These were some of the technology prizes featured in our 2020 competition. To be notified when the 2021 prizes are announced, please sign up on our Contest Updates page. We also have $100,000 of cash grants still available specifically dedicated to research on Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy and similiar diseases- see our application page for details.

Taconic Biosciences - Gold Sponsor

Website: taconic.com

Prize: Mouse Model

Prize Description: Generation of a cohort of heterozygous animals bearing either a deletion or a point mutation in a selected gene. The service includes: generation of founder animals using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology; germline transmission of the desired mutation, and cryopreservation and storage of the line. Full generation of the genetically-modified model outlined in the winning application (maximum value $30,000) and generation of two proof-of-concept validation cohorts of reasonable size at Taconic’s Murine Pathogen Free health status (maximum value $15,000).”

Company Description:
Taconic Biosciences has been a leading provider of research models for over 60 years. Through all six decades, we’ve had a singular mission—to create a difference in human health by providing the best, most relevant mouse and rat models to researchers in the life science community. Why? Because better models are more predictive and relevant, leading to greater insights into diseases and their treatments. 
Better, more predictive models also mean fewer animals are needed to get to biological insight. Taconic embraces a high ethical standard for animal use in research, and ensures that animals in our facilities receive the highest levels of care and compassion. 

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Cyagen Biosciences - Platinum Sponsor

Website: cyagen.com

Prizes: Vector constructions for animal models

Prize Descriptions:

Company Description:

Cyagen Biosciences is the world's largest provider of custom-engineered mouse and rat model services, and also offers a comprehensive series of research-use stem cells and related culture reagents. Cyagen prides itself on its premium customer service:  including price-matching, client access to complimentary technical consultations, full confidentiality and a 100% money-back service guarantee. We offer a "one-stop shop" tailored to all your gene research needs including BAC and PiggyBac transgenic services, CRISPR-mediated mouse and rat genome editing and our proprietary TurboKnockout® technology - an ES cell mediated service that provides you with conditional knockout, reporter knockin and humanization mouse models in as little as 6-8 months. Founded in 2006, Cyagen Biosciences Inc. is a 400-employee contract research organization and cell culture product manufacturer headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with additional locations in Japan and China, and production facilities in China. Cyagen’s mission is to bring outstanding-quality research reagents, tools, and services to the worldwide biological research community at highly competitive prices.

DNA Software - Gold Sponsor

 Website: dnasoftware.com

Prize: PCR design and analysis software

Prize Description: Software capabilities include primer/probe design, multiplex, eliminating false positives and absolute quantification from PCR data.

Company Description: DNA Software, Inc (DNAS) is “best in class” for PCR design, particularly as it relates to multiplex and difficult targets. Currently, this process is achieved through expensive trial and error and has its limitations for the number of targets as opposed to the completely automated multiplex panel solution provided by DNAS. Not only does our software compress the time from “months to minutes” but it increases sensitivity and specificity.

In addition, DNAS provides CopyCount, a software product that provides absolute copy number and improves workflow by eliminating/reducing standard curves.

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Bio-Techne

Website: bio-techne.com

Prize: $5000 worth of antibodies, proteins and peptides

Prize Description: Novus Biologicals, a Bio-Techne brand, will provide $5000 worth of antibodies, proteins and peptides in its vast portfolio to advance rare disease research.

As part of this award, supported investigators will have the opportunity to participate in science communication activities through Novus’ Faculty Interview and Blog series. The faculty interviews will highlight the sponsored investigator’s career path, achievement and research focus. The blog pieces (one at the start of sponsorship and a second upon completion of award cycle or once work is published) will showcase Novus’ partnership with the Rare Genomics Institute’s 2019-2020 BeHEARD Program, the sponsored researcher, rare disease under investigation and the proposed goals of the sponsored project. Upon award completion and publication of sponsored work, a second blog will provide an update on research progress.Publications and presentations (oral or posters) including findings from sponsored work will include a statement clearly indicating the support received from Novus Biologicals in partnership with the Rare Genomics Institute’s 2019-2020 BeHEARD Challenge.

Company Description:
Bio-Techne empowers researchers in Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics by providing high-quality reagents, instruments, custom manufacturing, and testing services. Our family of brands creates a unique portfolio of products and services.

Science is our passion; it drives us to collaborate, develop, and manufacture award-winning tools that help researchers achieve reproducible and consistent results. Whether you are at the cutting edge of academic research, translating basic discoveries to therapeutic leads, or at a facility that requires the highest level of diagnostic testing, our innovative products and services provide the solutions you need to achieve success.

Addgene

Website: addgene.org

Prizes: $5000 worth of plasmids and ready-to-use viral preparations (AAV and Lentivirus) 

Prize Description:
$5,000 in reagent requests from our plasmid library to be used by the competing teams in crafting and executing their research proposals.  This is ~80 individual plasmids or kits that come to that total in cost.

Your order will be contingent upon your institution signing a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) for the transfer.  Addgene will initiate the MTA once your order has been placed.  Currently most plasmids are only available to scientists affiliated with nonprofit, research organizations.  


Company Description:
Addgene is a nonprofit, mission-driven company dedicated to facilitating collaboration and sharing in the scientific community.  Addgene promotes this mission by administration of a large, robust plasmid repository.  Depositing is free.  There is a small fee for requests to cover the costs of storage and quality control.  Our searchable database allows scientists to find what they need for their research. Addgene also provides extensive educational information and protocol support via our website and blog (blog.addgene.org).

Addgene Fast Facts

  • Recommended by over 20 journals, including Cell Press, Nature and PNAS

  • Plasmids from over 3,000 contributing laboratories at 500 Institutions worldwide

  • >50,000 plasmids stored

  • Each plasmid is sequenced to confirm key functional regions

  • >700,000 plasmids shipped - ~2,500 plasmids/week

  • 52% of requests are sent outside the United States to 79 different countries

  • Samples shipped within 2 business days of MTA approval

Why use Addgene to request plasmids?

  • Convenient: Gain access to many laboratories’ plasmids through one request

  • Access: Addgene can arrange shipment to (almost) any country in the world

  • Time saving: Receipt of plasmid within days after MTA approval

  • Quality: Reliable source for sequenced materials

  • Collaborative: Participate in our Community!