OpenAI Foundation grants $40M for cancer research amid NC tuberculosis investigation

The OpenAI Foundation has awarded a $40 million grant to the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. The funding is part of the foundation’s ‘Public Data for Health’ initiative, which aims to support open-access scientific datasets to advance life science research. The grant will specifically support research into using artificial intelligence and rich biological data to improve the effectiveness of personalized cancer vaccines.

Separately, the Cumberland County Department of Public Health is investigating a confirmed case of tuberculosis at Seventy-First High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Health officials have identified more than 260 individuals who may have been in close contact with the infected person. The department is working with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to notify contacts and provide information regarding recommended screenings.