The founder and CEO of facebook, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan announced their plans on investing over $3bn over the next 10 years with the aim of tackling all diseases. The funds will be distributed by the Chan Zuckerberg initiative, which was created in December 2015 after the birth of their first child. Zuckerberg, speaking in a lecture theater at the University of California asked " can we care, prevent or manage all disease by the end of this century?, we think it's possible and so do scientists. It's not that we won't get sick but that our children and their children will get sick a lot less. His ultimate goal is to ensure that in 2100 the average life expectancy would be beyond 100 years. Many may consider this as a long shot or an impossible task, bearing in mind that various forms of diseases are discovered on monthly basis.
Mark Zuckerberg highlighted that more resources are spent on treating people who are sick rather than curing diseases that will stop people from getting ill. He also highlighted that the process would involve finding a working principle for both scientist and Engineers from Berkeley and Standford in combating diseases by creating tools that may help treat them. Secondly, it will involve the Evolution of technology by advancing researches and distributing these tools and technology to scientists around the world. while speaking to the Large Audience in the theater, he said " Throughout the history of science, most of the major scientific breakthroughs have been preceded by some new tool and technology that allows you to see in new ways. The Telescope helped us understand Astronomy and the Universe, the microscope helped us understand cells and bacteria to help us develop treatment for infectious diseases, while DNA sequencing and editing helps us to fight cancer and genetic disorders.
Mrs Chan noted that they had already invested $600m to create a new research centre called the Biohub which will bring together scientist, biologists, Chemists, engineers computer scientist and other innovators and these professionals will bring about the creation of Cell Atlas, a guide or map which will explain the types of cells that controls the body's major Organs. She also hinted that Biohub will bring about the development of tests and vaccines to tackle HIV, Ebola, Zika and other new diseases. The couple has committed 90% of their facebook stock with a value of %45bn to the initiative in charitable donations.
The plan also won the approval of microsoft founder, Bill Gate who has also funded various projects that could be used to tackle Malaria and HIV through the Gates and Melissa foundation that has been operational for over 15 years. He was welcomed to stage by Zuckerberg and he applauded Zuckerberg's effort toward combating diseases by saying " We cannot end these diseases with the tools we have today. Only through science can we get an HIV vaccine, a malaria vaccine", he said.
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