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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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A Non-invasive Cell Phone Imaging Probe for Diagnosing Malaria

Alberto BilencaBen-Gurion University of the NegevBeer-Sheva, Israel
Grand Challenges Explorations
Cell Phone Applications
4 Dec 2011

Alberto Bilenca of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel will develop a cell phone imaging system that can non-invasively detect malaria parasites in the blood. The system uses a polarized red laser pointer to illuminate tissue such as a finger tip, and a zoom lens and polarizing filter on existing cell phone cameras, to create images that depict hemozoin crystals in blood following malaria parasite infection, as well as micro-obstructions in the circulatory system that result from the infection.

Adenoviral HIV Vaccine Vector with CMV-Like Immunogenicity

Matt CottinghamJenner InstituteOxford, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Synthetic Biology
11 Nov 2011

Matt Cottingham of The Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom will work to engineer an adenovirus vaccine vector that includes HIV antigens as well as the immune evasion genes of cytomegalovirus (CMV). Such a vector could be used in an HIV vaccine to elicit the strong immune response typical of a CMV-vectored vaccine, but without the typical safety issues that accompany the use of CMV in vaccines.

Increase of Biogas Production Using Low Cost Nanoparticles

Antonio SánchezUniversitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBellaterra, Province: Barcelona, Spain
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
1 Nov 2011

Antonio Sánchez of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain will test the ability of low-cost iron oxide biocompatible nanoparticles to increase the production of biogas from sludge and other organic wastes and also produce high quality sanitized compost.

Gene Therapy to Eliminate the HIV Latent Reservoir

Alison HillJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, Maryland, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
1 Nov 2011

Alison Hill and Daniel Scholes Rosenbloom of Harvard University in the U.S., working with Seyed Alireza Rabi and Greg Laird of Johns Hopkins University in the U.S., propose to engineer a gene therapy that delivers a viral transcription factor to reactivate CD4 cells that are latently infected with HIV along with a suicide gene that is triggered by HIV protein production to effectively kill the infected cells. This therapy could allow complete clearance of HIV from the body and a permanent cure for HIV infection.

Ultra-Low Cost, Pure DHA Production for World Nutrition

Geoffrey von MaltzahnPronutria IncCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
1 Nov 2011

Geoffrey von Maltzahn of Essentient Inc. in the U.S. proposes to design a solar-powered production system to produce pure DHA, a key lipid for infant nutrition, in a low-cost bioreactor. These cell cultures could be used to mass-produce DHA for infant nutrition and development without the need for land or fresh water.

Low Cost Method for Automating Vaccination Records, Patient Identification, and Improving Vaccine Safety

Richard FletcherGeneral Hospital CorporationBoston, Massachusetts, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Cell Phone Applications
26 Oct 2011

Richard Fletcher of Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health in the U.S., in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is developing a cell phone system that can aid in vaccination campaigns in developing countries. Cell phone cameras will capture images of hand vein patterns for biometric patient identification, tagging it via GPS to store vaccination location information, and cameras will also scan temperature indicator labels on doses to assess the quality and expiration of the vaccine.

Sanitation and Electricity Through Local Enterprise

Swapnil ChaturvediSamagra Off-Grid Utilities, Inc.New Castle, Delaware, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
25 Oct 2011

Swapnil Chaturvedi of Samagra Off-Grid Utilities, Inc. in the U.S. proposes to deploy an innovative service that integrates customers' emotional and aspirational motivations with the introduction of clean sanitation in slums in India. The goal is to create a business that leverages the existing network of local entrepreneurs who exchange rechargeable batteries to also include a business of exchanging waste cartridges. If successful, there could be a potential additional business opportunity to use the waste cartridges to power a biodigester that could recharge the batteries.

Vegetative DHA Production for Sub-Saharan Africa

James PetrieCSIROCanberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
20 Oct 2011

James Petrie of CSIRO in Australia will provide proof of concept that a readily available leafy green vegetable in Africa can be engineered to produce long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Such locally grown greens could be used in diets to improve infant cognitive development.

