Hypothesis-to-Evidence Grant
A fully-funded pilot for researchers who want to take a computational prediction all the way to a wet-lab result — using K-Dense Web to build the case and Litmus Science to run the experiment.
$5,000
Award value per Fellow (cap)
4–6 weeks
Idea to result
3
Public case studies produced
Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
Purpose
Why this grant exists
AI-assisted research has gotten remarkably good at narrowing a large space of questions down to the one worth asking. What it still can't do on its own is pick up a pipette. The gap isn't reasoning — it's the step where a computational lead meets a controlled experiment, and most researchers don't have fast, low-friction funding for that step.
This grant funds exactly that step for three researchers with a live hypothesis. You bring the question. K-Dense Web helps build the evidence base and design the experiment. Litmus Science sources and runs it through its lab network. You get a real result — and we document the whole path from question to evidence as a public case study, credited to you.
Award
What the grant includes
Everything below is provided at no cost to the awarded researcher.
Up to $5,000 in funded wet-lab execution
Covers a single, clearly-scoped experiment run through Litmus Science's lab network — assay development and screening, protein expression and validation, cell line validation/QC, or a comparable pilot study. If quoted costs run higher, the experiment can still go ahead, with the Fellow covering the amount above $5,000.
Guided hypothesis-to-protocol support
Work with K-Dense Web to search the literature, evaluate existing data, and turn your open question into a testable, decisively-scoped experimental design with clear controls and success criteria. Fellows receive 2 months of access to the K-Dense Web Plus plan ($400 value) at no cost.
Vendor sourcing and execution
Litmus Science returns multiple lab quotes (cost, timeline, fit) from its vetted network so you're not stuck with a single vendor or a slow CRO onboarding process.
Fast turnaround
Target of roughly two to three weeks from approved protocol to results in hand — not the months typical of traditional contract research.
Documentation of the full loop
Every stage — hypothesis, evidence base, protocol, quotes, raw data, and interpretation — is captured and organized, rather than scattered across email threads.
Case study co-authorship
Each Fellow is credited as a collaborator on their resulting public case study, with the opportunity to review and shape how the work is presented before it goes out.
Featured visibility
Case studies are published on our blog and shared across our social channels and newsletter, with each Fellow individually named, linked, and tagged — not folded into a generic "our researchers" mention.
Data and IP ownership
You retain ownership of your research question, data, and results. We provide funding, tooling, and lab access; the science is yours.
Expectations
What we ask in return
In accepting the award, each Fellow agrees to:
Run one experiment through the program.
The $5,000 covers a single, clearly-scoped experiment sourced and executed via Litmus Science, on the timeline agreed at kickoff. This isn't general-purpose lab funding — it's tied to the specific hypothesis and protocol approved during selection. If actual lab costs exceed $5,000, the Fellow (or their lab/institution) is responsible for covering the difference. We'll flag any expected overage during protocol finalization, before work is approved, so there are no surprises.
Allow the process to be documented.
Hypothesis, evidence base, protocol, quotes, raw data, and interpretation may all be used in the resulting public case study. You review and approve the writeup before it's published, but participation in documentation isn't optional. Fellows are responsible for securing institutional approval for publicity of the case study if required.
Cite the program in any publication.
If the resulting work (or data from it) appears in a paper, preprint, poster, grant application, or public talk, you agree to acknowledge the grant, K-Dense Web, and Litmus Science by name, per the citation language provided at kickoff.
Be reasonably available for a short interview.
A brief conversation (or written Q&A) about your experience with the process, used to shape the case study narrative.
Use the funds only for the approved experiment.
Grant funds are paid directly to the lab vendor for the approved work, not disbursed as a general stipend.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Open to researchers at any career stage working in, or wanting to work in, drug discovery, molecular/cell biology, biomarker research, industrial or synthetic biology, or a related experimental field.
- PhD candidates
- Postdoctoral researchers
- Faculty and academic PIs
- Biotech founders and early-stage R&D teams
- Independent researchers (considered case-by-case)
The hard requirements: you have a specific, testable hypothesis; you're willing to run it as a single, defined experiment within the program timeline; and you're willing to have the process and outcome documented, published, and shared publicly, with the program cited in any resulting publication.
Scope
What we're looking for
Strong proposals pair an existing evidence gap with an experiment that can plausibly close it within budget ($5,000) and timeline (2–3 weeks). We prioritize high-throughput, plug-and-play biophysical and molecular assays, including:
- Protein Binding & Kinetics: High-throughput SPR/BLI binding affinity validation (Kd, kon, koff) for AI-generated protein or antibody variants.
- Small-Molecule IC50 Enzyme Inhibition: Biochemical target screening and dose-response profiling across target panels.
- Custom DNA & Oligo Synthesis / Construct Assembly: High-throughput synthesis, vector assembly, and sequencing validation for gene libraries.
- RNA / LNP Encapsulation & Characterization: mRNA construct synthesis, lipid nanoparticle formulation, size profiling, and encapsulation efficiency (PDI).
- Quantitative Biochemical Omics & Metabolomics: High-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for untargeted small-molecule and lipid profiling.
Have an experiment not on this list? Feel free to contact us with questions or apply with your details—we evaluate well-scoped custom proposals on a rolling basis.
Process
Selection process
Every application is reviewed by the program team and scored against the same published rubric.
- 1
Proposal submission
Submit your hypothesis, proposed experiment, and supporting background through the application form.
- 2
Feasibility screening
The program team checks scope, budget fit, and whether the experiment can realistically be sourced through Litmus Science's lab network.
- 3
Scientific evaluation
Independent scoring of scientific rigor and impact against research goals.
- 4
Short conversation
A brief call to pressure-test the hypothesis and confirm the experiment is decisively scoped.
- 5
Award decisions
Three proposals are selected for the pilot cohort, chosen to span different domains and experiment types where possible — a stronger set of case studies than three similar ones.
- 6
Kickoff
Each Fellow begins working with K-Dense Web to finalize their evidence base and protocol, and signs off on the program requirements above before funds are released to the lab vendor.
Ready to apply?
Submit your hypothesis and proposed experiment. Application dates will be announced soon.