The initiative is modeled after the grand challenges formulated more than 100 years ago by mathematician David Hilbert. His list of important unsolved problems has encouraged innovation in mathematics research ever since. Similarly, the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative aims to engage creative minds from across scientific disciplines — including those who have not traditionally taken part in global health research — to work on 14 major challenges.

The challenges vary, but they share one essential element: Their solutions could lead to breakthrough advances in global health.

When the first call for project ideas was announced in 2003, it attracted more than 1,500 responses involving nearly 10,000 scientists from 75 countries. Two years later, awards were announced for 43 projects.

The selected initiatives focus on projects to help discover practical and affordable solutions to real-world problems. Will every one of them bear fruit? Possibly not. However, the aim of the Grand Challenges in Global Health is to overcome major bottlenecks, and this can’t be done without bold investments and some level of risk.

Important progress on the initial 43 projects is being made, but these projects alone won’t solve the Grand Challenges. A new US$100 million program expanding on the Grand Challenges in Global Health – Grand Challenges Explorations – will encourage even bolder and less conventional global health solutions. Grand Challenges Explorations will support ideas that have never before been tested, and involve scientists from around the world, including those who don’t typically work in global health.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recognizes that solving the Grand Challenges is a long-term effort, and is committed to accelerating the discovery of solutions to the world’s greatest global health problems.