New Partnerships to Provide Travel Grants, Coursework in Genomic Approaches to Infectious Disease For Underrepresented Aspiring Physicians

The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco (CZ Biohub SF) and The 15 White Coats, Inc., have launched two initiatives that will provide travel grants as well as coursework in metagenomic sequencing and genomic epidemiology to aspiring physicians from underrepresented groups. CZ Biohub SF is one of a group of research institutes created and supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).

The new initiatives are driven by CZ Biohub SF’s Rapid Response Team, which offers training, tools, and technologies to help build sustainable scientific relationships — with a special emphasis on the use of genomic sequencing platforms for pathogen discovery and detection — in laboratories around the world. The 15 White Coats, a nonprofit Black physician–led group based in New Orleans, is providing the next generation of underrepresented physicians with inspiration and economic support, with the aim to diversify healthcare for marginalized communities.

“We’re grateful to the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub for not only seeing our vision but for recognizing the power in this partnership,” said Russell J. Ledet, MD, PhD, MBA, co-founder and board chairman of The 15 White Coats. “By joining forces, we’re creating real opportunities for aspiring doctors from underrepresented communities to gain access to world-class training and cutting-edge genomic techniques. This partnership isn’t just about education; it’s about changing the face of medicine and making sure our people are prepared to lead in healthcare. The impact of this collaboration will be felt for generations as we open doors and build a stronger, more inclusive medical community.” 

The Rapid Response Team is providing travel grants for nine undergraduate students supported by The 15 White Coats to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), which will be held November 13–17 in New Orleans. Founded in 1903, ASTMH is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health.

Linnie Golightly, MD, president of ASTMH, said, “We are excited to welcome The 15 White Coats to their first ASTMH Annual Meeting. Our partnership with The 15 White Coats and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco reflects our joint belief that biomedical educational pathways must include the knowledge necessary to serve both our local and global communities. People must be provided with the insights required to recognize the need to improve health outcomes across geographical boundaries. We are delighted to have this opportunity to engage this cohort of students and set a firm foundation for their understanding of the intersection of global and local health as they advance along their educational and professional journeys.”

In the spring of 2025, the CZ Biohub SF’s Rapid Response Team will provide a live-streamed course to a cohort of 15 White Coats students covering  metagenomic sequencing and other genomic techniques for the detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases, including the use of genomic surveillance and tracking to head off and manage outbreaks of emerging pathogens.

Cristina Tato is senior director of the Rapid Response Team at Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco. (Photo by Barbara Ries)

Cristina M. Tato, PhD, MPH, senior director of the Rapid Response Team, said the new partnership with The 15 White Coats complements her group’s work in capacity-building and outbreak response. “We are extremely happy to partner with academic institutions and organizations like The 15 White Coats to support increased diversity of the U.S. STEM student population, and to provide them with an opportunity to explore applications in science and medicine that reach beyond the bench or clinic,” said Tato.

In addition to her team’s work in 31 low- and middle-income countries around the world, Tato’s group provides training opportunities in the U.S., including a recent two-week workshop for students at Meharry Medical College, a Historically Black Medical College (HBMC) in Nashville.

CZI also supports Meharry and three other HBMCs through the Accelerate Precision Health program, which funds cutting-edge science that aims to address significant gaps in genomics research.

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About CZ Biohub San Francisco: A nonprofit biomedical research center founded in 2016, CZ Biohub SF is part of the CZ Biohub Network, a group of research institutes created and supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. CZ Biohub SF’s researchers, engineers, and data scientists, in collaboration with colleagues at our partner universities — Stanford University; the University of California, Berkeley; and the University of California, San Francisco — seek to understand the fundamental mechanisms underlying disease and develop new technologies that will lead to actionable diagnostics and effective therapies. Learn more at czbiohub.org/sf.

About The 15 White Coats: The 15 White Coats was founded with the mission to inspire, empower, and support students of color in the medical field. The organization works to create pathways to success for underrepresented students by providing access to resources, mentorship, and educational opportunities. Through initiatives like the Funding The Future Physicians Scholarship, The 15 White Coats aims to build a more diverse and inclusive future for healthcare. For more information, visit the15whitecoats.org. Follow us on social media at @the15WhiteCoats.

About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 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. For more information, please visit chanzuckerberg.com.