The Amgen Foundation, in partnership with Harvard University, is gearing up to unveil its latest offering in an extensive portfolio of immersive scientific learning experiences, LabXchange . A literal game-changer in science education, LabXchange will provide a virtual lab experience to students around the world – for free.
A recent sponsored article published in Nature Magazine explains that LabXchange, which focuses on biology and biotechnology, leverages technology to teach basic lab skills and engage students in the scientific process. From manipulating genes and duplicating DNA to running experimental simulations, aspiring scientists will experience lab learning on an interactive platform intended to level the playing field for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
“We think the school science lab is a magical place – a place where, as a young student, you get to do what you read about in a science book,” says Eduardo Cetlin, president of the Amgen Foundation. “As students move through their educational journey, the lab is the perfect setting for them to start thinking like scientists: asking questions, crafting hypotheses, designing and running experiments.”
Funded through a $6.5 million grant from the Amgen Foundation to Harvard University, the investment in LabXchange “is significant in that it reflects a meaningful step towards scalable programs that leverage the power of technology to open the world of science to young people everywhere.”
Robert A. Bradway, Amgen’s chairman and chief executive officer, agrees, “By joining forces with Harvard, LabXchange’s interactive educational platform will give students studying biology around the world access to a unique virtual lab experience for free, dramatically expanding the Amgen Foundation’s reach in science education.”
LabXchange is expected to launch in 2019. Read the full article in Nature Magazine to learn more about this exciting new platform.