February 16, 2010: Application deadline for letters of inquiry at 11:59 pm Pacific Time
April 2010: Invitation for submission of full proposals
June 2010: Application deadline for full proposals
Country/region: Developing countries
Website: http://www.grandchallenges.org/diagnostics/Pages/Introduction.aspx
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting letters of inquiry for a new grant program to develop point-of-care (POC) diagnostics for the developing world. The challenge for these POC diagnostic platforms for global health is to define and achieve the needed performance characteristics of rapid, accurate assessment of individuals’ health status, including robust, simple-to-use technologies for achieving parallel, multi-pathogen, reliable and valid clinical measures in developing world settings.
The objectives of the program are to develop a framework for collaboration by recommending a common set of technical and business standards for the development and integration of diagnostics components; to advance the state of the art in critical component technologies consistent with the business and technical standards developed under this program; and to integrate best-in-class component technologies into diagnostic platforms under the framework of standards developed in this program. This program will fund the development and optimization of novel, accurate, feasible technologies that are low cost, easy to use, functional at high temperatures and humidity, and do not require refrigeration, reagents, water or lab equipment. This competition is expected to fund between 10-14 grants for an total cost of $30 million USD over three years. The program will develop components and technologies that allow assessment of multiple conditions and pathogens at the point-of-care in a variety of settings.
