WSU News Archive

By Eric Sorensen, WSU science writer

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State University announced today (Nov. 1) that it is a Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) winner, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Shulin Chen, a professor of biological systems engineering, will pursue an innovative global health and development research project titled "Micronutrient fortification to improve infants’ development with a low cost technology.”

 

"This is an exciting opportunity to engineer an innovative way of using algae as a natural source of important nutrients, particularly for young children,” said Chen. "And because people need only small amounts of these nutrients, it should be possible to benefit a large number people in a cost effective way.”

 

Grand Challenges Explorations funds individuals worldwide who are taking innovative approaches to some of the world’s toughest and persistent global health and development challenges. GCE invests in the early stages of bold ideas that have real potential to solve the problems people in the developing world face every day. Chen’s project is one of more than 80 Grand Challenges Explorations Round 9 grants announced today by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
 
"Investments in innovative global health research are already paying off,” said Chris Wilson, director of Global Health Discovery and Translational Sciences at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "We continue to be impressed by the novelty and innovative spirit of Grand Challenges Explorations projects and are enthusiastic about this exciting research. These investments hold real potential to yield new solutions to improve the health of millions of people in the developing world and ensure that everyone has the chance to live a healthy, productive life.”

 

To receive funding, Chen and other Grand Challenges Explorations Round 9 winners demonstrated in a two-page online application a creative idea in one of five critical global heath and development topic areas that included agriculture development, immunization and communications. Applications for the current open round, Grand Challenges Explorations Round 10, will be accepted through Nov. 7, 2012.
 
Chen plans to develop technologies to improve infant health in developing countries by using local, naturally occurring algae to produce critical nutrients at low cost. This solution not only enhances early child development but also contributes to disease prevention.

 

In the last decade, microalgae have gained increasing attention for their potential to produce essential nutrients like omega-3 lipids and carotenoids, as well as biofuel. As the leading microalgae research team in the Pacific Northwest, Chen’s research group devotes its effort to developing a sustainable food and bio-energy production system based on advanced biotechnology. They believe that microalgae can help meet global nutrition needs while providing a source of renewable energy in the near future.

 

Grand Challenges Explorations is a US$100 million initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Launched in 2008, over 700 people in 45 countries have received Grand Challenges Explorations grants.  The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline and from any organization.  The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short two-page online applications and no preliminary data required.  Initial grants of US$100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to US$1 million.

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