Towards the Understanding of the Molecular Bases of HIV Latency

Eugenio MontiniFondazione Centro San RaffaeleMilan, Italy
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
20 Oct 2011

Eugenio Montini of Fondazione Centro San Raffaele Del Monte Tabor in Italy will attempt to identify the specific cellular genes that HIV uses to integrate into cells and establish latency. Discovering these “common insertion sites” could lead to therapies for preventing HIV latency.

Immunomodulatory Re-Nutrition Based on Nile Perch Fish Oil

James BerkleyUniversity of OxfordOxford, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
20 Oct 2011

James Berkley of Oxford University in the United Kingdom and Kelsey Jones of Imperial College, working at the KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya will test whether enhancing therapeutic meals for malnourished children with essential fatty acids derived from the local Nile Perch fish could improve their immune defense systems and reduce severe infections that lead to mortality. If successful, these meals could enhance immune response instead of simply producing growth in malnourished children.

Breastmilk Bioactives and the Defense of Gut and Growth

Robin BernsteinGeorge Washington UniversityWashington, District of Columbia, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
20 Oct 2011

Robin Bernstein of George Washington University in the U.S. will investigate how bioactive components in breastmilk affect the maturation of gut defense systems in infants in an effort to better understand potential preventative and therapeutic strategies to eliminate intestinal disease and promote infant development.

Dermal Laser for Dose Sparing of Pediatric Polio Vaccine

Satoshi KashiwagiGeneral Hospital CorporationBoston, Massachusetts, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Poliovirus Eradication
20 Oct 2011

Satoshi Kashiwagi of Massachusetts General Hospital in the U.S. will test whether pre-treating the skin at the site of vaccination with an infrared laser light to stimulate antigen-presenting cells will result in a stronger immune response to the polio vaccination. The laser-based technology could reduce the number of vaccinations required to protect children from polio.

Mobile Waste to Liquid Fuels Conversion Plants

Leonardo De Silva MuñozAlianza para la innovación en integridad de infraestructura y ductos A.C (AI3D)Cuernavaca, Mexico
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
19 Oct 2011

Leonardo De Silva Muñoz of AI3D in Mexico proposes to design a mobile waste treatment system that extracts fecal sludge and uses plasma gasification to turn waste into a gas that can be used to synthesize diesel and produce electricity. The treatment system will be fitted into the bed of a pickup truck, and the gas mixture produced will power the truck, the waste treatment process, and the fecal sludge extraction system.

Use of a BET Antagonist to Control and Cure HIV Infection

Terri FinkelNemours Children's Hospital of the Nemours FoundationJacksonville, Florida, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
19 Oct 2011

Terri Finkel of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in the U.S. will test whether synthetic BET (bromodomains and extraterminal) protein antagonists can inhibit the replication of HIV and the establishment of latency, while also promoting the reactivation of latently infected cells. Such molecules could be used to control and cure HIV infection.

Depletion of CD45RO+ Cells to Eliminate the Latent Reservoir

Seth PincusChildren's Hospital, New OrleansNew Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
19 Oct 2011

Seth Pincus of Children's Hospital New Orleans in the U.S., armed with knowledge that CD4+ memory cells that express the biomarker CD45RO harbor latent HIV, will test how depleting CD4+ memory cells harboring latent HIV can affect the latent HIV reservoir and the immune system in general.

Exploration of a Mechanism Regulating HIV Latency

Zhengxian GuPTC Therapeutics, Inc.South Plainfield, New Jersey, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
19 Oct 2011

Zhengxian Gu and colleagues at PTC Therapeutics, Inc. in the U.S. will investigate the mechanism of action used by a class of small molecules shown to specifically activate HIV. Understanding the pathways for reactivation of latent HIV could inform development of drug therapies to eliminate latent HIV reservoirs and effectively cure HIV.

Healthy Growth of Infants by Treating Maternal Anemia

Mohammad KhaledUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, Alabama, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
19 Oct 2011

Mohammad Khaled at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the US will test whether eliminating H. pylori infection in pregnant women permits the replenishment of iron stores via iron and folate supplements. Eradicating this common bacteria in expectant mothers might thus facilitate treatment of maternal anemia and reduce delivery of underweight babies.

