The Head of Science at TAU: 'Mark and Priscilla's vision is to cure all human diseases'

Stephen Quake, the Head of Science at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), stressed in an interview at Tel Aviv University’s podcast - Tel Aviv 360: ”CZI's unique mission, as part of Mark and Priscilla's vision to which they gave their fortune in their lifetime is to cure, manage, or prevent all human diseases over the course of a century, aiming to stimulate the global research community to achieve this ambitious goal. The initiative strategically follows a "Build, Fund, Do" approach, encompassing grant-giving, scientific research through their established institutes, and a commitment to open science.” 

Stephen Quake is Head of Science at CZI, which was founded by Facebook's co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan in 2015. The initiative aims to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges—from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our communities. “Through collaboration, providing resources and building technology, our mission is to help build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone.” Says Dr. Quake.

As the Head of Science at CZI, Dr. Quake oversees CZI’s science grant programs, technology development, and the CZ Biohub Network. His contributions to science are varied and include invention of the biological equivalent of the integrated circuit development of whole organism cell atlases, and creation of diagnostics that have made medicine safer by replacing invasive biopsies such as amniocentesis with simple blood tests.

Recently, Tel Aviv University hosted Dr. Quake in a podcast, where he had a fascinating conversation with TAU’s Vice President for R&D, Prof. Dan Peer, who serves also as the Head of the Nanomedicine Laboratory at the Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research. 

In the podcast Dr. Quake shared insights into his diverse career as a physicist turned biologist, focusing on the intersection of physics and biology. His mission has been to bring ideas of precision measurement from physics into the field of biology, leading to transformative discoveries that can revolutionize medical practices.

Regarding CZI's funding strategy, Dr. Quake highlighted their global grant-giving endeavors, supporting research across approximately 30 different countries, including multiple projects in Israel. The organization provides grants in five key areas: cell biology, neuroscience, imaging, science and society (which includes rare disease and genome science), and open science. CZI has been a major supporter of open science initiatives, accelerating scientific progress through the use of preprints, with bioRxiv being a prominent beneficiary.

The "Do" aspect of CZI's strategy involves conducting science through the establishment of research institutes, such as the Biohub in San Francisco, where researchers collaborate on decade-long projects that address significant challenges in science and medicine. The Biohub network is expanding, with the recent launch of the second Biohub in Chicago, in collaboration with universities in the area.

Prof. Dan Peer inquired about the active roles played by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan as co-founders and co-CEOs of CZI. Dr. Quake emphasized that both leaders are deeply involved in the organization's operations: "Priscilla runs it on a day-to-day basis, she's my boss, she knows everything that's going on. Mark, he's got a day job that keeps him pretty busy, but he really knows what's going on." 

Regarding the determination of CZI's next wave of science funding, Dr. Quake mentioned that decisions are reached through internal discussions and extensive consultation with the scientific community. Proposals are presented, and Mark and Priscilla have a pivotal role in approving the selected projects. An exemplary instance of CZI's commitment to fostering innovation is their open competition to choose the theme for the next Biohub. By inviting universities worldwide to propose decade-long research projects, CZI received numerous ideas, resulting in the selection of the Chicago Biohub, centered on measuring human biology to combat inflammation, a critical factor in many fatal diseases.

The podcast gave a glimpse into the visionary mission of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and its dedication to advancing science and improving global health. Dr. Stephen Quake's expertise served as a source of inspiration for researchers worldwide.