Researchers looking for alternative support for their projects amid a tight funding environment might want to consider two industry-funded award competitions launched this week.
One, called the Populus Award, is sponsored by UK-based Population Genetics and will provide "financial and expert practical support for the completion of a multi-sample gene sequencing project" using the company's proprietary molecular tagging technology.
The company is soliciting abstracts from researchers "undertaking a range of population genetics studies." Applications can submitted here until Nov. 30. The winning team will be announced in January 2013.
In another competition, Assay Depot, the Rare Genomics Institute, and 19 life science companies are partnering on a rare disease research challenge called Be HEARD, or Helping Empower and Accelerate Research Discoveries.
The sponsoring organizations are donating $400,000 worth of technology, services, and resources as well as a $10,000 cash prize.
Non-profits, academic researchers, rare disease advocacy groups, families of rare disease patients, and for-profit companies are eligible to submit proposals here before Dec. 15.
Industry sponsors include Biopta, Charles River Laboratories, DNA Software, HistoRx, Ingenuity Systems, and Taconic.