Micro Grants
Our Micro Grants provide up to £500 to help scientists purchase and evaluate animal-free reagents. Successful projects will contribute to the development of publishable protocols for animal-free antibodies and mimetics, foetal calf serum (FCS) alternatives, and animal-free hydrogels.
Building Confidence in Animal-Free Alternatives
While animal-derived products (ADP) remain widely used in biomedical research, concerns continue to grow regarding their reproducibility, reliability, and relevance to human biology. Their production and use also raise important ethical concerns.
As the scientific community increasingly embraces human-specific research approaches, there is a growing need to also transition towards scientifically robust, sustainable, and animal-free reagents that can support more reliable and human-relevant research.
Our Micro Grants programme helps researchers in taking the first steps towards replacing ADPs by providing funding of up to £500 to purchase and evaluate animal-free antibodies and mimetics, FCS alternatives, and animal-free hydrogels. By supporting product testing and validation, and sharing protocols and case studies, we aim to accelerate the transition to animal-free reagents and advance more reliable, reproducible, and human-relevant research.
How do Micro Grants work?
1. Apply
Complete the application form below to tell us which animal-free reagent you would like to test.
Need help identifying a suitable product? Explore our alternative product databases and resources below to find the right antibody, FCS alternative, or hydrogel for your research.
2. Receive funding
If your application is successful, you’ll receive reimbursement of up to £500 for the purchase and evaluation of your chosen animal-free reagent.
3. Share your findings
After testing the product, share your protocol and results using our reporting template.
4. Promote
Once submitted, your protocol will be published on our website, contributing to a growing library of practical animal-free research resources.
Need help identifying a suitable product?
Explore our alternative product databases and resources below to find the right antibody, FCS alternative, or hydrogel for your research.
Recombinant Antibodies & Mimetics Database
FCS-Free Database
BME-Free Database
Interested in applying for a Micro Grant?
Please note we are currently only accepting applications from Scotland based researchers. Our Micro Grants will be rolled out to additional regions in the near future.