Invitrogen Offers $100K Grants. The Catch: Takers Must Give Up First License Rights

NEW YORK, Jan. 8 — Invitrogen has launched a grant program to support tool development for life-science research, the company said on Tuesday.

The San Diego-based company will offer one-year grants of between $25,000 and $100,000 for research into molecular biology enzymes; functional analysis; separation technology, purification technology, and amplification; labeling; and quantitation techniques.

Funding decisions will be made by a committee that includes Invitrogen researchers and undisclosed molecular biologists.

The project's first deadline, covering projects in enzymes for molecular and cell biology, is March 1. Deadlines for proposals in other fields are scheduled quarterly through the rest of the year.

Invitrogen said it will accept applications from researchers at academic institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and startup biotechs. The company will retain first rights to license any inventions that emerge from these projects.