Biogen Opens Community Laboratory, State-Of-The-Art Teaching Facility

Biogen Opens Community Laboratory, State-Of-The-Art Teaching Facility

		BIOGEN OPENS COMMUNITY LABORATORY Biogen's Chairman and CEO James C. Mullen addresses students at the opening of the Biogen Community Laboratory. (PRNewsFoto)[TK] CAMBRIDGE, MA USA

		BIOGEN LOGO Biogen Logo. (PRNewsFoto)[KC] CAMBRIDGE, MA USA

Collaborates with Cambridge Public Schools on Biotechnology Program CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Biogen, Inc. (Nasdaq: BGEN) today opened the Biogen Community Laboratory, a state-of-the-art teaching facility where nearly 50 Cambridge Rindge and Latin School students have enrolled in a summer program on molecular genetics. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020822/NETH018 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990824/BIOLOGO ) The Community Lab is located inside one of Biogen's research and development buildings at the Company's headquarters in Cambridge. The 1,100 square-foot facility is outfitted with the latest lab equipment and technology, and will serve Cambridge Public School students. Biogen's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James C. Mullen said, "Biogen is pleased to play a role in the educational enrichment of young people. The Community Lab will offer exciting educational opportunities and provide students with a glimpse of how science can be applied to careers in biotechnology. We have worked closely with the Cambridge Public Schools and the City to bring the Community Lab to life, and we look forward to continuing to work together to ensure it remains a resource that supports the work being done in classrooms and aids in the development of future scientists." Superintendent of Cambridge Public Schools, Bobbie D'Alessandro said, "I commend Biogen for establishing the Community Lab, the first program of its kind in Cambridge. We are delighted that Cambridge students will benefit from Biogen's world-class understanding of biology and gain exposure to the world of biotechnology. We appreciate that Biogen is making this important contribution to the future of Cambridge students and the entire community." Biogen launched the Community Lab with two one-week summer sessions, the first of which began this week. Cambridge Rindge and Latin 11th- and 12th- graders are participating in a variety of experiments including extracting DNA from living cells and purifying proteins from bacteria. Biogen scientists lead discussions on the technology and applications used to develop and discover novel therapeutics. Biogen is also working on the summer program with the Dolan DNA Learning Center of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the world's first science center devoted entirely to public genetics education. During the academic year, classes will visit the Community Lab and conduct similar experiments. Biogen also anticipates using the facility for employee and adult education programs. Cambridge City Councillor Anthony Galluccio also spoke at the ceremony. City officials, business and education leaders, and Biogen employees also attended the event. About Biogen Biogen, Inc., winner of the U.S. National Medal of Technology, is a biotechnology company principally engaged in discovering and developing drugs for human healthcare through genetic engineering. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, the Company's revenues are generated from worldwide sales of AVONEX(R) (Interferon beta-1a) for treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, and from the sales by licensees of a number of products. (Please see full prescribing information at http://www.avonex.com.) Biogen's research and development activities are focused on novel products to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases, cancer, fibrosis and congestive heart failure. The Company maintains active clinical research programs in protein therapeutics, small molecules, genomics and gene therapy. For copies of press releases and additional information about the Company, please consult Biogen's homepage on the World Wide Web at http://www.biogen.com.