London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Distributed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the couple's ultimate goal is that the funds would help 'cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century'.

Mr Zuckerberg outlined three principles that will guide the investment:

• to bring scientists and engineers together
• to build tools and technology that advance research
• to grow the movement to fund more science around the world

The couple announced that they have already committed $600m to creating a new research centre called the Biohub. Mr Zuckerberg also said that more funds need to be allocated on curing the diseases that would stop people getting ill in the first place.

Commenting on the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Professor Peter Piot, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:

"The ongoing struggle to defeat HIV and the emergence of the Zika virus shows us that we can't rest on our laurels when it comes to global health. Philanthropic projects such as this from Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are crucial to the fight.

"As a world-leader in global health research, the School welcomes this gift which will allow institutions to help tackle public health challenges and support countries prepare more effectively for epidemics.

"This initiative will mean closer collaboration between scientists and encourage an increase in science funding across the globe. While innovation and technological fixes are important, there is an urgent need to implement what we know at scale and strengthen health systems."

"Mark Zuckerberg also raised an important point. Research efforts need to be more targeted towards prevention. We need to keep people healthier for longer, not just treat sick patients."