SAN DIEGO—Assay Depot and RareGenomics Institute announced Oct. 15 that they have partnered with 19life-science companies to launch the first Rare Disease ScienceChallenge: Helping Empower and Accelerate Research Discoveries, or"Be HEARD."

 

The hosts and sponsoring organizationsare supporting rare disease research by donating $400,000 incutting-edge technology, services and resources, as well as a $10,000cash prize to the winning research proposal.

Be HEARD encourages non-profits,academic researchers, rare disease advocacy groups, families of raredisease patients and for-profit companies to collaborate to advancerare disease research.

"This competition brings the lifescience community together to study rare diseases in an unprecedentedopportunity to empower afflicted families and underfundedresearchers," says Kevin Lustig, CEO of Assay Depot. "Ultimately,we want the voices of rare disease to be heard, while helping toaccelerate the science behind a cure."

Research proposals can be submittedfrom until Dec. 15 for any or all of the nearly 20 donated services.An expert scientific panel will select the winner for each donation.

For more information, visithttp://challenge.assaydepot.com/rare-disease-challenge.

Other sponsors of Be HEARD includeBiopta, Charles River Laboratories, DNA Software, HistoRx, IngenuitySystems and Taconic. Media partners include Ben's Friends, DrugDiscovery News, Drug Discovery and Development, GlobalGenes R.A.R.E. Project, Global Healthy Living Foundation andMendelspod.

"We are amazed by the generosity ofso many companies offering their expertise, services, consulting andreagents to help advance rare disease research," says Jimmy Lin,President of Rare Genomics Institute. "We hope this gives a boostto rare diseases research and jump starts research in diseases thatare otherwise not studied."