Agrigenomics Axiom Microarray Research Programme

We are delighted to introduce the Agrigenomics Axiom Microarray Research Collaboration Programme (“Research Programme”), an exciting opportunity to collaborate with Thermo Fisher Scientific and transform scientific discoveries into real-world applications.

SPONSOR: The Sponsor of the Research Programme is: Life Technologies LTD, Life Sciences Division, 3 Fountain Drive, Paisley PA4 NRF, UK, VAT GB180911219

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAM: The objective of the Research Programme is to offer selected academic researchers the opportunity to enter into a collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific in the field of Microarray Technology for applications in plant and animal genetics. The Sponsor aims to select one submission in the plant field and one submission in the animal genetics field.

WHY PARTICIPATE: By participating in this programme, you will have access to Thermo Fisher Scientific's innovative resources, expertise, and research tools. This collaboration will accelerate research and help unlock new possibilities in the field of Microarray Technology and its applications.

HOW TO APPLY: To apply for the Research Programme, please follow the steps outlined below:

1. Visit thermofisher.com/axiomagriresearchprogramme.com and download the Application Form.
2. Fill out the Application Form with all the required information and additional proposal documents from the applicant. Ensure that you complete all the necessary fields accurately. Please note that the Application Form must be submitted in the English language.
3. Only electronic submissions made through the website thermofisher.com/axiomagriresearchprogramme.com under the “Apply” submission area will be accepted.
4. Submit your proposal during open submission period: from 16 July 2026 to 30 October 2026 before 12:01 AM CET European Time. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.
5. Before applying, ensure that you are not prohibited from participating by the terms of your employment, law, regulation, or the policies or practices of your institution or employer.

Submission of the Application Form constitutes permission to use the Applicant’s name, biographical information, likeness, and company information without compensation, except where prohibited by law and as otherwise provided herein. By entering, Applicants permit Sponsor to contact them about its products and services, whether or not Applicant is selected.

ELIGIBILITY: The Research Programme is open to doctoral and post-doctoral researchers in academic and research institutions located only in selected European countries (Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, United Kingdom), African (Algeria, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia) and Middle East countries (Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) who are working on genotyping-focused projects related to plants and animals. Clinicians, health care professionals, and government officials are excluded. Please check our programme rules and terms and conditions before applying.

The person submitting the application (“Application”) is the applicant (“Applicant”) and is entering on behalf of their employer institution, which will be the research partner (“Research Partner”). To be eligible, Applicants must have obtained the necessary permission and authorization from their employer or responsible supervisor to submit the Application.

Affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, and fulfilment agencies of the Sponsor, and employees, officers, and directors of the Sponsor, together with their immediate family members and those living in the same household, are not eligible to participate.

Healthcare Professionals and Government Officials located in eligible countries may not participate. Please see the applicable definitions of Healthcare Professionals and Government Officials in the ‘Additional Notes’ section below.

Determination of eligibility is at the Sponsor’s sole discretion.

SELECTION CRITERIA: We want to encourage new and existing users of Microarray Technology to discover new Microarray applications in the field of plant and animal genetics using our Applied Biosystems™ Axiom™ Expert Catalog Genotyping Arrays, together with our Microarray Research Services Laboratory (MRSL).  We will select key ideas for applications of the Applicant’s experiment to show feasibility with our Expert Catalog Genotyping Arrays.

To be considered for selection, Applicants must have DNA samples, data interpretation resources and access to other laboratory space instrumentation, materials, and reagents as necessary to run the experiments. The Sponsor will not provide financial or other compensation for the Research Programme; the Research Partner is required to bear the expenses of the Research Programme.

