The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has just announced 78 grants to explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve global health. Here is the press release.

"The grants of $100,000 each (United States dollars) will be made to investigators from 18 countries and six continents. They mark the fourth round of funding from Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative to help lower the barriers for testing innovative ideas in global health. For more details click here

Please also take a moment to view our new video on the Grand Challenges Explorations program at http://www.gatesfoundation.org/healthscienceandtechnology/Pages/grand-challenges-explorations-promo-video.aspx.

Grant proposals for Round 5 are being accepted online at http://www.grandchallenges.org/explorations until May 19, 2010 on the following topics:

- Create Low-Cost Cell Phone-Based Applications for Priority Global Health Condition

- Create New Technologies to Improve the Health of Mothers and Newborns

- Create New Ways to Protect Against Infectious Disease

- Create New Technologies for Contraception

Thank you for your support and continued commitment to solving the world's greatest health challenges.

The Grand Challenges Explorations Team

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Bill & 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, 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."