Creating Economic Incentives for Improved Sanitation

Mark HoltzappleTexas Engineering Experiment StationCollege Station, Texas, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
18 Oct 2011

Mark Holtzapple of Texas A&M University in the U.S. seeks to demonstrate that carboxylic acid fermentation can be adapted as a sanitation treatment to not only kill pathogens in the waste but also convert it to liquid fuels, compost, and potable water that can be used for economic gain.

Systematic High-Throughput Screening of B-cell Repertoires

Thor WagnerSeattle Children's HospitalSeattle, Washington, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
18 Oct 2011

Thor Wagner of Seattle Children's Hospital in the U.S. will use high-throughput single-cell screening of activated B-cells from HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy in an effort to identify antibodies that bind specifically to HIV-infected cells. These antibodies could be used to develop antibody drug conjugates to kill HIV-infected cells.

Eradicating HIV Infection: Eliminate HIV Viral Sanctuaries

Philip GerkVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, Virginia, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
18 Oct 2011

Phillip M. Gerk of Virginia Commonwealth University in the U.S. will test the ability of fatty acid transporters to deliver antiretroviral drugs to the central nervous system and gut-associated lymphatic tissues, which provide sanctuary for latent HIV.

Nutritional Intervention for Malaria-Induced NTS Bacteremia

Shirley LuckhartUniversity of California, DavisDavis, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
18 Oct 2011

Shirley Luckhart and colleagues at the University of California Davis in the U.S. will develop and test in a mouse model a simple, safe, and cost-effective immune- enhancing nutritional supplement that could reverse and prevent intestinal damage thought to be cause by malarial infection. This intervention could improve immunity to bacterial infections that co-occur in children also suffering from malaria.

NEWgenerator for Nutrient, Energy, Water Recovery From Human Wastes

Daniel YehUniversity of South FloridaTampa, Florida, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
17 Oct 2011

Daniel Yeh of the University of South Florida in the U.S. will develop a decentralized sanitation system which uses an anaerobic digester and membrane biotechnology to treat waste water and produce methane for energy, clean water, and fertilizer for agriculture.

Sialic Acid Supplement for Improved Cognition

Thomas JueUniversity of California, DavisDavis, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
17 Oct 2011

Thomas Jue, Frederic A. Troy and Youngran Chung at the University of California Davis in the U.S. will use a mouse model to track the biodistribution of sialic acid – abundant in human breast milk and shown in animal studies to improve cognition – as a first step in understanding the long-term cognitive advantages of breastfeeding and potentially developing a sialic acid supplement for infants to promote cognitive development.

Footprint Recognition to Support Childhood Vaccination

Stephen DavisRMIT UniversityMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Cell Phone Applications
14 Oct 2011

Stephen Davis of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia will collect footprints from infants at 0, 2 and 6 months of age to test whether the spatial patterns produced by ridge lines and creases stay unique and constant despite the physical growth of the footprint. These footprints could be captured using low-tech mobile phone cameras to provide a biometric identification system for use in immunization programs.

Improved Gut Development and Function in Preterm/LBW Babies

Kevin NicholasDeakin UniversityGeelong, Western Australia, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
14 Oct 2011

Kevin Nicholas of Deakin University in Australia will study the milk composition of lactating Australian marsupials (the tammar wallaby) to identify proteins, and then their human equivalents, that promote gut function and stomach development in infants. Such proteins could be developed into a supplement for improved health outcomes for preterm and low birth weight babies.

Paternal Health Programmes Childhood Health

Michelle LaneUniversity of AdelaideAdelaide, South Australia, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
14 Oct 2011

Michelle Lane and colleagues at the University of Adelaide in Australia will use a mouse model to examine how interventions in a father's diet at the time of conception could improve the molecular health of his gametes, which could improve the health of the pregnancy and the development and health of the offspring. Interventions to improve men's health thus might lead to healthier pregnancies and children.

