June 22 , 2006

Contact: Bob Adams
(425) 564-3081
badams@bcc.ctc.edu

Bellevue, Shoreline community colleges
share $227,000 Amgen Foundation grant

BELLEVUE, WASH.– Bellevue and Shoreline community colleges will share a three-year grant of more than $227,000 from the Amgen Foundation, using the funds to implement the Amgen Bruce Wallace Biotechnology Laboratory Program in the Bellevue, Shoreline and Seattle school districts.

The Amgen-Bruce Wallace Biotechnology Laboratory Program enables teachers to integrate recombinant DNA technology into their science curriculum and provides faculty training, equipment and curriculum at no cost to the participants. The goal is to introduce and excite students about the wonders of scientific discovery.

The Amgen Bruce Wallace Biotechnology Laboratory Program has been implemented successfully in schools throughout California. The grant to Bellevue and Shoreline community colleges will support the first application of the program in Washington state.

Over the three years of the project, Bellevue and Shoreline community colleges will provide training in the program’s biotechnology curriculum to high school and middle school teachers, who will then teach the content in their classrooms to hundreds of students per year.

The grant also will fund three sets of microbiology lab supplies and equipment, such as thermocyclers and electrophoresis equipment, which will be shared among the schools in the three districts.

The initial faculty development workshops will be held in August, with classroom implementation beginning in the fall.

"We are excited that the Amgen Foundation is launching the Amgen Bruce Wallace Biotechnology Laboratory Program in Washington state," said Victor Fung, Amgen director and site head of Process and Analytical Science in Washington and a member of the board of the Alliance for Education. "The addition of this program complements the many science education programs that the Amgen Foundation funds throughout the region benefiting a number of non-profit organizations and schools. The program will be especially helpful in advancing the Amgen Foundation strategy of providing pivotal hands-on science experiences for students and teachers. Additionally, it is a good fit for the Foundation’s strategy to develop future scientists and engineers for this region."

“I’m thrilled that we have been invited to join Amgen in this cutting edge project that provides biotech tools and teacher training to the Bellevue, Shoreline and Seattle school districts,” said Bellevue Community College President Jean Floten. “It is our hope that this program will spark keen interest among high school students and entice them to pursue exciting careers in science and engineering – fields that are so important to our region’s economy.”

The grant-funded program will be headquartered at Bellevue Community College, which will act as fiscal agent and overall project manager.

ABOUT AMGEN AND THE AMGEN FOUNDATION

Amgen discovers, develops and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses. Headquartered in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Amgen maintains facilities in Seattle and Bothell and is the largest biotechnology employer in Washington state.

The Amgen Foundation (www.amgen.com/citizenship/overview.html) seeks to advance science education; improve patient access to quality care; and strengthen the communities where Amgen staff members live and work. Since 1991, the Foundation has made $70 million in grants to local, regional and national non-profit organizations that impact society in inspiring and innovative ways. It has also supported disaster relief efforts both domestically and internationally.

ABOUT BELLEVUE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Serving 35,000 students per year, Bellevue Community College (BCC) is the third largest institution of higher learning in Washington state. BCC offers associate degree programs covering the first two years of a college education as well as degrees, certificates and continuing education programs in more than 90 professional and technical fields, such as information technology, telecommunications, business, education, health and public safety. BCC is one of five community colleges chosen by the Department of Labor to form the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce. BCC’s specific role in the Center is to develop bioinformatics curricula and faculty development programs for nationwide use. Visit BCC on the web at www.bcc.ctc.edu.

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