Regeneron Unveils Dedicated Labs For Student Science Education

TARRYTOWN, NY — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory announced Thursday the launch of the Regeneron DNA Learning Center. The new 4,700-square-foot-center is located on Regeneron's Sleepy Hollow campus in Westchester County.

The interactive educational center is equipped with two state-of-the-art teaching labs to host local middle and high school field trips during the academic year, summer camps and semester- or year-long research projects, according to a spokesperson.

As the newest of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's nine total teaching laboratories, the Regeneron DNA Learning Center offers hands-on experimentation to a diverse group of local pre-college students. The goal of this program is to increase awareness, access and exposure to STEM at a young age and inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields.

"Regeneron and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory are two prominent New York organizations with a shared belief in the power of science and the need to prepare students for STEM careers," said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder, president and chief scientific officer at Regeneron and a trustee of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

"We strongly believe that there is nothing more important to helping solve the daunting issues we face today — such as climate change, global hunger and incurable diseases — than inspiring and engaging great young scientists, including those in the Hudson Valley region," he said. "The Regeneron DNA Learning Center is one more step in that direction, and together with other efforts such as the Regeneron Science Talent Search, reflects our commitment to fostering the next generation of scientists."

"Our collaboration with Regeneron brings together two leading scientific institutions to offer a unique STEM learning opportunity to students across the greater Hudson Valley," said Bruce Stillman, Ph.D., president and CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

"This program will equip students with the skills, knowledge and excitement to thrive in future STEM careers, and contribute significantly not only to the scientific community, but also make meaningful change in their own backyards to keep New York State competitive," he said.

According to the company, Regeneron invested about $4 million to build and outfit the new laboratories. The DNA Learning Center is an award-winning program of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and is run by their educators and Ph.D. biologists who have been trained to deliver an exceptional learning experience to every student.

In addition to the onsite activities, mentor training for teachers and support for in-school experiments will provide an immersive educational experience.

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