The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting grant proposals for Round 7 of Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative to encourage innovative and unconventional global health solutions. Applicants can be at any experience level; in any discipline; and from any organization, including colleges and universities, government laboratories, research institutions, non-profit organizations and for profit companies.

Grant proposals are being accepted online until May 19, 2011 on the following topics:

* Explore Nutrition for Healthy Growth of Infants and Children
* Apply Synthetic Biology to Global Health Challenges
* The Poliovirus Endgame: Create Innovative Ways to Accelerate, Sustain, and Monitor Eradication
* Create the Next Generation of Sanitation Technologies
* Design New Approaches to Cure HIV Infection
* Create Low-Cost Cell Phone-Based Solutions for Improved Uptake and Coverage of Childhood Vaccinations

Initial grants will be US $100,000 each, and projects showing promise will have the opportunity to receive additional funding of up to US $1 million.  Full descriptions of the new topics and application instructions are available at: http://www.grandchallenges.org/gce/

We are looking forward to receiving innovative ideas from around the world and from all disciplines. If you have a great idea, apply. If you know someone else who may have a great idea, please forward this message.

Grand Challenges in Global Health Grant Opportunities

The Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative fosters scientific and technological innovation to solve key health problems in the developing world.

New Grand Challenges Explorations Round

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation seeks proposals for Round 7 of Grand Challenges Explorations, part of the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative. Proposals are being accepted through May 19, 2011 at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time. For program details and application instructions, please click here.

New Grant Program: Saving Lives at Birth

USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, the Government of Norway, and the World Bank have joined together to launch the research program Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development. Proposals will be accepted  from April 20 to April 29, 2011. For more information, please click here.

New Grant Program: Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting letters of inquiry for the new grant program Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis, part of the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative. Letters of inquiry are being accepted online until March 31, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. For program details and application instructions please click here.