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Peking University, Apr, 17, 2012: The campus talk on the program of Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) subsidized by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was held in Sunshine Hall of Yingjie Overseas Exchange Center at Peking University (PKU) on the afternoon of April 13. The program is aimed at encouraging more researchers to address themselves to global health science and development issues. Over 200 students and teachers from PKU, PKU Health Science Center，Tsinghua University and Chinese Academy of Sciences attended the event.
campus talk of GCE program
Prof. Gu Hongya, Deputy Dean of School of Life Sciences, PKU delivered a speech and expressed her expectation of more participation in the program from researchers at PKU. General coordinator Ling Wong, press officer in China Zhang Jing and other officials of GCE program elaborated on the program to the audience before several former award recipients in China shared their experience. CEO of Guokr.com, which is the organizer of GCE program in China, presided at the talk.
Prof. Gu Hongya meets officials from Seattle headquarter of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Each round of the Grand Challenges Explorations initiative awards grants against a set of specific topics. For each round of Grand Challenges Explorations, applicants are asked to focus their proposals on specific topics where creative, unorthodox thinking is most urgently needed.
This year, topics for Grand Challenges Explorations Round 9 are:
1. New Approaches for the Interrogation of Anti-malarial Compounds (new)
2. Aid is Working. Tell the World (new)
3. Explore New Solutions for Global Health Priority Areas
4. Design New Approaches to Optimize Immunization Systems
5. Protect Crop Plants from Biotic Stresses From Field to Market
For detailed information of each topic, please refer to Topic Overviews.
Background Information
Grand Challenges Explorations
Launched in 2008, has fostered innovation in global health research. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $100 million to encourage scientists worldwide to expand the pipeline of ideas to solve key health problems in the developing world.
The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline, from student to tenured professor, and from any organization — colleges and universities, government laboratories, research institutions, non-profit organizations and for-profit companies.
The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short two-page applications and no preliminary data required. Applications are submitted online, and winning grants are chosen approximately 4 months from the submission deadline.
Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people–especially those with the fewest resources–have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life.
Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
Written by: Fang Runiu
Edited by: Chen Long
Source: PKU News (Chinese)
