An initiative founded by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan has dedicated $1.3 million toward an international coalition of imaging centers and their mission to advance health knowledge.
The funding will support Global BioImaging, a worldwide network of institutions and communities that help researchers identify the biological underpinnings of health and disease using imaging technology.
Over the course of three years, GBI will use the grant money to support its core activities, which include developing a self-sustaining administrative framework, ramping up training, outreach efforts and cementing relationships with others in the biomedical imaging community.
"Imaging of molecules, cells and tissues is integral to understanding disease, and core imaging facilities that use the latest microscopy tools to further the research of hundreds of biomedical scientists are fundamental to progress," Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Head of Science Cori Bargmann said in a statement. "By bolstering the development of Global BioImaging's central hub and investing in training and data exchange between imaging centers and communities, we hope to increase global collaboration and accelerate potentially life-saving scientific breakthroughs."
Additionally, the funds will help support countries’ efforts to solidify the scientific foundations of imaging in their own centers, CZI Imaging Program Lead Stephani Otte said.
"Discussions with imaging scientists have confirmed a strong need for training material and courses for staff that work at imaging centers, information on best practices for data handling, and increased opportunities for collaboration," Otte added. "We are excited to help meet these needs and spur scientific discovery in this critical area of biomedicine."
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative focuses its efforts on three core areas: science, education, and justice and opportunity. And it leverages technology to help eradicate disease, improve education and reform the criminal justice system.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.