Farmed-Seaweed Meal as Food or Supplement

Ricardo RadulovichUniversity of Costa RicaSan Jose, Costa Rica
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
14 Oct 2011

Ricardo Radulovich of the University of Costa Rica/FUNDEVI in Costa Rica will scale-up sustainable seaweed farming ventures in Costa Rica, characterize nutritional values of various crops, and formulate them into a nutritious seaweed meal that can be marketed as a low-cost stand-alone food or as a supplement.

Nasal Spray Immunization Against Polio

Anthony van den PolYale UniversityNew Haven, Connecticut, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Poliovirus Eradication
14 Oct 2011

Anthony van den Pol of Yale University in the U.S. proposes to engineer a highly immunogenic virus to express replication-restricted poliovirus proteins for use in a new nasal spray polio vaccine. The spray will then be tested for its ability to generate a strong immune response against the virus and refined to increase its shelf life at room temperature.

Intestinal Microbiome and Oral Polio Vaccine Immune Response

David RelmanStanford UniversityStanford, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Poliovirus Eradication
14 Oct 2011

David Relman of Stanford University in the U.S. will work with collaborators to study the compositions of intestinal microbial communities in children given the oral polio vaccine (OPV). By identifying the gut microbial characteristics of those who display a low response to OPV, Relman and his team can identify predictors of response to the oral vaccine and target children who may need additional dosing and follow-up.

Parasite Protease Biosensors

Paul FreemontImperial College LondonLondon, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Synthetic Biology
13 Oct 2011

Paul Freemont and colleagues at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom will develop and test a self-replicating biosensor that can quickly detect proteases released by parasites. Rapid detection of parasites could lead to early treatment as well as help track the spread of disease.

A New Model for Studying in utero Disease Using Newborn Hair

Benjamin YuUniversity of California, San DiegoSan Diego, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
13 Oct 2011

Benjamin Yu of the University of California San Diego in the U.S. will isolate and sequence RNA found in the hair and nails of newborns to study whether specific RNA changes can be found in low-birthweight babies. This molecular tool could help uncover nutritional or environmental factors that cause newborn disease.

Generate a Mouse Model of Environmental Enteropathy

Sean MooreCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterCincinnati, Ohio, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
13 Oct 2011

Sean Moore and colleagues at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in the U.S. will generate a mouse model of human environmental enteropathy, which is characterized by stunted growth and physiological defects in the gut, and is caused by malnutrition and repeated infections. The model will be used to test whether environmental enteropathy is affected by diet and contaminated water, and whether it reduces the effect of oral vaccines. In Phase I, they proved that feeding mice a nutritionally deficient diet mimicked at least some of the features of the human disease. To improve on this, in Phase II they will also modify DNA methylation in intestinal stem cells and induce inflammation. They will also test whether a rotavirus vaccine is less effective in these mice.

Assessing Moderately Malnourished Malian Young Children

Bruce HamakerPurdue UniversityWest Lafayette, Indiana, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
12 Oct 2011

Bruce Hamaker of Purdue University in the U.S., and colleagues in Mali, will use a new non-invasive breath test to assess moderately malnourished children for pancreatic enzyme deficiencies that inhibit the digestion of energy-rich starch, and then test simple, local foods for their ability to deliver the alternative energy food glucose to these children for recovery, growth, and brain development.

Promoting Children's Growth With Beta-Carotene-Rich Probiotics

Loredana QuadroRutgers, The State University of NJNewark, New Jersey, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
12 Oct 2011

Loredana Quadro of Rutgers University in the U.S. will engineer strains of bacteria found in the human gut to produce the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene, and test in a mouse model the hypothesis that vitamin A-deficiency could be controlled and healthy growth of children and infant promoted through colonization of the gut by these engineered probiotics.

Maternal Dietary Intake Alters Offspring's Disease Risk

Deanna GibsonUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
11 Oct 2011

Deanna Gibson and Sanjoy Ghosh of the University of British Columbia Okanagan in Canada will test in a mouse model whether modifying the dietary intake of pregnant mothers can lead to the establishment of healthy microflora in an offspring's intestinal tract once they are born. Maternal diets thus could be altered to help bolster the mucosal immune response and reduce susceptibility of disease in infants.

