Grants to young scientists in biology
The Foundation for the Support of Education and Science (Alferov Foundation) and the company BioVitrum announce a competition for the best research work in the field of Life Science, performed on NanoString equipment, for young scientists (up to 33 years old).NanoString Company presents a high-multiplex and high-precision method of molecular analysis using molecular barcodes, which was patented in early 2009 as a fundamentally new solution for multiplex analysis of nucleotide sequences.
The analysis of molecular barcodes allows to analyze up to 800 targets in a sample at a time, and is focused on assessing the expression of mRNA, microRNA, large genetic rearrangements and the results of chromatin immunoprecipitation.
The principle underlying the color barcode method is the hybridization of target molecules with specific labeled probes in the liquid phase. The label, in this case, is a molecular barcode. This is a section of a DNA probe with complementarily linked RNA fragments with fluorochromes attached to them. Thus, the label is a unique combination of several fluorochromes arranged linearly for each target. A probe labeled with such a design is a reporter probe.
At the same time, hybridization is carried out with a "trap" probe associated with a biotin molecule. Due to the biotinylated probe, complexes of three molecules are fixed on a solid-phase carrier coated with streptavidin, after which they are oriented in an electromagnetic field. Thus, all barcodes are located unidirectionally and parallel to each other. In this state, they are read by a special scanner.
The molecular barcode method, hybridization and subsequent identification and counting of probes is, in fact, a direct counting of targets in the sample, and not an assessment of their content based on indirect data, such as fluorescence intensity. Due to this, the accuracy of the analysis using a molecular barcode is higher compared to microchips and next-generation sequencing.
The grant amount is 250 thousand rubles (reagents for research are provided free of charge).
The following research directions are proposed:
- Immunology, allergology and autoimmune diseases
- Transplantology
- Embryology
- Oncology
- Stem cells
- Neurobiology, neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases
- Hereditary diseases
- Microbiology and Virology
- Mycology
- Regulatory and immune mechanisms in plants
- Environmental protection, radiology and radiation hygiene
The right to nominate candidates for the award is granted:
- To the President of the Foundation;
- Full members (academicians), corresponding members and foreign members of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
- Heads of departments of higher educational institutions selected by the Board of the Foundation, whose specialty corresponds to the announced nomination;
- Heads of departments, laboratories and sectors of research institutes and higher educational institutions selected by the Board of the Foundation, whose specialty corresponds to the announced nomination;
- Other scientists who received a special invitation from the President of the Foundation.
The deadline for submitting applications is October 20, 2014.
Announcement of the winner of the contest – November 25, 2014.
Details are available on the website of the Alferov Foundation.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru29.08.2014