Free research grade biotechnology kit for students use

The Amgen Biotech Experience programme (ABE) programme has its origins in the USA, thanks to its close connection with Amgen (Applied Molecular Genetics Inc.) a global pharmaceutical company established in Thousand Oaks, California, on April 8, 1980. The education programme of curriculum enhancement and support, funded by the Amgen Foundation, has been in the UK since 2012 managed by the University of Hertfordshire (go.herts.ac.uk/amgen).

Our session raised awareness of the programme, highlighted its 2 pronged purpose – inspiring future scientists to consider a career in biotechnology and enhancing scientific currency/literacy. We explored connections between curriculum relevance and the importance of these topics to living in the real world.

ABE is a free-to-schools programme that provides CPD to teachers and technicians,  followed by a kit  loan to the school of research-grade equipment and consumables to run the individual labs offered in the programme. We have ensured the labs fit to the UK Science GCSE and A-level curricula and know that it also supports BTEC and T-level Science programmes. Training that we provide and kit loans to trained schools take place at delivery hubs in Cambridge, Hatfield, Hull, Kent and Norwich with occasional outreach offerings around the rest of the country.

Learning topics from a textbook on restriction digestion, gel electrophoresis and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may be viewed as dull and abstract by students, however enabling students to take a hands-on approach with research grade scientific equipment to boosts engagement and understanding.