Engineering Plants That Make Their Own Fertilizer

Alvin TamsirPivot Bio, IncSan Francisco, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Synthetic Biology
11 Oct 2011

Alvin Tamsir and Karsten Temme of Pivot Bio, Inc. in the U.S. will use a synthetic gene regulation system to transfer a nitrogen-fixing gene cluster from naturally occurring bacteria into agricultural crops. These engineered crops could capture and metabolize nitrogen from the atmosphere, reducing the need for petrochemical fertilizers and reducing the cost of farming in developing countries.

Phosphorylation Signatures of Latently Infected T Cells

Kathryn Miller-JensenYale UniversityNew Haven, Connecticut, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
11 Oct 2011

Kathryn Miller-Jensen of Yale University in the U.S. will test the hypothesis that latently infected HIV cells produce different protein phosphorylation signatures than uninfected cells in response to drug treatments. Identifying these latent HIV cells will enable the design of new therapies that selectively target and purge these latent reservoirs.

Placental Inflammation Impacts Infant Growth and Microbiome

OraLee BranchNew York UniversityNew York, New York, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
11 Oct 2011

OraLee Branch of New York University in the U.S. will research the hypothesis that inflammation of the placenta affects the postnatal growth of offspring by altering programming in the fetus that determines the makeup of the child's intestinal microbiota. Correcting such fetal programming could promote nutrient absorption and healthy growth.

Use of Low Technology for Donor Breast Milk Banking

Kiersten Israel-BallardProgram for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH)Seattle, Washington, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
11 Oct 2011

Kiersten Israel-Ballard of PATH in the U.S., in partnership with University of Washington and Human Milk Banking (HMB) Association of South Africa, will work to develop and test a low-cost, cell-phone-based networked sensing system to provide safety monitoring of low-technology flash- heating pasteurization of breast milk designated for donation. The goal is to scale-up human milk banking for vulnerable infants in resource-limited settings. In Phase I, in collaboration with users, they designed a device to pasteurize milk that could also monitor the process and wirelessly connect to an Android application, which could store donor information and print reports and bottle labels. Its performance was tested in human milk banks in South Africa, and training was provided to mothers to promote the acceptance of community-based milk banks. In Phase II, they will expand implementation of their device to establish ten, new, small-scale human milk banks in South Africa, and assess whether it enhances the pasteurization process by retaining valuable immune properties in the milk. They will also develop a related diagnostic tool to test for donor milk contamination onsite by untrained staff, and begin technology commercialization for long-term production.

Study of The Mechanisms Implicated in the Selection Of Vaccine-Derived Polioviruses

Francis DelpeyrouxInstitut PasteurParis, France
Grand Challenges Explorations
Poliovirus Eradication
10 Oct 2011

Francis Delpeyroux of the Institut Pasteur in France will research whether adding immune pressure against proteins found in the attenuated strains of the oral polio vaccine could lead to the emergence of recombinant circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses. Identifying this mechanism could help in development of better vaccines to control polio outbreaks.

Mapping the Disease and Typing the Virus

Aurelius WakubeEgerton UniversityNjoro, Kenya
Grand Challenges Explorations
Poliovirus Eradication
10 Oct 2011

Aurelius Wakube of Egerton University in Kenya will work to determine geographical patterns in the occurrence of polio cases in Kenya, develop models for predicting future patterns of the disease, and perform genetic typing of the polio strains found in Kenya in an effort to develop effective approaches for eradicating the disease in this country.

Activation of Latent HIV by Cyclic Analogues of Tat

Russell PoulterUniversity of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
10 Oct 2011

Russell Poulter of the University of Otago in New Zealand will use a microbial biosynthesis platform to develop cyclic analogues of the viral protein Tat, which is major regulator of HIV transcription, and test their ability to activate latent HIV. The reactivated HIV would be susceptible to retroviral therapies enabling comprehensive killing of HIV infected cells.

