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 Grand Challenges Explorations Grants

Grand Challenges Explorations fosters creative projects that show great promise to improve the health of people in the developing world. Grants target an expanding set of global health topics, and there are two award rounds per year. Projects with demonstrated success in their initial phase of research have the opportunity to receive Phase II funding of up to $1 million.

On November 1, 2012, 94 researchers were awarded new Grand Challenges Explorations grants. Read more about these below. In addition, 15 Explorations projects were awarded Phase II funding. To read more about these new Phase II grants, select "Phase II" in the Grant Phase drop-down menu, while showing all topics and all rounds.

To review all Explorations projects, select “Show All Topics” in the Topic drop-down menu, "Show All Rounds" in the Date and Grant Round drop-down menu, and “Show All Phases” in the Grant Phase drop-down menu.
Topic
Technologies
Date and Grant Round
Grant Phase
Showing Grants 1 to 10 of 26
"Lego" like Sanitation System: Pit Latrines Made of Biocomposites
Primary Investigator:
Antonio Avila, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil - BR
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Antonio Avila of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil proposes to develop building blocks made from biocomposites that will replace conventional brick and cement constructions for pit latrines. The team will test these building blocks strength and their rate of biodegradation to determine their suitability for building latrines that will decompose once the pits are filled, allowing for the eventual reintroduction of the land for farming and other community uses.
A Low-Cost Decentralized Sanitary System
Primary Investigator:
Bin Fan, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Beijing, China - CN
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Bin Fan of the Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences in China seeks to develop a decentralized sanitation system which uses a low-cost waterless, vacuum system to collect excrement and kitchen waste. The combined waste can then be processed into organic fertilizer.
Algae for the Effective and Economical Treatment of Waste
Primary Investigator:
Natalie Cookson, Quantitative BioSciences, San Diego, CA, United States - US
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Natalie Cookson and colleagues at Quantitative BioSciences in the U.S. are developing an algae-based waste treatment system targeted for third-world applications.  Cyanobacteria will treat a community’s waste and produce two forms of renewable energy: nutrient-rich fertilizer to enhance agriculture and biomethane to power the facility and neighboring community.
An Energy-Producing Waterless Toilet System
Primary Investigator:
Virginia Gardiner, Loowatt Ltd., London, United Kingdom - GB
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Virginia Gardiner of Loowatt Ltd. in the United Kingdom will develop a waterless toilet that seals waste into a portable cartridge within biodegradable film, for local anaerobic digestion. The digester produces fuel and fertilizer, creating local waste treatment economies.
Decentralized Next Generation Sanitation for Diarrheal Pathogens
Primary Investigator:
James Blackburn, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States - US
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
James Blackburn of Southern Illinois University in the U.S. will test a wind turbine-driven sanitation system for its ability to raise and maintain temperatures in an insulated container for the removal of pathogens in human waste. The technology could be used in developing countries in the temperate or equatorial zones to reduce the occurrence of diarrheal diseases.
Design of Microorganisms with Semiconducting Membranes
Primary Investigator:
Guillermo Bazan, California Nanosystems Institute, Santa Barbara, CA, United States - US
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Guillermo Bazan of the University of California, Santa Barbara in the U.S. proposes to introduce artificial molecular wires (AMWs) into a waste treatment system as a way to not only break down organic contaminants in human waste, but also catalytically convert the energy present in those microbes into electrical energy for local needs.
Develop a Simple Auger-Die Assembly That Treats Fecal Wastes
Primary Investigator:
Gary Foutch, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States - US
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Gary Foutch and AJ Johannes of Oklahoma State University in the U.S. propose to develop a small-scale device in which an auger forces feces and other solid wastes device through a die that results in high temperatures and pressure that dewaters the waste and destroys microorganisms. The device could reduce odor, insects, surface and ground water contamination and the associated spread of diseases.
Developing Fortified Excreta Pellets for Use in Agriculture
Primary Investigator:
Olufunke Cofie, International Water Management Institute, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka - LK
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Olufunke Cofie of the International Water Management Institute in Sri Lanka will develop and test fortified fertilizer pellets from treated human excreta for market sale. If successful, the production at large scale would enhance agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa while also contributing to reduction in environmental health risk from untreated human waste. 
Ecological Sanitation for the Base of the Pyramid
Primary Investigator:
Elmer Sayre, Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development Foundation, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines - PH
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Elmer Sayre of the WAND Foundation in the Philippines will explore how to close the loop between sanitation, health and food consumption by testing low-cost dry toilets appropriate for most conditions and using the human waste in small-scale agriculture efforts. Results and best practices will then be shared for future scale-up of the project.
High Efficiency, Sanitary Toilet with Sewage Treatment
Primary Investigator:
Peter Dreher, Livvon LLC, Dayton, OH, United States - US
Topic:
Round:
Round 6 – April 2011
Phase:
Phase I
Peter Dreher of Livvon LLC in the U.S. will develop and test a simple toilet with integrated sewage treatment that employs a hand crank to dewater feces and turn it into dry, odorless pellets that can be used for fertilizer or fuel. The air-tight system will also control odor and keep out flies and vermin.
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