The “Cyagen Trailblazer Grant Award” (“Contest”) is open to academic, industry, and non-profit research professionals globally, including graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, principal investigators (PIs), staff scientists, and R&D professionals in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries who submit a complete application form at the official CTGA Campaign webpage.
To be eligible, applicants must have published at least one article in the past two (2) years in a peer-reviewed scientific journal with an impact factor greater than 20. Applicants must be at least eighteen (18) years of age as of the date of submission.
This Contest is subject to all applicable international, federal, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited. Employees of Cyagen, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising/promotional agencies, and their immediate family members or household members are not eligible.
The Contest is sponsored by Cyagen Biosciences, headquartered at 2255 Martin Ave, Suite E, Santa Clara, CA 95050, USA (“Sponsor”). The Contest is organized and supported according to the terms outlined in these Official Rules.
By participating, you agree to be fully and unconditionally bound by these Official Rules and the Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to this Contest. The Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any participant who violates the Official Rules or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner.
The Contest begins on August 1, 2025 at 12:01 AM (PST) and ends on September 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM (PST) (“Entry Period”). Applications submitted outside this period will not be accepted. Award announcements are scheduled for October 16, 2025.
Applicants must complete and submit the online application form available at the official CTGA Campaign webpage. A complete entry includes:
- Full name and contact details
- Affiliation and job title
- Area of disease research focus
- Type of model needed
- Publication Record (required): Provide the DOI or link to one peer-reviewed article (past 2 years, IF >20)
- A brief research summary outlining the scientific rationale and innovation
Only one application per lab or project will be accepted. Incomplete or non-compliant entries will be disqualified at the Sponsor’s sole discretion.
Up to 50 grant awards will be issued globally. Each award will provide 50%–100% funding coverage for the cost of developing a custom animal model using Cyagen’s services. The total award pool is up to $1,000,000 USD.
- Grant recipients must initiate the project within 6 months of notification unless an extension is pre-approved.
- The grant may only be applied to one model generation project, as defined in the submitted application.
- The award cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions.
- No cash alternative or prize substitution is permitted, except at the sole discretion of the Sponsor.
Recipients are responsible for any taxes or fees associated with the award. Execution of a service agreement is required prior to project start.
All models generated under the CTGA program (“Models”) are subject to the following terms:
- Ownership: The resulting animal models and associated technologies are jointly owned by the recipient and Sponsor.
- Usage Rights: The recipient is granted a 1-year exclusive usage period starting from model delivery.
- Non-commercial Use: Models may only be used for academic or non-commercial research purposes. No third-party transfers or commercial use is permitted without written authorization.
- Data Sharing: All downstream validation data produced using the Models must be shared with Cyagen and may be used by Cyagen for CRO services, publications, or promotional purposes, unless otherwise agreed.
Applications will be reviewed by a panel of scientific experts appointed by the Sponsor. Proposals will be evaluated based on:
- Scientific merit and innovation
- Clarity of research goals
- Fit between the proposed study and model type
- Feasibility and timeline
- Potential scientific or translational impact
Winners will be notified via email by October 16, 2025. Cyagen will not be responsible for undelivered messages due to spam filters or incorrect contact information. Failure to respond within 10 days may result in forfeiture.
By entering, you agree that Sponsor may use your name, institutional affiliation, and submitted content for promotional and marketing purposes, including but not limited to: press releases, presentations, or web content, without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.
Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the Contest at any time due to technical issues, fraud, or any other cause that corrupts the administration of the Contest. Any attempts to tamper with or undermine the entry process will result in disqualification.
By participating, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Cyagen and its affiliates from any and all claims arising from participation in the Contest or use of any awarded prize, including but not limited to personal injury, death, or property damage.
This Contest is governed by the laws of the State of California. All disputes arising under or related to the Contest shall be resolved individually, without resort to class action, and exclusively in the state or federal courts located in California.
All applicant information is confidential and will only be shared with Cyagen’s internal review
panel. Submission is subject to Cyagen’s
To request the list of grant recipients, contact: animal-service@cyagen.com
By submitting an entry, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Official Rules.