Comprehensive Vaccination Service Delivery Model

Rustam NabievKarolinska University HospitalStockholm, Sweden
Grand Challenges Explorations
Cell Phone Applications
10 Oct 2011

Rustam Nabiev of the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden will develop a vaccination delivery model that employs an application tool to be used with cell phones and a clinical decision support system to better coordinate vaccination programs in rural communities in Uganda. The goal is to use mobile devices to increase communication and enable better planning among the vital stakeholders in immunization efforts – which are families, community leaders, and health care workers.

Cell Phone-Based Vaccination Program for Stateless Children

Jaranit KaewkungwalBIOPHICSBangkok, Thailand
Grand Challenges Explorations
Cell Phone Applications
10 Oct 2011

Jaranit Kaewkungwal of Mahidol University in Thailand proposes to develop a phone-to-phone application that will transmit photo and name pronunciation information among health care workers to help achieve vaccination targets among stateless hill-tribal children in Thailand. The application could be expanded to include maternal healthcare and childhood diseases and nutrition.

Something from Nothing

Steven CobbUniversity of DurhamDurham, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
10 Oct 2011

Steven Cobb and a team at the University of Durham in the United Kingdom proposes to develop a macroporous scaffold that can support bacterial cells and metal nanoparticles that work together to catalyze conversion of fecal sludge into hydrogen for electricity. This technology could be used as a stand-alone sanitation solution or integrated into existing sewage pipe networks.

Modeling the Next Generation of Sanitation Systems

Luiza Cintra CamposUniversity College LondonLondon, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
10 Oct 2011

Luiza Cintra Campos of the University College London in the United Kingdom proposes to develop a simulation tool that can be used in developing communities that have non-networked sanitation systems to effectively evaluate new sanitation technologies. By including parameters such as pit latrines served, distance to treatment, and potential for energy recovery, the simulation tool can aid communities in determining the best new systems for local needs.

ImmuNet: Targeted Immunization for Infants and Children

Elizabeth BeldingUniversity of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Cell Phone Applications
10 Oct 2011

Elizabeth Belding and Amr El Abbadi of the University of California at Santa Barbara in the U.S. will develop and test a low-cost cellular architecture with an integrated information system that can track an individual's immunization status, disseminate vaccine-related information, and track at-risk populations.

Power Auger Modification to Empty Cess Pits

Robert BordenNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, North Carolina, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Sanitation Technologies
10 Oct 2011

Robert Borden of North Carolina State University in the U.S. will develop an inexpensive method to efficiently and hygienically remove human waste from cesspits. Borden will modify readily available gasoline powered augers and PVC pipes to operate as a progressive cavity pump for filling drums or other easily transported containers. In Phase I, Borden produced and tested an inexpensive machine that could effectively remove medium- to high-viscosity waste from a range of pits with different accessibilities in South Africa. In Phase II, he will further optimize the design to enable emptying of a wider range of pits containing waste with higher solid or liquid compositions. He will also develop a method to determine the amount of waste in pits and its composition prior to emptying, and incorporate a disinfection step during waste removal. The aim is to develop a comprehensive pit emptying system involving training in pit assessments, equipment maintenance, and use, which will be tested in at least four developing regions.

Prevention of Enteric/Diarrheal Diseases

Thomas McDonaldUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmaha, Nebraska, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Nutrition
10 Oct 2011

Thomas McDonald of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the U.S. will work with colleagues to produce an edible algae that produces a colostrum protein to enhance mucosal immunity in infants. The team will test the ability of the algae to prevent infectious diarrheal diseases, a major cause of infant mortality in the developing world.

Microbial Biosensor for Diagnosing Leishmaniasis

Darren ZhuSynbiosys, LLCPalo Alto, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Synthetic Biology
8 Oct 2011

Darren Zhu of Synbiosys, LLC in the U.S. aims to produce a low-cost diagnostic platform that can rapidly diagnose leishmaniasis in field conditions. He will engineer a bacterium with cell surface receptors that are activated and amplified by the presence of Leishmania proteases to produce a colorimetric readout. This biologic system could be extended to the rapid diagnosis of other infectious diseases.

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