Voting for the $10,000 prize is over. Congratulations to Qiang Chang, who is studying Rett Syndrome! More info to follow soon. Thank you to all finalists and applicants to the Rare Disease Science Challenge and best of luck in your research.

Assay Depot and Rare Genomics Institute is pleased to announce the winners for the 20 research service prizes in the Rare Disease Science Challenge: Be HEARD. Nineteen generous life science companies donated 20 services, valued at ~$500,000, to promote rare disease research. We would like to thank all the sponsors for their help and wish all research projects to have great success.

Platinum (prizes worth between $25,000 and $75,000):

Gold (prizes worth between $10,000 and $25,000):

Silver (prizes worth between $5,000 and $10,000):

Bronze (prizes worth between $2,500 and $5,000):

*Ingenuity System prizes:

Ingenuity Systems has opted to award a prize to each applicant for its services. They are awarding a number of samples of Ingenuity Variant Analysis and iReports to these researchers.

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SAN DIEGO CA & NEW YORK NY — Assay Depot Inc., the world’s largest online research services marketplace, and Genspace selected four citizen scientists as winners for the first Tri-State Open Science Challenge. The challenge has awarded prizes for general science, BioArt, and under 18, as well as a fourth award sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

The winners of the $5000 prizes are as follows:

• Kazi Yasin Helal – working on enzyme-based stain removal
• Peter Yeadon – constructing a bimolecular sensor system for arsenic and other chemicals
• Terreform ONE team* – building genetically generated furniture

Jalwa Afroz, our high school winner, will receive $1000 to perform DNA barcoding of NYC catfish.

All winners receive a one-year membership to the Genspace community laboratory in Brooklyn, New York.

“Winning the prize means I can start being my own investigator,” says Kazi Yasin Helal, Salk prize winner. “I have the control and resources to conduct research based on my own idea. I can now meet people passionate about their work at Genspace as well as try experiments I couldn’t originally do with Assay Depot.”

The Tri-State Open Science Challenge aims to promote research ideas from all sources to try out their idea or take their existing research to the next level. Our committee of experts (Renee Yew, Jeff Hager, and Kent Pryor) selected winners based on significance, quality, and need for lab space and services.

“It appealed to me because the three prizes were very broad in their scope, and the Challenge welcomed amateurs that are working on projects of merit,” said Peter Yeadon, winner of the DTRA award. “The DTRA Prize will certainly help raise awareness of the project, while providing us with the right mix of support and supplies to complete a proof-of-concept prototype.

The Tri-State Open Science Challenge marks the completion of the 2nd open competition held by Assay Depot with local community laboratories. In addition to partnerships with Genspace and BioCurious, Assay Depot plans to open a San Diego-based community lab in Carlsbad in 2013 to promote open science in the region.

About Assay Depot

Assay Depot is the world’s leading provider of outsourced scientific services. The company operates a network of online research marketplaces that dramatically streamline purchases between scientists and more than 8,000 global research vendors. Assay Depot is changing the way life science research is done.

To learn more about Assay Depot’s enterprise software, visit http://enterprise.assaydepot.com. To use Assay Depot’s free public marketplace, visit http://www.assaydepot.com.

About Genspace

Genspace is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting education in molecular biology for both children and adults. We work inside and outside of traditional settings, providing a safe, supportive environment for training and mentoring in biotechnology.

To learn more, visit Genspace website at http://genspace.org.

*Full roster of Terreform ONE: Mitchell Joachim PhD, Melanie Fessel, Maria Aiolova, Corrie Van Sice, James Schwartz, Josue Ledema, Tania Doles

The post Tri-State Open Science Challenge Awards $16K to Four Citizen Scientists appeared first on Open Science Challenges.

To view winners of each service donation, please visit: http://challenge.assaydepot.com/rare-disease-awards

Voting for the $10,000 prize is over! Congratulations to Qiang Chang, who is studying Rett Syndrome! More info to follow soon.

Assay Depot and the Rare Genomics Institute are teaming up to sponsor the Rare Disease Challenge: Be HEARD (Helping Empower and Accelerate Research Discoveries) to accelerate rare disease research.

Prizes for the Rare Disease Science Challenge Include:

Who can apply?

• Projects that involve rare diseases (as defined by the NIH).
• Researchers at non-profit institutions, universities, or academic laboratories.
• Rare disease advocacy groups, foundations, and families.
• For-profit companies are encouraged to collaborate with non-profit patient advocacy groups or universities in order to apply.

How to Apply

• All applications are due Dec 15, 2012. NOTE: We have extended proposal acceptance until Dec 31 2012.

Click here to apply!

For more information: http://challenge.assaydepot.com/rare-disease-guideline‎

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Ryan Bethencourt Interview: Opening up ALS treatment

Derek Jacoby: Treating and self-monitoring gout

The post Winner Profiles – Bay Area Open Science Challenge appeared first on Open Science Challenges.

