Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) - Climate

Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab

Climate change and growing population threaten safe and secure supplies of water and food all over the world. In response, Community Jameel and Massachusetts Institute of Technology co-founded the Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) in 2014.

Early and late-stage research grants focusing on technology development and commercialisation efforts

J-WAFS-funded research has resulted in the development of a new method for removing extremely low levels of unwanted compounds from water, relying on an electrochemical process that can selectively remove organic contaminants such as pesticides, chemical waste products, and pharmaceuticals. Photo credit: MIT

Deploying experts in the field to spark new ideas and pave the way for largescale water and food solutions

J-WAFS-funded researchers facilitate a design workshop in Uttarakhand, India, in order to develop prototypes for a wood xylem-based household water filter. The workshop was conducted to uncover the needs and design preferences of potential users for the household water filters the team is developing. Photo credit: Megha Heghde

Funding and mentoring students in order to develop the next generation of water and food sector leaders

An MIT graduate student measures rates of photosynthesis on plants experiencing soil drying stress in this interdisciplinary J-WAFS-funded research project that aims to identify the genes that govern plants’ response to drought in order to use biological engineering to improve cereal crops’ response to climate-induced stress. Photo credit: Gretchen Ertl

J-WAFS Solutions programme

Since 2015, this grant programme housed at J-WAFS has provided funding to commercialise breakthrough water and food sector technologies and inventions by transforming promising ideas at MIT into innovative products and cutting-edge spinout companies.

Innovating for

a better future