MdBio Foundation Brings MdBioLab to Capitol Hill to Underscore Importance of Mobile Labs in Providing Interactive Bioscience Education to Schools

MdBioLab Celebrates 8 Years Educating
75,000 Local Youth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

(ROCKVILLE, MD) – July 20, 2010 – The MdBio Foundation today took its MdBioLab to Capitol Hill to underscore the impact that mobile labs have in helping provide bioscience educational opportunities to high school students around the country. The MdBioLab, which is celebrating a milestone of educating more than 75,000 students throughout Maryland, is one of 65 mobile laboratories nationally on wheels that provide advanced, hands-on educational programs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to high school students and teachers at schools with limited scientific facilities.

The MdBioLab has been operating in Maryland since 2003. During this time, the lab has traveled to every county in the state, instructing at 183 schools for a total of 260 visits. Today on Capitol Hill, the MdBioLab offered lawmakers and other visitors the opportunity to see its state-of the-art, industry-grade biotechnology equipment and participate in a classroom demonstration. The event was attended by a number of prominent local lawmakers and industry executives, including Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD); Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-MD); Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD); J.J. Finkelstein, President and CEO of RegeneRx; Gary McGarrity, Executive Vice President of Scientific and Clinical Affairs at VIRxSYS; and Renée Winsky, CEO of the Tech Council of Maryland. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer´s office also made a special presentation at today´s event recognizing MdBioLab student alumni from his fifth Congressional district.

Supporting Quotes

• Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) –"Since its inception in 2003, MdBioLab has held over 2,800 classes for thousands of students and teachers. It is a very valuable hands-on resource for educators to increase student interest and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in school and as a career through the advanced educational programs and opportunities that MdBioLab offers. As MdBioLab celebrates the 75,000th student educated in its mobile teaching lab, it is important that we continue to support innovative initiatives like this so that we can increase the number of students pursuing careers in STEM."
• Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) –"Right now, our nation is in an amazing race - a race for discovery and new knowledge, a race to remain competitive and to foster an innovation society. At the heart of this race is education. We must strengthen math and science education in this country in order to cultivate the students who will go on to generate the new workforce for the 21st century - the people who will create the new ideas that lead to new breakthroughs, new products and new jobs. America is a nation of pioneers, innovators and discoverers, and the MdBioLab will help make sure it will stay that way."
• J.J. Finkelstein, President and CEO, RegeneRx and Chairman, MdBio Foundation –"The MdBioLab is bringing enormous benefits to students in Maryland as our educators, public officials and the business community see the positive long-term results of emphasizing science, technology, engineering and math in K-12 education."

Video

• MdBioLab in Action

Photos

• Visit MdBioLab on Facebook for photos

ABOUT THE MDBIO FOUNDATION

MdBio seeks to unify, empower and advance Maryland´s bioscience industry. Guided by a volunteer Board of Directors largely composed of senior industry leaders, the MdBio staff develops and implements a variety of programs to serve the needs of bioscience companies in the state of Maryland. An affiliate of the Tech Council of Maryland, the MdBio Foundation is a private charitable organization that provides and supports bioscience awareness, education and workforce development in the state of Maryland.

Website: www.techcouncilmd.com/mdbio/mdbio_foundation/