MacArthur Foundation Awards $100 Million to Sentinel, Co-Led by Prof. Christian Happi, to Strengthen Pandemic Prevention

The MacArthur Foundation has awarded $100 million to the Sentinel project, a global outbreak surveillance initiative co-led by Dr. Pardis Sabeti of the Broad Institute and Prof. Christian Happi, Director of the Institute of Genomics and Global Health (IGH) at Redeemer’s University, Nigeria.

Sentinel is designed to prevent pandemics by empowering local communities, combining the expertise of clinicians, epidemiologists, geneticists, virologists, bioengineers, computer scientists, and public health specialists. The project has already strengthened disease surveillance and sequencing capacity across West Africa, addressing urgent gaps in pandemic preparedness.

The award comes through the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change global competition, which selects a single proposal capable of delivering measurable progress in solving a major global challenge. Sentinel was chosen from five finalists in the competition’s third round.

John Palfrey, President of the MacArthur Foundation, stated:
"In a moment where investments in global public health are at risk, the Sentinel project will transform infectious disease surveillance and response through cutting-edge technology, global collaboration, and local empowerment. Infectious diseases kill millions annually, disrupt economies, and can escalate into global crises. Sentinel detects, prevents, and preempts outbreaks to save lives and strengthen global health security."

Prof. Christian Happi emphasized the significance of African-led solutions:
"This investment affirms that solutions to global health challenges can be led from Africa. Sentinel is about trust, collaboration, and building systems that allow every country to respond swiftly and confidently to disease threats. With the MacArthur Foundation’s support, we can create lasting resilience together."

Through Sentinel, over 3,000 public health workers from 53 African countries have already been trained. The project aims to strengthen its existing framework in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, while expanding to three additional African nations within the next five years.

Dr. Pardis Sabeti added:
"With this support, we can build a future where every community has the tools, knowledge, and power to detect and stop outbreaks before they spread. Sentinel demonstrates what’s possible when science, innovation, and solidarity converge to protect humanity."

The $100 million grant will support early detection, outbreak containment, and capacity building, ensuring Sentinel remains a cornerstone of global health security and pandemic preparedness.

This milestone underscores Redeemer’s University’s role in global health innovation and scientific leadership in Africa, positioning the institution and its collaborators at the forefront of infectious disease prevention.