 Apr 2011

Asafu Maradufu of the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton in Kenya proposes to produce a gel-based disinfectant from plant extracts of Senecio lyratipartitus which can be applied to hands. This disinfectant will reduce contamination associated with the practice of anal ablution among certain communities.

An Energy-Producing Waterless Toilet System

Virginia GardinerLoowatt Ltd.London, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
4 Apr 2011

Virginia Gardiner of Loowatt Ltd. in the United Kingdom will develop a waterless toilet that uses biodegradable film to safely separate and seal waste into a portable cartridge for local anaerobic digestion. The digester will produce fuel (biogas) and fertilizer, creating local waste treatment economies. In Phase I Gardiner performed market research in Madagascar to adapt the basic toilet system to local contexts and to develop a business model. She further developed the toilet, digester, and post-treatment system, and built a pilot system that was tested using human waste in the laboratory. In Phase II, Loowatt looks to scale-up their technology and tools for the global market by further developing the anaerobic digester, readying toilet components for mass production and local manufacture and supply, and exploring local manufacturing possibilities for the biodegradable film.

High Efficiency, Sanitary Toilet with Sewage Treatment

Peter DreherLivvon LLCWest Chester, Ohio, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
4 Apr 2011

Peter Dreher of Livvon LLC in the U.S. is developing a simple, low-cost toilet for resource-poor settings that uses a hand crank to remove the water from infected feces and urine, and converts the feces into dry, harmless, odorless pellets in a sealed bag that can be used for fertilizer or fuel. The air-tight system will also control odor and keep out flies and vermin, and requires no water, chemicals, or electricity. The system will help to contain human pathogens such as strains of Escherichia coli that cause many diseases and are particularly deadly to small children. In Phase I, they built the toilet and tested it on cow feces, which has similar water and bacteria content to humans. They found that it killed all the pathogens, sealed in odor, and the urine collector made nitrogen fertilizer. In Phase II, they will adapt the design for mass production, and develop a sustainable business model that generates revenue from the fertilizer and from electricity, which will be produced by a feces-fueled generator, to cover the cost of the toilet and collection service. They will also develop a reward system for using the toilets. They will produce several thousand toilets to test their business model in Africa or Haiti, and evaluate the profit or loss.

Turning Latrines Into Fly Traps

Steve LindsayLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondon, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
4 Apr 2011

Steve Lindsay of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom seeks to demonstrate that flies are transmitters of diarrheal diseases due to their attraction to fecal matter and to food sources, and proposes to design traps that attract, capture and kill flies in latrines. If successful, the reductions in flies may reduce diarrheal diseases in local communities.

The Lotus Throne: A Self-Cleaning Solution to Sanitation

Kin-Ping WongRetina Pharma IncHayward, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
1 Apr 2011

Kin-Ping Wong of Retina Pharma, Inc. in the U.S. proposes to test UV-resistant super-water-repellent silica as a coating for toilets, which could reduce the amount of water needed to clean the toilets after use and improve the surface sanitation of the toilets. The silica coating displays the same very high water repellency as the leaves of the lotus flower.

A Low-Cost Decentralized Sanitary System

Bin FanResearch Center for Eco-environmental Sciences (RCEES), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); and Chinese Committee for SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment)Beijing, China
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
31 Mar 2011

Bin Fan of the Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences in China seeks to develop a decentralized sanitation system which uses a low-cost waterless, vacuum system to collect excrement and kitchen waste. The combined waste can then be processed into organic fertilizer.

Ecological Sanitation for the Base of the Pyramid

Elmer SayreWater, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development Foundation, IncorporatedCagayan de Oro, Philippines
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
31 Mar 2011

Elmer Sayre of the WAND Foundation in the Philippines will explore how to close the loop between sanitation, health and food consumption by testing low-cost dry toilets appropriate for most conditions and using the human waste in small-scale agriculture efforts. Results and best practices will then be shared for future scale-up of the project.

Reusable Self-Decontaminating Sanitary Napkin

Joe SchneiderLAAMScience, Inc.Morrisville, North Carolina, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
30 Mar 2011

Joe Schneider of LAAMScience in the U.S. will develop a reusable and self-decontaminating menstrual napkin that uses photodynamic dyes to inactivate microbial growth on the fabric. The napkin would prevent the need for expensive disposable pads and tampons while offering a hygienic alternative that self-disinfects in the absence of soap or clean water.

Using Waste To Move Waste

Mark IllianNature Healing NatureHouston, Texas, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
30 Mar 2011

Mark Illian of Nature Healing Nature in the U.S. will work with villagers in rural Africa to design a pour-flush latrine utilizing readily available urine instead of scarce water for flushing, and drops of used cooking oil for odor control. Achieving a successful design of these latrines could stimulate more latrine building to reduce open defecation and resulting diarrheal diseases.

