In support of reproductive medicine and vaccine creation, physician-scientist C. Giovanni Traverso, MD, PhD, MBBCH, a gastroenterologist with expertise in mechanical engineering, has received $7.6 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This funding will support Traverso’s ongoing discovery and innovation, following his proven track record in developing next-generation drug delivery systems and biomedical devices.

Two grants will further his efforts to address family planning needs in low-resource environments lacking the equipment, supplies, and trained medical personnel needed to place or remove contraceptive implants. This funding builds on previous support of Traverso’s research to develop inexpensive, highly effective, and easy-to-use contraceptive technologies, including a biodegradable implant that would not require removal by a healthcare provider. He is also devising a system of microneedle array patches that individuals could apply themselves discreetly and painlessly and achieve six months of contraception.

“Extended contraceptives are highly effective and safe—but they aren’t widely available currently and involve too many constraints to be an option in some areas of the world,” Traverso says. “With the Gates Foundation’s support, we are poised to expand these options and improve the lives of many women and their families.”

Traverso also received a third grant from the foundation to develop vaccines that create a strong immunologic response. With this support, Traverso is working on a novel delivery strategy for mRNA vaccines for diseases including polio and rotavirus, creating devices that increase immunity. The ultimate goal is to reduce infections and community transmission.

“Mucosal mRNA vaccination is an emerging field of study that stands to provide a number of benefits, and I look forward to exploring these possibilities,” Traverso notes. “I am so grateful and proud to receive the Gates Foundation’s continued support on these important scientific investigations.”