Terms and Conditions

Binding Agreement

By entering The Better Scientist – Battle of the Blots: (“Program”), each participant submitting or attempting to submit an entry (“Participant”) agrees to be bound by these Official Rules (“Rules”) and the decisions of Company, which are final and binding. Therefore, please read these Rules prior to entry to ensure you understand and agree. You may not submit an entry to the Program and are not eligible to receive the Prizes described in these Rules unless you agree to these Rules. Any and all individuals submitting an entry on behalf of an entity represents that such individual is acting within the scope of his/her employment, as an employee, contractor, or agent of such entity. Such individual warrants that (a) such entity has full knowledge of his/her actions and has consented thereto and (b) his/her actions do not violate the entity’s policies and procedures.

General

• The application must be submitted through website: https://info.bio-rad.com/thebetterscientist2022.
• Number of applications is limited to one application per person.
• The Western Blot image must be acquired from a Bio-Rad imaging system.
• Raw data file (.scn, .mscn or .1sc file) must be submitted to identify source of imaging system.
• Participants must be from an organization based in the following Asia Pacific countries / regions: China, Taiwan, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles.
• No responsibility can be accepted by Bio-Rad, if there is any mistake while uploading the application. It is the whole responsibility of the Participant to ensure that his or her application gets uploaded and submitted successfully as prescribed.
• All submissions which fulfill the submission guidelines will receive a “The Better Scientist - Battle of the Blots” goodie bag as a token of appreciation.
• The final award is non-transferable, and prize winners may choose to receive a trophy and certificate instead of Apple products and gift cards. No other alternative will be offered to the prize winners.
• The winners agree to take part in reasonable post-event marketing activities and use of their names, project application, images and photographs in such marketing activities.
• Company employees or their associates are not eligible to participate in this award.
• All required information on the Application form must be completed..
• All Applications must be submitted in the English language. The Application must be received by Company between 12:01 AM Singapore Standard Time on Nov 1, 2022 and 11:59 PM Singapore Standard Time on Jan 31, 2023.
• By applying, you represent that you are not prohibited by employment, law, regulation, or the policies or practices of your institution or employer from participating.
• This program is not open to Healthcare Professionals. The term Healthcare Professionals means any individual who is involved in the provision of health care services and/or items to patients (including physicians, physician assistants, nurses, technicians, research coordinators, administrators)

Selection

The objective of the Program is to promote good Western Blotting techniques and recognize researchers who have been producing high quality Western Blotting work using Bio-Rad Imaging systems. There are seven (7) scientific awards and one (1) special category award for “Most Popular Vote”.

Scientific awards will have applications being judged by a panel of five R&D and Marketing professionals from Sponsor based on the following criteria with percentage % of the total score indicated:

• Blot image quality (50%): Protein separation pattern and quality, lack of aggregation, lack of protein degradation, lack of non-specific bands.
• Quantitation and normalization (30%): Lowest average background, highest target peak signal (without saturation), greatest signal-to-background ratio, most consistent sample loading.
• Other challenging or innovative aspects (20%): Challenging sample types or detection, innovation in performing Western Blot, multiplexing or fluorescent blots.
• All qualifying applications will be anonymized prior to presentation to the judges. Judges’ decisions are final on all matters and shall not be subject to challenge or appeal.

The “Most Popular Vote” award will be selected based on the highest number of public votes.

Original Work

The Participant must submit his own work only and shall not be a reproduction or copy the work of others, in any manner whatsoever. The work submitted by the Participant shall be original material and shall not contain copyrighted material or work of others in anyway. Company does not take any responsibility of authenticity or accuracy of the work. Applications must be original to the Participant and must not infringe any third-party proprietary rights, intellectual property rights, industrial property rights, personal or moral rights or any other rights, including without limitation, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret or confidentiality obligations, or otherwise violate applicable laws. No trademarks, logos, company names or advertising of third parties are allowed unless expressly permitted by Company. Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject and/or disqualify any entries (in whole or in part) that Company deems, in its sole discretion, to be threatening, abusive, harassing, offensive, obscene, defamatory, hateful, embarrassing to another person or entity, profane, discriminatory, false, misleading or deceptive, invasive of another’s privacy, tortious or that promote illegal behaviour, or otherwise are inconsistent with its editorial standards or reputational interests, or that Company believes may violate any applicable law or regulation, these Rules, or the rights of any third party.

How To Enter

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS PROGRAM. In order to enter, during the Program Period, Participants should go to the Program website at website: https://info.bio-rad.com/thebetterscientist2022 to submit the application. All Applications must be received online, through the online submission system, on or before the end of the Program Period. Company will consider only (1) application from each of the Participant. Subsequent entries will be disqualified. Applications once submitted, becomes the sole property of Company.