Prototype Microflush- Biofil Toilet Facilities

Stephen MeccaGhana Sustainable Aid ProjectJamestown, Rhode Island, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
30 Mar 2011

Mumtaz Arthur and colleagues of Biofilcom Ltd. in Ghana will develop and field test a prototype toilet facility that incorporates an aerobic digester to decompose waste along with a low-cost microflush valve that uses minimal amounts of wastewater from the washbasins to improve sanitation and user experience. The field tests will help assess and refine cultural, sanitation, and financial aspects of these community facilities. In Phase I, Stephen Mecca of Ghana Sustainable Aid Project in the U.S., along with partners in Ghana, installed and evaluated the performance of three prototypes in Ghana: a 9-stall public toilet, a 3- to 5-stall school toilet, and a 1- to 2-stall family toilet. They demonstrated that the toilet system was effective at removing odors, and isolating and digesting waste, with low associated costs. They also conducted a field survey to evaluate sanitation habits, health and impacts on potential users, and researched ways to improve some of the associated subsystems such as harvesting rainwater for use in the washbasins. In Phase II, Mumtaz Arthur of Biofilcom Ltd. in Ghana will scale up field-testing to an entire village by installing 400 stalls, further research the digestion process, and work to produce a next generation low-cost prototype for local manufacturing, supply, and easy assembly.

Using Cocopeat for Treating Septic Tank Effluent

David RobbinsResearch Triangle InstituteResearch Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
30 Mar 2011

David Robbins of RTI International in the U.S. will test a septic tank biofilter made from cocopeat, which is a readily available byproduct of coconut processing, for its ability to decompose human waste and produce effluent that can be used for crop fertilization and irrigation. If successful, the cocopeat biofilter could be produced locally and aid in solid waste treatment and water conservation efforts.

Develop a Simple Auger-Die Assembly That Treats Fecal Wastes

Gary FoutchOklahoma State University FoundationStillwater, Oklahoma, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
29 Mar 2011

Gary Foutch and AJ Johannes of Oklahoma State University in the U.S. propose to develop a small-scale device in which an auger forces feces and other solid wastes device through a die that results in high temperatures and pressure that dewaters the waste and destroys microorganisms. The device could reduce odor, insects, surface and ground water contamination, and the associated spread of diseases. In Phase I, they designed a laboratory-scale extruder, which is a fixed shell containing a rotating inner core driven by a motor, and an air-driven plunger to push in the material and generate pressure. They tested its performance using different operating conditions. Preliminary results revealed that their method could destroy 99 percent of parasitic worm eggs in baboon feces. In Phase II, Foutch, AJ Johannes and colleagues will develop and field test a next-generation stand-alone extruder that can effectively sanitize different types of solid sludge in the field, and is also capable of water recovery via evaporation. They will also design a sanitation module from their extruder that can be incorporated into the Omni-Ingestor technology, which is a modular system that combines sanitation with waste removal and transportation.

Sewage Containment and Mineralization Device (SeCoM)

Andrew ParfittIResIShepherdstown, West Virginia, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
10 Feb 2011

Andrew Parfitt of the Institute for Residential Innovation (IResI) in the U.S. will develop a compact, stand-alone device that uses a non-microbial system of progressive reactor modules to mineralize biomass such as sewage and food waste and simultaneously generate electrical power. This system could be used in any location to provide sanitation and purified water for a potable water supply.

The Pill For Men – A Male Contraceptive Development

Haim BreitbartBar-Ilan UniversityRam-Ganat, Israel
Grand Challenges Explorations
Contraceptive Technologies
11 Jan 2011

Haim Breitbart of Bar-Ilan University in Israel will design and test antisense molecules that will inactivate specific genes within sperm that are essential to the fertilization process. If successful, these antisense molecules can be used to develop a reversible oral male contraceptive.

Low Cost, Low Power, Mobile Diagnostic Ultrasound Scanner for Affordable Healthcare During Pregnancy

Manish AroraGE India Technology Centre Private LimitedBangalore, , India
Grand Challenges Explorations
Mothers and Newborns
5 Jan 2011

Manish Arora of the GE India Technology Centre Private Limited in Bangalore, India will assess the feasibility of using new low-cost ultrasound transducers to create an affordable diagnostic ultrasound scanner for use in the developing world. Arora's prototype device will also feature a power-saving mode to save battery power, as well as wireless connectivity features that can enable telehealth solutions in remote locations.

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