Sept, 2012

Challenge Guidelines

Assay Depot and Genspace are hosting the Tri-State Open Science Challenge to challenge amateur scientists in the Tri-State area, ages 10 to 110, to come up with next “big” research idea. Submit your hypothesis and research plan and join the competition to win research funding!

The Prizes

Salk Prize: $5,000 in research funding open to any type of research project

Feynman BioArt Prize: $5,000 in research funding for Art, Design, and Architecture projects involving biotechnology (BioArt)

DTRA Defense Prize: $5,000 in research funding for projects related to chemical or biological defense. Learn more about the DTRA Defense Prize technical guidelines.

Golgi Prize (under 18 only): $1,000 in research funding

Winners of the Salk, Feynman, and DTRA prizes also receive a one-year paid membership to Genspace, a community biotechnology laboratory located in Brooklyn, NY. Golgi Prize winners will receive mentorship from Genspace scientists.

Winners will receive $500 to spend on any project related expenses; the remainder of the prize money is earmarked for research services ordered on Assay Depot necessary to carry out the project. Assay Depot will cover research expenses, but any legal agreements or non-expense related work is done between the winner and science provider.

The post Tri-State Open Science Challenge hosted with GenSpace (Sept 4- Oct 19) appeared first on Open Science Challenges.

Boston is home to one of the most vibrant scientific communities in the world, and the site of our first Make Your Mark challenge. The idea is for students to work with science teachers or science mentors to create a brief proposal in any science area. Winning proposals receive $500 cash to fund the project. Multiple awards will be made. Students are encouraged to work with teachers and mentors to create a unique and creative proposal to submit online. Participants are invited to create proposals within any science category (biology, chemistry, physics), as well as bio-art. Teachers are also allowed to submit proposals that help engage their science classes and demonstrate the fun of science. The competition requires only a one page written proposal or video submission. The deadline is October 19, 2012.

Who is Eligible? All high school students and teachers enrolled in the Boston, MA school system are invited to apply. Each proposal must be supported by a science teacher or other science mentor.

How to Apply? Submit your proposal online at http://challenge.assaydepot.com/mym-submission/

What is the Prize? $500 to fund your proposal.

When is the Application Deadline? The competition opens Sept 17 and closes on Oct 19. Awards are made by November 5, 2012.

Where is the Research Done? The project can be carried out in Science class, in the field or at one of a growing number of community DIY-Biology labs.

Other Requirements and Info? Within 3 months of receiving award, winners must submit a summary report in the form of a video, slide presentation or write-up.

Questions? Please contact Daisy Robinton at daisy@assaydepot.com or Timothy Chen at tchen@assaydepot.com.

The post Make Your Mark – Boston (Sept 17 – Oct 19) appeared first on Open Science Challenges.

We are pleased to announce that the Make Your Mark challenge is now open to high school students in New York State. The idea is for students to work with science teachers or science mentors to create a brief proposal in any science area. Winning proposals receive $500 cash to fund the project. Multiple awards will be made. Students are encouraged to work with teachers and mentors to create a unique and creative proposal to submit online. Participants are invited to create proposals within any science category (biology, chemistry, physics), as well as bio-art. Teachers are also allowed to submit proposals that help engage their science classes and demonstrate the fun of science. The competition requires only a one page written proposal or video submission. The deadline is Nov 5 2012.

Who is Eligible? Science classes, students, or science teams from any New York school district high school. Each proposal must be supported by a science teacher or other science mentor.

How to Apply? Submit your proposal online at http://challenge.assaydepot.com/mym-submission/

What is the Prize? $500 to fund your proposal.

When is the Application Deadline? The competition opens Oct 1 and closes on Nov 5. Awards are made by Dec 1, 2012.

Where is the Research Done? The project can be carried out in Science class, in the field or at the Genspace community laboratory.

Other Requirements? Within 3 months of receiving award, winners must submit a summary report in the form of a video, slide presentation or write-up.

Questions? Please contact Timothy Chen at tchen@assaydepot.com.

The post Make Your Mark – New York (Oct 1 – Nov 5) appeared first on Open Science Challenges.

Have a great idea you’ve been wanting to test? Want to see what chemistry in action? Assay Depot is continuing its Open Science Challenge series with the Make Your Mark Challenge, a competition for high schools in cities across the country. We want to promote creativity and experimentation among high schoolers and provides the tools for teachers to demonstrate the power of science.

The competition will be open to local high school students, science classes or science teams. We recommend having a science teacher or mentor for your project, but it is not strictly required. Winning proposals will receive $500 to fund the project. Multiple awards will be rewarded, so everyone should apply!

Current Competitions:

Boston: Sept 17 2012 – Oct 19 2012 Learn more!
San Diego: Oct 1 2012 – Nov 5 2012 Learn more!
New York: Oct 1 2012 – Nov 5 2012 Learn more!