Company is not responsible for: (i) lost, late, incomplete, invalid, illegible, unintelligible, incomplete, damaged, altered, counterfeit, obtained through fraud, late, or misdirected entries, which will be disqualified; (ii) for failed, partial or garbled computer transmissions; or (iii) for technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to electronic malfunctioning of any network, hardware or software; or (iv) for any error, technical or otherwise. Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any application not in compliance with these Rules.

Electronic Communications

By submitting the Application, Participant agree to communicate for the purpose of this Program with Company electronically. By agreeing to do business electronically, you (i) agree that your consent to these Rules is a binding form of your electronic signature, which you agree binds you to these Rules, (ii) represent that you have Internet access and a valid email address enabling you access to information pertaining to the Program online and to receive communications and documents electronically, and (iii) represent that you have a printer or other device to print or otherwise save communications and documents including, without limitation, these Rules and that you have, in fact, printed or otherwise saved a copy of these Rules for your records. This consent is effective unless and until you withdraw it. You may withdraw your consent to electronic communication and delivery of documents or update your contact information, at any time by contacting us as set forth in these Rules.

General Conditions

Company reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify Participants that violate these Rules, misrepresent themselves or provide misleading information to Company. Company further reserves the right to disqualify any Participant that tampers with the submission process or any other part of the Program. Any attempt by a Participant to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Program is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Company reserves the right to seek damages and/or claims from any such Participant to the fullest extent under the applicable laws. Participants agree to be bound by the decisions of Company.

Intellectual Property Rights / Publicity

As a condition of submitting an Application, Participants grant to the Company and its affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees and assigns, an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive and royalty-free right to use, reproduce, edit, display, transmit, prepare derivative works of, modify, publish and otherwise make use of the Application for solely for its internal purposes or to promote the Program. In addition, Participants grant to the Company and its affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees and assigns, an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive and royalty-free right to use, reproduce, edit, display, transmit, prepare derivative works of, modify, publish and otherwise make use of any Participant’s name, image, and likeness in any and all media, whether now known or hereinafter created, throughout the world and for any purpose. In addition to other things, the rights granted to the Company include, but are not limited to, the right to resize, crop, censor, compress, edit, feature, caption, affix logos to, and to otherwise alter or make use of the submitted application. The Participants acknowledge and agree that the Company shall have no obligation to post, display or otherwise make publicly available any application submitted by the Participant. Participants consent to allowing the Company and its affiliates to publish their application on any of their websites and/or social media pages for promotional marketing purposes. Participants consent to being contacted by Company or any of its representatives for follow-up marketing activities related to this Program.

Confidential Information

Company and each Participant agree that Company may use confidential information exclusively for (i) judging such Participant’s proposal, (ii) follow-up marketing activities related to this Program and (iii) general market analysis purposes (collectively, the “Purposes”). Company agrees to protect such confidential information from unauthorized access and dissemination, and not to disclose it to any party other than to its affiliates, and its and its affiliates’ officers, employees, representatives and advisors (collectively, “Agents”), who are reasonably required to receive such confidential information for the Purposes, where such Agents have been made aware of the confidential nature and are bound by a written obligation of confidentiality no less stringent than that set forth herein. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to information or parts thereof which (a) have been in or become part of the public domain through no breach of this paragraph by Company, (b) have been made available to Company without known wrongful act by an independent third party, (c) have been already lawfully in Company’s possession at the time of receipt of the confidential information from the Participant, or (d) have been independently developed by Company or its affiliates without use of the Participant’s confidential information. In case Company is required by applicable law, regulation, rule or act or by order of any governmental authority or court of competent jurisdiction to disclose a Participant’s confidential information, Company shall give sufficient advance written notice so that the Participant may either seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy or waive compliance with the provisions of this paragraph for such disclosure. In the event that a Participant is either unable to obtain such remedy or waives compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, Company will thereafter disclose only the minimum confidential information of the Participant required in order to comply. Company’s nondisclosure and non-use obligations with respect to a Participant’s confidential information shall expire on the fifth anniversary of receipt of such information. Company shall take action to enforce the obligations and restrictions herein on such affiliates and Agents which receive confidential information for the Purposes. Company shall be liable to a Participant for any non-compliance of those affiliates and Agents with such obligations and restrictions to the same extent as Company is liable for any such non-compliance on its own part.