Submissions will be evaluated based on scientific merit, significance of use, approach, and feasibility. Applications will be judged by a panel of R&D professionals from the Sponsor based on the following weighted criteria:

• Scientific merit: use of Microarray application in plant and animal genetics with Applied Biosystems™ Axiom™ Expert Catalog Genotyping Arrays and Microarray Research Services Laboratory (MRSL) to achieve Goals (30%)
• Significance of use: how using Applied Biosystems™ Axiom™ Expert Catalog Genotyping Arrays will further improve their research versus existing technologies available (30%)
• Approach: how clear and well developed is their proposed use of Applied Biosystems™ Axiom™ Expert Catalog Genotyping Arrays to address existing research challenges and opportunities, and to answer all questions at hand in plant and animal genetics (30%)
• Feasibility of the intended Project Originality (10%)

All qualifying applications will be anonymised before presentation to the judges. The successful Applicants will be selected at the Sponsor’s sole discretion – one in the plant field and one in the animal genetics field based on the evaluation described above. Judges’ decisions are final on all matters and shall not be subject to challenge or appeal. No information regarding judging or selection will be disclosed.

PROGRAMME CANCELLATION: There must be a minimum of ten (10) eligible submissions for the plant field and a minimum of ten (10) eligible submissions for the animal genetics field received by the deadline for the Research Programme in the plant and animal genetics field to proceed to the stage where submissions will be reviewed by the panel of judges. If a minimum of ten (10) eligible submissions are not received by the deadline for either or both fields, this Research Programme will be cancelled for either or both fields. Should the Research Programme be cancelled, an announcement will be posted on the website thermofisher.com/axiomagriresearchprogramme.com and an email notification will be sent to each Applicant.

NOTIFICATION AND RESEARCH PARTNER’S OBLIGATIONS: The selected Research Partners will be notified before 31st December 2026. The selected Research Partners will have the unique opportunity to enter into a Sponsored Collaboration Agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific in the form of a contract, setting out the collaboration period and conditions – one in the plant field and one in the animal genetics field.

Applicants and prospective Research Partners are responsible for reviewing the Sponsored Collaboration Agreement. By submitting an Application, Applicants and prospective Research Partners indicate their acceptance of the terms and conditions set out in the Sponsored Collaboration Agreement. The selected Research Partner will be required to execute and return the Sponsored Collaboration Agreement to the Sponsor within one month from the date the Sponsored Collaboration Agreement is issued by the Sponsor to the Research Partner. In addition, the relevant research samples must be sent by the Research Partner to the Sponsor within three months from the date of last signature of the Sponsored Collaboration Agreement. If the Research Partner fails to return the Sponsored Collaboration or send the relevant research samples within the stated timeframes, the Sponsor may select an alternative Research Partner based on the selection criteria set forth above.

The Research Partner will be able to benefit from any of Applied Biosystems™ Axiom™ Expert Catalog Genotyping Arrays for plant and animal genotyping research projects and may select either genotyping of up to 192 research samples on a High-Density (HD) array or up to 384 research samples on a Low-Density (LD) array, depending on their research needs, processed in Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Microarray Research Services Lab.   In addition to sample processing, awardees will receive guidance on sample preparation and submission from Thermo Fisher Scientific. Our Bioinformatics team will ensure high-quality raw data is provided to the winners, but please note that no data interpretation services will be provided.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Research Partner will receive raw data based on the samples submitted to the Sponsor and will not attend Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Microarray Research Services Lab for the genotyping process. The raw data shall be provided on an ‘as is’ basis and the Sponsor provides no warranty regarding the results. Full terms and conditions applicable to will be set out in the Sponsored Collaboration Agreement. All equipment and consumables used remain the property of Thermo Fisher Scientific.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: Ownership of the pre-existing underlying intellectual property of the Applicant remains the property of the Applicant, subject to the Sponsor’s rights to reprint, display, reproduce, perform, use, and exhibit the Application for the purpose of administering and promoting the Research Programme and for Sponsor’s marketing and advertising purposes. By participating in the Research Programme, each Applicant grants to Sponsor a non-exclusive, worldwide, fully paid, royalty-free, perpetual, transferable, sub-licensable licence to reprint, display, reproduce, perform, use and exhibit (including the right to make derivative works of) the Application and materials, and information submitted on and in connection with the Research Programme. Each Applicant hereby warrants that any Application and other materials and information provided by Applicant are original and do not violate or infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property, or other rights of any person or entity, and do not violate any rules or regulations. If the Application or information or materials provided by participant contain any material or elements that are not owned by Applicant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, Applicant represents that he or she has obtained, prior to submission of the Application and information or materials, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit use and display of the Application, information and materials by Sponsor without additional compensation.

