About

Grand Challenges, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, Temasek Foundation, and the United Nations Foundation, invites proposals to design innovative, low-cost, and simplified pathogen sequencing workflows for routine public health use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This initiative addresses barriers such as high costs, technical complexity, and infrastructure limitations that have restricted the adoption of genomic sequencing for surveillance and outbreak response.

The program seeks affordable, scalable, and operationally simple workflows that can be deployed in LMIC public health laboratories, aiming to reduce per-sample costs to approximately US$1–10 and streamline protocols for a wide range of priority pathogens, including viral, bacterial, and parasitic agents. Proposals should demonstrate clear strategies for cost reduction, workflow simplification, platform compatibility, and faster turnaround times, with proof-of-concept validation and adaptability across pathogens and sequencing platforms.

Funding is available through a tiered award structure: up to US$300,000 for early-stage feasibility projects (up to 24 months), up to US$600,000 for mid-stage development (up to 24 months), and up to US$800,000 for advanced development and validation (up to 36 months). Approximately 15 awards are anticipated across all tiers.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include research institutes, nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, international organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions. Applicants must not be subject to UN or US sanctions and must not derive revenue from controversial weapons or tobacco production. Individuals and organizations classified as individuals for U.S. tax purposes are not eligible to apply.

Post Date: August 19, 2026