Billionaires Zuckerberg and Chan earmark $3 billion on science initiative

[PC2]

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...o-cure-disease

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative just announced one of its biggest investments to date: It is ponying up more than $3 billion to kickstart "Chan Zuckerberg Science," an initiative that plans to bring together multidisciplinary teams of scientists in an effort to prevent, cure or manage "all diseases in our children's lifetime."

Initial investments will be towards the new independent research facility.

http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/09/21/biohub/

UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco and Stanford University will join forces in a new medical science research center funded by a $600 million commitment from Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg and pediatrician Priscilla Chan.

Announced today, the San Francisco-based Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, an independent collaboration between the Bay Area’s three premier research universities, is the first philanthropic science investment made by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which is dedicated to “advancing human potential and promoting equality.”

“We are excited to see such a generous and timely investment in fundamental scientific work across the Bay Area,” said Jennifer Doudna, UC Berkeley professor of molecular and cell biology and chemistry, Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s Chair in Biomedical and Health Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and a member of the Biohub’s Science Advisory Group

“The Biohub will allow researchers at leading institutions to collaborate and accelerate the development of breakthrough scientific and medical advancements, applications and therapeutics,” added Doudna, who is best known for her pioneering work on CRISPR-Cas9, a gene-editing technology that has the potential to revolutionize genetics, molecular biology and medicine.

In addition to your comments on the Zuckerberg Chan Initiative, what are your thoughts on the different philanthropic commitments such as those of Zuckerberg/Chan, Paul Allen, and George Soros.

[Independent voter]

Hears to hoping it succeeds.

[belfpala]

[url]
In addition to your comments on the Zuckerberg Chan Initiative, what are your thoughts on the different philanthropic commitments such as those of Zuckerberg/Chan, Paul Allen, and George Soros.

On one side, I appreciate the philanthropy. No individual needs that much money and they're in a position to give something back to the human race. /high five

On the other side, we don't know their motives. Some might genuinely believe in a cause. Others might be doing it for better PR, or even tax reasons. /shrug

Either way, their money is getting put towards something other than making more money.

[Forgettable]

Regardless of the intentions, at least this will see some cash go towards something actually useful for humanity. Well, assuming it's set up properly.

[A dot Ham]

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...o-cure-disease



Initial investments will be towards the new independent research facilities.

http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/09/21/biohub/



In addition to your comments on the Zuckerberg Chan Initiative, what are your thoughts on the different philanthropic commitments such as those of Zuckerberg/Chan, Paul Allen, and George Soros.

While I think investing in some of the great minds of our generation is prudent. When it comes to medicine in the U.S. that isn't worthwhile (at least not to help people) because medicine in America is just about making money, there is no philanthropy involved.

If you look at people that have been in it for a long time like Bono and Gates there is a reason they go to third world countries.

(1) They can do the MOST good there
(2) They don't have to deal with government red tape that prevents them from actually helping people

[swiftowner]

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...o-cure-disease



Initial investments will be towards the new independent research facilities.

http://news.berkeley.edu/2016/09/21/biohub/



In addition to your comments on the Zuckerberg Chan Initiative, what are your thoughts on the different philanthropic commitments such as those of Zuckerberg/Chan, Paul Allen, and George Soros.

I like how 2 rich people can donate $3B towards something like this, but congress squabbles over a $1.1B funding for Zika...

[PC2]

While I think investing in some of the great minds of our generation is prudent. When it comes to medicine in the U.S. that isn't worthwhile (at least not to help people) because medicine in America is just about making money, there is no philanthropy involved.

If you look at people that have been in it for a long time like Bono and Gates there is a reason they go to third world countries.

(1) They can do the MOST good there
(2) They don't have to deal with government red tape that prevents them from actually helping people

They are about about science research, not creating products for sale. For example one of their first programs is suppose to be a cell atlas. Probably similar to how the Allen Institute has recently created the largest mapping of the brain. The data is open source.