GENERAL RULES: Return of any selection notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and alternate determination. By participating in this Research Programme, Applicants agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set out herein and the decisions of Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any Applicant who tampers or attempts to tamper with the Application process or the operation of the Research Programme or website; violates the terms and conditions set out herein; or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Research Programme may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person and participant to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any provision herein shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Sponsor and each of its respective affiliates, officers, directors, agents, and employees will have no liability or responsibility for any claim arising in connection with participation in this Research Programme or any award. Each Applicant assumes all liability for any injury or damage caused, or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Research Programme or use or redemption of any award.

RELEASE/LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: APPLICANT HEREBY INDEMNIFIES AND HOLDS SPONSOR HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY THIRD-PARTY CLAIM ARISING FROM OR IN CONENCTION WITH APPLICANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME OR THE APPLICATION. SPONSOR AND ITS AGENTS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST, LATE, DAMAGED, MISDIRECTED, ILLEGIBLE, INCOMPLETE OR MUTILATED APPLICATIONS; OR FOR ANY TECHNICAL, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE OR TELEPHONE MALFUNCTIONS OF ANY KIND, LOST OR UNAVAILABLE NETWORK CONNECTIONS, , DELAYS OR HUMAN ERRORS THAT OCCUR IN THE PROCESSING,TRANSMISSION OR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS; OR FOR INACCURATE TRANSCRIPTION OF APPLICATION INFORMATION; OR FOR APPLICATIONS THAT ARE STOLEN, MISDIRECTED, GARBLED, LOST OR DELAYED BY COMPUTER TRANSMISSIONS; OR IF FOR ANY REASON THE PROGRAMME IS NOT CAPABLE OF BEING CONDUCTED AS PLANNED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INFECTION BY COMPUTER VIRUSES, BUGS, TAMPERING, UNAUTHORISED INTERVENTION, FRAUD, TECHNICAL FAILURES OR OTHER CAUSES BEYOND THE CONTROL OF SPONSOR. SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT AT ITS SOLE DISCRETION TO CANCEL, TERMINATE, MODIFY OR SUSPEND THE PROGRAMME. SPONSOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR FAILED, INCOMPLETE, INCORRECT OR INACCURATE APPLICATION INFORMATION, WHETHER CAUSED BY INTERNET USERS OR BY ANY OF THE EQUIPMENT OR PROGRAMMING ASSOCIATED WITH OR UTILISED IN THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME, OR BY ANY TECHNICAL OR HUMAN ERROR THAT MAY OCCUR IN THE PROCESSING OF THE APPLICATIONS IN THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME.

CHOICE OF LAW; VENUE: The Research Programme is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision.  Sponsor and Applicant irrevocably agree that the courts of England have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these terms and/or the Research Programme, including non-contractual disputes.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• No purchase is necessary to apply for the Research Programme.
• The Research Programme is subject to all applicable European laws and regulations.
• Healthcare Professionals and Government Officials located in eligible countries may not participate.
• The Research Programme may be void in certain jurisdictions where prohibited or where registration or bonding is required.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Healthcare Professional means any individual (with a clinical or non-clinical role; whether a government official, or employee or representative of a government agency or other public or private sector organization; including but not limited to, physicians, nurses, technicians, laboratory scientists, researchers, research coordinator or procurement professionals) that in the course of their professional activities may directly or indirectly purchase, lease, recommend, administer, use, supply, procure or determine the purchase or lease of, or who may prescribe medical technologies or related services. The definition of Healthcare Professionals includes individuals involved in research activity, not just those directly involved in the provision of healthcare services.

Government Official shall mean: (i) Any officer or employee of a government or any department, agency or instrument of a government; (ii) Any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of a government or any department, agency, or instrument of a government; (iii) Any officer or employee of a company or business, university or institution owned or funded in whole or part by a government; (iv) Any officer or employee of a public international organization such as the World Bank or United Nations, the European Union or the World Health Organization; (v) Any officer or employee of a political party or any person acting in an official capacity on behalf of a political party; and/or (vi) Any candidate for political office.