What is the Prize? Up to $500 to fund your proposal.

What kind of proposals are expected? Proposals can range from materials needed for a class demonstration, tests for science project, or experimentation for curiosity’s sake. Proposals should have a teacher mentor in order to supervise the projects, but is not required. Proposals should be related to the sciences, such as chemistry, physics, or biology.

Where is the Research Done? The project can be carried out in Science class, in the field or at one of a growing number of community DIY-Biology labs.

Other Requirements? Within 3 months of receiving award, winners must submit a summary report in the form of a video, slide presentation or write-up.

The post “Make Your Mark” High School Competition appeared first on Open Science Challenges.

San Diego is the home of many life science organizations (including Assay Depot!) and one of the first sites for our Make Your Mark. The idea is for students to work with science teachers or science mentors to create a brief proposal in any science area. Winning proposals receive $500 cash to fund the project. Multiple awards will be made. Students are encouraged to work with teachers and mentors to create a unique and creative proposal to submit online. Participants are invited to create proposals within any science category (biology, chemistry, physics), as well as bio-art. Teachers are also allowed to submit proposals that help engage their science classes and demonstrate the fun of science. The competition requires only a one page written proposal or video submission. The deadline is Nov 5 2012.

Who is Eligible? Science classes, students, or science teams from any San Diego, CA school district high school. Each proposal must be supported by a science teacher or other science mentor.

How to Apply? Submit your proposal online at http://challenge.assaydepot.com/mym-submission/

What is the Prize? $500 to fund your proposal.

When is the Application Deadline? The competition opens Oct 1 and closes on Nov 5. Awards are made by Dec 1, 2012.

Where is the Research Done? The project can be carried out in Science class, in the field or at one of a growing number of community DIY-Biology labs.

Other Requirements? Within 3 months of receiving award, winners must submit a summary report in the form of a video, slide presentation or write-up.

Questions? Please contact Timothy Chen at tchen@assaydepot.com.

The post Make Your Mark – San Diego (Oct 1 – Nov 5) appeared first on Open Science Challenges.

Winners Ryan Bethencourt and Derek Jacoby meet Assay Depot CEO Kevin Lustig and BioCurious co-founder Joseph Jackson

SAN DIEGO & SUNNYVALE, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Assay Depot Inc. and BioCurious selected two Bay Area-based citizen scientists, Ryan Bethencourt and Derek Jacoby, as winners of their first Open Science Challenge. Bethencourt aims to develop new ALS therapeutics, and Jacoby is seeking to find a probiotic method of improving uric acid clearance to combat gout. Both received one-year memberships to the BioCurious community lab space in Sunnyvale as well as $5,000 to fund further research, $4,500 of which will be used for services through the Assay Depot online Research Exchange.

“ALS is a terminal disease with very few therapeutic options, so colleagues and I are working on tackling solutions from the outside in”

“Having access to a community lab and research services to address a study that is close to my own experience with gout is exciting,” said Derek Jacoby, a Ph.D. student at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. “I’ve tried informal tests on myself using a probiotic method of improving uric acid clearance, and now I’m ready to deepen the research and hopefully bring a new solution to others suffering from this condition.”

The Open Science Challenge was open to all Bay Area residents ages 10 to 110 who wanted to take their research ideas to the next level. Research proposals were reviewed by a committee of BioCurious and Assay Depot employees, and selections were based on scientific significance, proposal quality, a demonstrated need for lab space and services, and location.

“ALS is a terminal disease with very few therapeutic options, so colleagues and I are working on tackling solutions from the outside in,” said Ryan Bethencourt, geneticist, biohacker and a founder of Halpin Neurosciences. “In collaboration with Eric Valor, an ALS patient who has driven the at-home version of an investigational therapy called NP001, along with the broader ALS community and pioneers in the area, we’re determined to advance new treatment options for patients. The BioCurious lab will allow us to do some of the prep work before outsourcing through Assay Depot – together an opportunity for accelerated research that just wasn’t possible until now.”

Assay Depot will be holding additional Open Science Challenges throughout the U.S. in partnership with other community lab spaces in the near future.

About Assay Depot

Assay Depot owns and operates a web-based network of Research Exchanges that help professional scientists and citizen scientists make breakthrough discoveries. The company is headquartered in San Diego with offices in Northern California and Pennsylvania.

To learn more, visit Assay Depot’s public Research Exchange at www.assaydepot.com.

About BioCurious

BioCurious is a hackerspace for biotech, committed to making biology accessible and affordable for amateurs, inventors, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to “experiment with friends.” The BioCurious community lab is not-for-profit, volunteer-staffed, and located in Sunnyvale, California.

To learn more, visit BioCurious’ website at www.biocurious.org.

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