Agencourt Announces Post-Baccalaureate Genomic Training Program for Underrepresented Minorities in Science; Applications Now Being Accepted.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers BEVERLY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 2004 Agencourt Bioscience Corporation, a provider of genomic services and nucleic acid nucleic acid, any of a group of organic substances found in the chromosomes of living cells and viruses that play a central role in the storage and replication of hereditary information and in the expression of this information through protein synthesis. purification products to the life sciences industry, today announced that it is accepting applications for its Minority Training Program. Agencourt is establishing a program as part of the NHGRI NHGRI National Human Genome Research Institute Large-Scale Sequencing Center award it received in November 2003, which is designed to increase the number of minorities in the genome sciences. The two-year training program will commence July 1, 2004. Program participants will gain research experience under the guidance of Agencourt's genome scientists, and strengthen their academic qualifications through coursework at a variety of local universities. Graduates of the Minority Training Program will be expected to enroll in competitive graduate schools with the goal of developing a career in the genome sciences. Current underrepresented minorities in science include African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders. "The percentage of doctoral degrees in science and engineering earned by underrepresented minority groups increased during the 1990s to 5.9 percent. Despite the improvement observed, this percentage is significantly below the representation of these groups in the U.S. population," said Kimberly Sparks, Minority Training Program Coordinator at Agencourt. "Agencourt is pleased to offer a program that will aid underrepresented minorities in preparing for careers specifically in the genome sciences." Applications for Agencourt's Minority Training Program will be accepted until March 15, 2004. For more information or to submit an application, please visit www.agencourt.com or email Kimberly Sparks at ksparks@agencourt.com. About Agencourt Bioscience Corporation Agencourt Bioscience Corporation is a provider of genomic services and nucleic acid purification products that help biotech and pharmaceutical companies improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their drug development pipelines. Agencourt's Discovery Solutions(TM) suite of genomic and functional genomic services include high throughput sequencing, SAGE(TM) sequencing, SNP SNP Scottish National Party Noun 1. SNP - (genetics) genetic variation in a DNA sequence that occurs when a single nucleotide in a genome is altered; SNPs are usually considered to be point mutations that have been evolutionarily discovery and genotyping. The company's purification products and services are based on the proven and patented Solid Phase Reversible Immobilization Immobilization Definition Immobilization refers to the process of holding a joint or bone in place with a splint, cast, or brace. This is done to prevent an injured area from moving while it heals. (SPRI SPRI Scott Polar Research Institute (University of Cambridge) SPRI Single Ply Roofing Institute SPRI Schering-Plough Research Institute (Corporate division) (TM)) technology, which has been used to sequence over 20 billion base pairs of high-quality DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. or more than one-third of the human genome The human genome is the genome of Homo sapiens, which is composed of 24 distinct pairs of chromosomes (22 autosomal + X + Y) with a total of approximately 3 billion DNA base pairs containing an estimated 20,000–25,000 genes. . Several of Agencourt's founders worked at the Whitehead Institute Founded in 1982, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is a non-profit research and teaching institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Whitehead Institute was founded as a fiscally independent entity from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and its members Center for Genome Research, and have significant experience in combining the chemistries and instrumentation for high-throughput genomics. Agencourt is located in Beverly, Mass. and is available on the Web at www.agencourt.com. |
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