Full Press Release Details
New $13.4 Million Commitment Extends the Amgen Biotech Experience Through 2027–28 School Year
Program Reaches 100,000 Students Annually and Has Served More Than 1.25 Million Students Across 17 Countries
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., October 22, 2026 /3BL/ - The Amgen Foundation today announced a new $13.4 million commitment to the Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE) , a global education program that provides schools with biotechnology curriculum, professional development, research-grade equipment and laboratory supplies at no cost. The commitment brings the Amgen Foundation’s total support for ABE to more than $75 million and extends the program through the 2027-28 school year. ABE is led globally by Education Development Center through the ABE Program Office, and locally by universities, community colleges, and other STEM-based nonprofits in each region.
Advanced biotechnology experiments can be difficult for schools to offer because of the cost of specialized equipment and consumable laboratory supplies, as well as the training teachers need to lead the work. That challenge is particularly relevant for ABE, as more than 60% of participating U.S. public schools are designated as Title I schools. Through the program, participating schools receive the equipment, supplies, teacher training and technical support needed to provide hands-on laboratory experiences in core molecular biology techniques, including DNA manipulation and sequencing DNA for clinical decision-making, which might otherwise be difficult to bring into the classroom.
The renewed investment comes as science and technology skills are becoming increasingly important across the global economy. The World Economic Forum estimates that nearly 40% of skills required on the job will change by 2030, with technological literacy, analytical thinking, and curiosity and lifelong learning among the skills expected to grow in importance. 1 In the United States alone, the STEM workforce grew from 29 million workers in 2014 to 37 million in 2024, according to the National Science Board. 2
Since its launch in 1990, the Amgen Biotech Experience has reached more than 1.25 million students, 5,790 teachers and 2,940 schools at 27 sites across 17 countries. The program now reaches more than 1,000 schools and 100,000 students each year.
“When students hold a micropipette or see the results of an experiment they conducted, biotechnology goes from something they read about to something they can do,” said Scott Heimlich, president of the Amgen Foundation and executive director of philanthropy at Amgen. “That moment can help a student imagine a future in science. The Amgen Biotech Experience is about creating more of those moments and giving educators the tools and support to make them possible.”
In a 2022 global survey, 85% of participating teachers reported that most or all of their students gained an understanding of biotechnology content through the Amgen Biotech Experience, while 62% reported that most or all developed an interest in STEM. 3
“The Amgen Biotech Experience is absolutely amazing. I’ve taught for 27 years, and in the past I could really only afford to do labs like this in AP-level classes. But with the financial support of the Amgen Foundation, I can now do it in all of my classes,” said Christina Freeman, a teacher at Central Crossing High School in Columbus, Ohio.
Freeman said the program also helps experienced teachers continue building their own knowledge as biotechnology evolves. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I want to keep learning. Some of this science didn’t even exist when I was getting my degrees or wasn’t available to me then. I want to learn it and pass that on to my students.”
ABE sites are working to make laboratory-based science more accessible for students with different learning needs, with programs in Ireland and the state of Ohio developing resources in local sign languages to support deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Through its collaboration with LabXchange, the program also reaches beyond the lab and its physical sites, giving educators and students free access to virtual biotechnology learning resources in 14 languages that complement experiential instruction.
With this newest $13.4 million commitment, ABE will continue through the 2027-28 school year, giving another generation of students, and teachers, the opportunity to put science into action. ABE aligns with local educational standards and requirements in all 17 countries where the program is currently offered.
About the Amgen Biotech Experience
Established in 1990, the Amgen Biotech Experience is a global education program funded by the Amgen Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by Education Development Center (EDC). It brings hands-on biotechnology learning into secondary school classrooms around the world. Through professional development, curriculum materials and loaned research-grade equipment, and reagents provided at no cost, the program empowers teachers to deliver engaging laboratory experiences that help students build scientific knowledge, confidence and curiosity. To date, the Amgen Biotech Experience has reached more than 1.25 million students, 5,790 teachers and 2,940 schools globally. For more information, visit AmgenBiotechExperience.com .
About the Amgen Foundation
The Amgen Foundation is committed to unlocking the potential of future innovators through science education and strengthening communities where Amgen employees live and work. Through investments in hands-on learning, research opportunities and educational resources, the Foundation helps expand access to high-quality science education and inspires curiosity, confidence and discovery among students worldwide. To date, the Foundation has contributed more than $500 million to local, regional and international nonprofit organizations and educational initiatives. Its signature programs, including Amgen Scholars, Amgen Biotech Experience, and LabXchange, help bring the excitement of scientific discovery to students around the world. For more information, visit AmgenFoundation.org and follow the Amgen Foundation on LinkedIn . About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to fight some of the world’s toughest diseases. Harnessing the best of biology and technology, Amgen reaches millions of patients with its medicines.
More than 45 years ago, Amgen helped establish the biotechnology industry at its U.S. headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California, and it remains at the cutting edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what is known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline and portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, inflammatory conditions, rare diseases, heart disease and obesity and obesity-related conditions.
Amgen has been consistently recognized for innovation and workplace culture, including honors from Fast Company and Forbes. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average ® , and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index ® , which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization.
For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X , LinkedIn , Instagram , YouTube , Facebook , TikTok and Threads .
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1 World Economic Forum. The Future of Jobs Report 2025. 2025. https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/digest/
2 National Science Board. The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2026: STEM Talent—Education, Training, and Workforce. 2026. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsbsep20261/stem-talent-education-training-and-workforce-2
3 Amgen Biotech Experience, Results from the Global Teacher Survey 2022 , Figure 5, p. 10. Survey administered to active ABE teachers across 19 sites in 12 countries; student-outcomes results based on 450 teacher responses.