Gates Fund to Give $287-Million for AIDS Vaccine

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced on Wednesday that it is providing $287-million to establish a network of scientists to accelerate the development of an AIDS vaccine, reports the Associated Press. The foundation awarded funds to 165 researchers in 19 countries.

To win the grant money, researchers had to agree to share their findings immediately and compare results with those of other researchers, regardless of whether the scholars have previously worked on competing vaccination-development programs.

While a new infusion of cash is expected to accelerate research efforts, an effective vaccine may not be found for another 10 years, said Nicholas Hellmann, acting director of the foundation’s HIV, tuberculosis, and reproductive-health program.

In a separate move, Mr. Gates and his wife, Melinda, were in Rwanda on Monday and donated $900,000 of their own money to establish a center to train doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who work with AIDS patients in Africa’s Great Lakes region, Reuters reports.