Zuckerberg Pledges $8B to Cure All Disease by 2036

A major philanthropic shift could accelerate the end of diseases that have plagued humanity for generations.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative announced it's refocusing its entire mission on biomedical research, aiming to cure, prevent, or manage all diseases within our lifetime. The organization has already invested $4 billion in basic science research since 2016 and plans to double that investment to $8 billion by 2036.

The restructuring means CZI is moving away from its original focus areas like education and criminal justice reform. Instead, it's pouring resources into Biohub, a growing network of research institutes partnering with top universities including Stanford, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, and Columbia.

About 70 employees, roughly 8% of the workforce, were laid off from the Redwood City headquarters as the organization shifts toward hiring research scientists, data experts, and computational biologists. Affected employees received 60 days notice, 16 weeks of severance pay, health insurance, and a $10,000 support stipend.

"The science work that we've done, the Biohub model in particular, has been the most impactful thing that we have done," Zuckerberg explained at a November event. The couple, who pledged to give away 99% of their lifetime wealth, believes this represents their best chance to create lasting change.

The Ripple Effect

This commitment joins a broader movement among tech billionaires racing to solve humanity's biggest health challenges. The Gates Foundation, which plans to donate a record $9 billion this year before shuttering in 2045, remains primarily focused on disease research and healthcare access.

Biohub's approach combines frontier artificial intelligence with cutting-edge biology. Scientists are building large-scale models to create virtual cells, reprogram immune systems, and predict diseases before symptoms appear. These tools could revolutionize how doctors diagnose and treat illnesses, potentially catching problems years earlier than current methods allow.

The organization operates with an annual budget of about $1 billion. Its research centers function as collaborative networks where scientists from different universities work together on shared goals, breaking down traditional academic silos that can slow progress.

CZI will continue supporting local community organizations, but the massive infrastructure of the Initiative now exists primarily to advance biomedical breakthroughs. "There will be many challenges, but we believe that achieving some of humanity's long-term dreams will also come within reach," Zuckerberg and Chan wrote.

The vision is ambitious but grounded in real scientific progress already underway at existing Biohub facilities.