Grand Challenges in Global Health, a suite of grant programs intended
to help overcome bottlenecks that prevent the creation of new and
better health solutions for the developing world, is launching a new
Grand Challenge in Family Health.
The time between the beginning of a woman’s pregnancy and her
child’s second birthday offers a unique window of opportunity to shape
healthier and more prosperous futures. The onset of labor marks the most
dangerous period for both mother and baby that does not ease until at
least 48 hours after birth. The deaths that occur are just the most
extreme cases, as complications occur in almost one-quarter of all
pregnancies.
In response to this great need, a number of international agencies
have launched a series of partnerships to develop new innovations and
prove that these solutions can be scaled to reach as many people as
possible. Currently, there are two new grant opportunities under the
Grand Challenges in Global Health - Discover New Ways to Achieve Healthy
Growth (below) and Preventing Preterm Birth.
While preventing preterm birth, stunting, and wasting in fetal
development and early life are specific aims of these programs, our
broader goal is to ensure healthy birth, growth, and development for
children so that they can live a long and productive life.
New Grant Opportunity
Starting
November 7, 2011, Grand Challenges in Global Health is seeking letters
of inquiry for the new grant program Discover New Ways to Achieve
Healthy Growth.
This grant opportunity will be open until January 25, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.
The Healthy Growth program will seek to discover new pathways or
mechanisms that will aid the development of new interventions to prevent
intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), stunting, and wasting of
newborns and infants in the developing world.
A growing body of evidence indicates that the first 1,000 days
following conception is a critical window of time for growth and proper
function of a wide range of organs and tissues. The developmental
environment, which includes nutrients, hormonal signaling, and pathogen
exposure has serious consequences for health in infancy, childhood, and
later life.
While application of existing interventions is important, universal
application during pregnancy and early life in 99 percent of children
would only decrease stunting by only one third. Therefore new research
is needed to address the underlying biological mechanisms that lead to
these adverse developmental outcomes, including examination of the role
of infection, inflammation, and nutritional deficiency.
Moreinfo: http://www.grandchallenges.org/grantopportunities/pages/healthygrowth.aspx
