Amersham Pharmacia Biotech Unveils New "Genomics Center of Excellence".Biotechnology/Science Editors SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 20, 2000 Sunnyvale Site Expansion to House New Production Sequencing Laboratory and State-of-the-Art Genomics Research & Development Facility Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, one of the world's leading suppliers of technology for genomics and medical research, today officially unveiled a new "genomics center of excellence" at its Silicon Valley-based subsidiary, Molecular Dynamics. The expansion will create approximately 200 new jobs, mostly in research and development along with support for commercial operations, bringing the total number of employees at the site to 475 people. Ron Long, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, joined employees for a dedication ceremony and tour of the new facilities. The $5.8 million construction project and site improvement has nearly doubled the size of the company's facilities in Sunnyvale. "The significant expansion of our site in California is indicative of the company's continued dedication to the field of genetic research and of the growth Amersham Pharmacia Biotech has experienced in its sequencing business," said Ron Long, CEO of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech. "We are pleased about the positive economic impact for the local region, and proud that the cutting-edge technology produced here will further enhance our already substantial contribution to the world's healthcare." Amersham Pharmacia Biotech acquired Molecular Dynamics in September 1998. The company's expansion in Sunnyvale, California is driven by its strategic location in the heart of the West Coast biotechnology industry. Development at the site will focus on continued innovation to the company's DNA sequencing and microarray technologies and programs. The new building houses a high-throughput DNA sequencing operation that mirrors facilities typical of private genomics companies and academic research institutions. It will provide an in-house proving ground for new sequencing technologies developed by the company's R&D teams. The facility also will serve as an important resource for continuing Amersham Pharmacia Biotech's pioneering academic-biotech collaborations in the fields of ecology and conservation, two areas that historically have not fully benefited from the advances made in genetic research. Amersham Pharmacia Biotech recently joined with the Zoological Society of San Diego to sequence mitochondrial DNA from endangered species endangered species, any plant or animal species whose ability to survive and reproduce has been jeopardized by human activities. In 1999 the U.S. government, in accordance with the U.S. to learn more about the evolution of mammals __FORCETOC__ The evolution of mammals from synapsids (mammal-like reptiles) was a gradual process which took approximately 70 million years, from the mid-Permian to the mid-Jurassic, and by the mid-Triassic there were many species that looked like mammals. and eventually develop better captive breeding captive breeding mating programs designed for use with animals kept in captivity. See also hand mating. techniques. The company also is working with researchers from the University of Delaware [3] The student body at the University of Delaware is largely an undergraduate population. Delaware students have a great deal of access to work and internship opportunities. to sequence 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. from deep sea microbes that live in extreme conditions. Genetic information from these microbes may unlock new ways to clean up oil spills and develop new products that can withstand high temperatures. "Given the success of our sequencing and microarray programs, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech has made a strategic decision to expand its genomics operations in California," said Peter Coggins, Vice President of Drug Discovery for Amersham Pharmacia Biotech. "We will be aggressively hiring to fill positions within our research and development divisions." Amersham Pharmacia Biotech is at the frontier of new healthcare, providing the technologies to discover, develop and deliver therapies faster and more cost-effectively than ever before. Its innovative technologies are used to uncover the structure and function of genes and proteins, screen molecules to discover potential new drugs and purify medical products such as insulin and blood plasma blood plasma n. The yellow or gray-yellow, protein-containing fluid portion of blood in which the blood cells and platelets are normally suspended. . Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, the life sciences division of Nycomed Amersham plc (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : NYE n. 1. A brood or flock of pheasants. Eye, Nye a brood of pheasants. Nye a brood of pheasants—Bk. of St. Albans, 1486. See also eye. ; LSE LSE - Language Sensitive Editor : NAM), is an international market leader in most of its markets. The customer base for the Amersham Pharmacia Biotech's products and technology are pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and leading research and academic institutions in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia. For more information about Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, please visit our website at www.apbiotech.com Further press information: Please contact Marcy Saack, Director of Public Relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most for Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, at (732) 457-8056 or via e-mail at marcy.saack@am.apbiotech.com. Alternately, you may also contact Jeff Hoyak or Melina Fusco with MCS at (908) 273-9626 or (800) 477-9626; outside of North America, please contact Emma Ongley or Rebecca Rosner with Grayling grayling, common name for a brilliantly colored fish belonging to the genus Thymallus, of the family Salmonidae (salmon family), and closely allied to the smelt. Graylings are found chiefly in clear, cold, fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere. at +44 0171 255 1100. |
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