The Cyagen Trailblazer Grant Award (CTGA) is a global initiative designed to accelerate breakthroughs in biomedical research through the development of novel, high-impact custom animal models. Whether you're exploring complex disease mechanisms or validating targets for emerging therapeutics, CTGA provides the support you need to move forward—faster.
In its 2025 cycle, Cyagen will award up to $1 million USD in model generation funding to 50 research teams worldwide, spanning diverse areas of study including:







We welcome applications from life science professionals worldwide, including:
● Principal Investigators and Lab Heads
● Postdoctoral Researchers and Graduate Students
● Academic, industry, non-profit, and translational research teams
● Scientists planning to use custom animal models for preclinical studies
Each selected proposal will receive:





Applications will be reviewed by a scientific panel on a rolling basis—submit early to increase your chances.
Cyagen is a leading global provider of custom animal model generation services, trusted by over 7,000 institutions worldwide. Our scientific platforms empower preclinical research across a broad spectrum of therapeutic areas.
Your research may benefit from:










- ● Publication: Nature
- ● Topic: Extreme resilience to autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease
- ● Model Used: RELN-H3447R-Tg
- ● Highlight: Researchers reported the second known case of “extreme resilience” to autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD). The patient carried the PSEN1-E280A mutation but developed only mild cognitive impairment at age 67, despite a very high amyloid plaque burden. A rare gain-of-function variant, RELN-COLBOS, was found to enhance Dab1 activation and reduce Tau phosphorylation, suggesting that the Reelin signaling pathway can confer resistance to dementia.
- ● Publication: Nature
- ● Topic: IL-4 signaling drives immunosuppressive myelopoiesis in cancer
- ● Model Used: Il4ra conditional knockout (S-CKO-03105)
- ● Highlight: This study uncovered IL-4 as a key regulator of pro-tumorigenic myeloid cell development in the bone marrow, primarily secreted by basophils and eosinophils. Deletion of IL-4Rα in early myeloid progenitors reduced tumor burden in mice, whereas deletion in mature myeloid cells had no effect. A clinical trial combining IL-4Rα blockade (dupilumab) with PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC patients showed promising responses, including near-complete remission in one patient.
- ● Publication: European Heart Journal
- ● Topic: Eosinophil proteins promote vascular calcification
- ● Model Used: Bmpr1b conditional knockout (S-CKO-01441)
- ● Highlight: Eosinophil-derived proteins (mEar1, ECP, EDN) bind to BMPR-1A/1B receptors on vascular smooth muscle cells, activating the BMPR-1A/1B–Smad-1/5/8–Runx2 signaling pathway. This drives osteogenic differentiation and vascular calcification. In a 5,864-participant cohort from the DANCAVAS trial, eosinophil counts correlated with arterial calcification scores. Mouse models confirmed causality through knockout and adoptive transfer experiments.
- ● Publication: Nature
- ● Topic: Matrix-producing neutrophils protect skin integrity
- ● Model Used: Col3a1-CKO, Rosa26LSL; CNA35-mCherry
- ● Highlight: A newly identified population of neutrophils can produce extracellular matrix proteins, forming protective “rings” around wounds. This structural defense depends on TGFβ signaling, and disabling TGFβ receptors in neutrophils compromised barrier function and increased bacterial invasion risk.
- ● Publication: Nature
- ● Topic: CUL2-APPBP2 E3 ligase regulates PRDM16 stability and beige fat biogenesis
- ● Model Used: Appbp2 conditional knockout (S-CKO-17610)
- ● Highlight: CUL2-APPBP2 promotes PRDM16 degradation, suppressing beige fat formation and thermogenesis. Using the protein neddylation inhibitor MLN4924, researchers confirmed CUL2 as the cullin-RING family member responsible for PRDM16 ubiquitination. Inhibition of this pathway enhanced PRDM16 stability, improved glucose tolerance, reduced obesity, and reversed insulin resistance in mouse models.

Fill out the short form below to apply. No lengthy grant writing required.
- All applicants must be over 18 years old and affiliated with a recognized academic or non-profit research entity.
- Projects must begin within 6 months of the award date.
- Awardees will enter into a model generation agreement with Cyagen and agree to the Official Contest Rules.
- Awarded models are co-owned; awardees receive a 1-year exclusive usage period starting from delivery.
- Models may be used for research purposes only—not for resale, licensing, or third-party distribution.