Academic Grant Program

Taconic invites scientists in the nonprofit sector to apply for a grant to support their research. Grants are awarded in the form of Taconic animals to support a specified research project. The list of animal models available for grants will update with each cycle. The number of grants awarded will depend on the quality of the applications and the cumulative number of animals requested. Ten grants were awarded following the 2021 Q3 cycle. Those applicants who do not receive a grant will receive a discount towards a future purchase.

For awardees seeking larger grants from funding agencies, Taconic can provide a letter of support describing the grant award and our support for the research project.

The grant program is open to academic, government and non-profit researchers in North America and Europe. Proposals will be accepted from principal investigators, project scientists, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and staff scientists. Applications from junior scientists should include a letter of support for the project from that scientist's principal investigator or group leader.

Applications will be evaluated by a panel of Taconic scientists and scored based on scientific merit, technical feasibility, choice of appropriate animal model(s), applicant's biosketch (CV), and relation to priority research area.

Assistance in project planning

The success of a project rests in part on selection of an appropriate animal model for the scientific question. Taconic's Field Application Scientists are available to consult with you. To schedule a complimentary scientific consultation, fill out this form.

Application deadline

The deadline to submit an application for this cycle was 5 PM ET May 27, 2022. Grantees will be notified within two months after the deadline.

Award acceptance deadline

Successful applicants will need to receive grant animals within 6 months after notification of award. Timeline extensions may be granted if there are supply-side delays. Timeline extensions may be granted for other special considerations; for instance, if the study design involves staggering animals into study cohorts that require trialing in non-overlapping stages. Unclaimed award animals may be forfeited.

Taconic strongly recommends that applicants pursue approval from their institution's relevant agencies to ensure deadlines can be realistically met. This may include proactive engagement of the IACUC for protocol approvals; human resources for personnel recruitment; procurement for sourcing of equipment, materials; and third-party service providers for contracted assays.

Confidentiality and publicity

Information contained in grant applications will be held confidential by Taconic. Scientists who accept a grant agree that Taconic may use the grantee's likeness, name, and a mutually agreed upon project title for publicity purposes. Grant winners will be asked to submit a headshot photo or a photo of their lab and links to their institutional profile web page, lab web page, and/or social media platforms for Taconic's announcement of the cycle's winners.

Taconic animal models available in the current grant cycle

While Taconic will accept applications for any project involving the models being offered in this cycle, the models have been assigned into disease area portfolios and preference will be given to projects that are best aligned with priority research areas. Each application may request one or more models within a portfolio, and the applicant should consult the caps presented in the model tables with regards to quantity limits. Final numbers should be scientifically justified within the project proposal. The awards will be bestowed in the form of animals, not in the form of financial sponsorship or compensation. Applicants may submit multiple project proposals (maximum 2 applications per applicant) in the same or different portfolios, but each of these proposals should stand alone as a unique, complete submission package rather than being bundled into a single application. Each application will be judged independently.

Special considerations:

• Control animals: Many study designs will require control animals.
  • Consult the specific model's web page to determine if there is a control available by design of the breeding scheme (e.g. wild type littermate). Built-in control animals (e.g. nontransgenic littermates) will count toward the cap of the model number.
  • To complement models that do not offer a built-in control, reasonably anticipated control strains are included within each portfolio. Some are presented with a defined cap (e.g. dietary controls).
  • To complement models that do not offer a built-in control, reasonably anticipated control strains are included within each portfolio. Some are presented without a defined cap (NA, e.g. wild type inbred strains). Numbers requested should be reasonable and scientifically justified within the project proposal.
  • Taconic's Field Applications Scientist team is available for consultation on control selection and eligibility for grant applications.
• Sex: Certain models are being made available as animals from only one sex. This is due to production conventions and/or scientific rationales for only supplying one sex. Animals will be available only at the sex(es) described in the portfolio tables.
• Health standard: Animals will be available only at the health standard described in the portfolio tables.
• Shipping: Awardees will be required to pay full shipping fees for all animals awarded.

Autoimmune and Arthritis Disease Portfolio

* Consultation recommended regarding lead times

Immune System Portfolio

* Consultation recommended regarding lead times and age ranges acceptable

Neuroscience Portfolio

*Consultation recommended regarding lead times

Obesity Portfolio