The Reagent Collaboration Network (Reclone) announced the launch of the Reclone Latin America Starter Kits, a project supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) to expand access to open biotechnology tools and strengthen local research capacity across the region.
This open call is part of a broader effort funded by CZI to accelerate biomedical research in Latin America by addressing persistent barriers to accessing essential reagents. Through this support, Reclone is working to build a more equitable, distributed, and resilient research infrastructure, enabling scientists to produce and share biological materials locally.
A Regional Effort Supported by Key Partners
The Starter Kits are implemented in collaboration with a growing network of regional partners, including the Reclone Latin America Hub at Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), and Reclone Nodes based at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Peru), and Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil). In Brazil, the initiative is also supported by the Brazilian Association of Synthetic Biology (SynBioBR).
Together, these partners support implementation, training, and knowledge-sharing efforts, ensuring that resources are adapted to regional contexts and accessible across countries. This distributed model prioritizes local leadership, regional collaboration, and long-term sustainability.
About the Opportunity
Each Reclone LATAM Starter Kit includes essential enzymes and molecular biology tools, developed by the community to support laboratory work. It is designed to enable researchers to begin working with these materials in their local contexts and contribute to a broader network focused on improving access to research inputs across the region.
The kits will be provided at no cost to selected researchers, and all materials will be shared under an OpenMTA.
Who Can Apply: The call is open to researchers based in Latin America from academic institutions, research centers, companies, and related organizations. Applications will be evaluated based on the criteria outlined in the call.
Call Timeline
- March 18 – March 31, 2026: Application period
- April 6, 2026: Notification of selected researchers
- Starting May 2026: Distribution of Starter Kits
Full details are available on the Reclone Forum: https://forum.reclone.org/t/open-call-reclone-latin-america-starter-kits/1501
The call is available in multiple languages to support accessibility across the region.
Reclone gratefully acknowledges the support of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) for enabling this initiative. We also thank the Reclone Latin America Hub, participating Node institutions, and regional partners for their contributions to making this call possible.
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