Privacy

Participants agree that personal data including, but not limited to, name, mailing address, phone number, and email address (“Personal Information”), as well as any confidential and proprietary data submitted in connection with the Program, may be collected, processed, stored and otherwise used by Company (including its affiliates), or any party authorized by them for the purposes of conducting and administering the Program and analyzing the information submitted. Personal Information may also be used by Company or any party authorized by them, including its affiliates, to verify a Participant’s identity, postal address and telephone number in the event a Participant qualifies for any applicable Prize as well as to deliver the applicable Prize(s). Participants further agree that their Personal Information may be used to fulfill additional terms of the Program or to contact you in response to a question submitted by you. This Personal Information may also be shared by Company or any party authorized by them with any third-party for the purposes of fulfilling the terms of this Program or another service that you have requested, to comply with the law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary in order to conform to the requirements of law or comply with legal process served on Company, and to protect and defend Company’s rights or property. Note that we may share Personal Information, as well as any confidential and proprietary information submitted in connection with the Program, with our agents located in our various offices throughout the world. Some of those offices may be in countries with data protection laws different than those established under Participants’ national, state, or local law. Additionally, Company ask that you please note the following: The data controller is Sponsor and the data recipients are Company and its agents; Personal Information is collected for purposes of administration of the Program; Participants have a right of access to and withdrawal of their Personal Information. Participants also have a right of opposition to the data collection, under circumstances. To exercise such rights or to obtain a copy of the Rules at no charge, Participants may send a request to: Attn: [email protected]

Warranty & Indemnity

Participants warrant that their entries are original to the Participant and do not infringe any third-party proprietary rights, intellectual property rights, industrial property rights, personal or moral rights or any other rights, including without limitation, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret or confidentiality obligations, or otherwise violate applicable laws. Each Participant represents and warrants that all permissions, if any are required, have been granted prior to submission of the Application and the submission of the Application does not violate or breach any obligations to a third party or rights of a third party. To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Participant indemnifies and agrees to keep indemnified, Company at all times from and against any liability, claims, demands, losses, damages, costs and expenses resulting from any act, default or omission of the Participant and/or a breach of any warranty set forth herein. To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Participant agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Company from and against any and all claims including third party claims, actions, suits or proceedings, as well as any and all losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) arising out of or accruing from (i) any entry materials submitted or otherwise provided by the Participant that infringes any copyright, trademark, trade secret, trade dress, patent or other intellectual property right of any person or defames any person or violates their rights of publicity or privacy, (ii) any misrepresentation made by the Participant in connection with the Program; (iii) any non-compliance by the Participant with these Rules; (iv) claims brought by persons or entities other than the parties to these Rules arising from or related to the Participant’s involvement with the Program; (v) acceptance, possession, misuse or use of any Prize or participation in any Program-related activity or participation in this Program; (vi) any error in the collection, processing, or retention of entry information; or (vii) any typographical or other error in the printing, offering or announcement of any Prize or winners. This clause shall survive the expiration of these Terms & Conditions.

Right To Cancel, Modify or Disquality

If for any reason the Program or any portion of the Program is not capable of running as planned due to technical or administrative problems, infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond Company’s reasonable control which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Program, Company reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Program or any portion of the Program.

Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT SHALL NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ITS AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR LOSS OF PROFITS, INCURRED BY PARTICIPANTS OR ANY THIRD PARTY, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY OR IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF SUCH DAMAGES, ARISING FROM THE PROGRAM, PRIZE OR USE OF A PRIZE, EVEN IF COMPANY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Company is not responsible and shall not be liable for late or lost entries, whether caused by web site users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Program and assumes no responsibility for any computer, telephone, cable, network, electronic or internet hardware or software malfunctions, failures, connections, availability or intervention, error, omission, interruption, detection, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to the web site. By accepting a Prize, the winner agrees to release and hold harmless Company, its affiliates and agents from any and all liability, loss or damages arising from or in connection with awarding, receipt and/or use of a Prize or participation in Prize-related activities, and they shall have no liability for any injury, misfortune, or damage to either persons or property incurred by entering, participating in or winning this Program. Participants agree that Company shall have no liability for unsuccessful efforts to notify any potential winner, or for any injuries, losses, or damages by reason of the Participant’s participation in the Program or use of the Prize.

In Case Of Disputes

Company will interpret these Rules and resolve any disputes, conflicting claims or ambiguities concerning the Rules, and Company’s decisions shall be final. If any provision of these Rules is found to be invalid by any court having competent jurisdiction the invalidity of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of these rules, which shall remain in full force and effect. Company reserves the right to modify or terminate the Program or to make such other decisions regarding the administration or outcome as Company deems appropriate. All decisions by Company are final.

Governing Laws

Any claims arising under or relating to this award shall be governed by and construed in all respects in accordance with the laws of Singapore and the parties agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of Singapore in respect of the interpretation of, and any disputes relating to this award.

Variation And Termination

Company reserves the right to amend these Conditions of Award, at its absolute discretion. Any change to the Conditions of Award will be notified on the website at website: https://info.bio-rad.com/thebetterscientist2022.

Right To Reject

Company reserves the right to reject any application if, in its sole opinion, the participant does not meet these Terms & Condition and if Participant is in breach of these Terms & Condition in any manner whatsoever.