Responsibility
04.12.2025
Recently, the Kaj Munk College in Hoofddorp in collaboration with local Amgen Biotech Experience program partner, Reizende DNA-Labs hosted the DNA Experience Day, offering 10th-grade students (havo or mavo) a unique opportunity to explore the world of DNA and biotechnology. The goal? To inspire young minds and give them hands-on experience with how science and innovation contribute to the development of new medicines.
Why the Amgen Foundation Invests in Biotechnology Education
The Amgen Foundation plays a key role in this initiative, investing in science education through the Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE). “Science should be accessible to everyone,” says Femmy de Rijk, Senior Corporate Affairs Manager at Amgen. “That’s why the Amgen Foundation works to bring biotechnology to the classroom, working with dedicated nonprofits, like ‘Reizende DNA-Labs’, which deliver mobile laboratory experiments directly to schools, allowing students to gain hands-on lab experience.”
Melanie Rosenhart, Project Manager of ‘Reizende DNA-Labs’ & ABE Netherlands, emphasizes their mission: “We want students of all levels to engage with science. By bringing practical lessons to schools, we enable them to conduct their own experiments and truly experience how DNA research works.”
Bringing Science to Life: The Power of Hands-On Experience
For the students, the highlight of the day was conducting experiments themselves. They learned how DNA is analyzed and how it plays a crucial role in the development of medicines.
Paula Mittelberg, a biology teacher at Kaj Munk College, stresses the importance of initiatives like this: “One of the biggest challenges in education is providing realistic and engaging scientific experiences. Not all schools have the right lab facilities. Thanks to Amgen Biotech Experience and ‘Reizende DNA-Labs’, we can offer hands-on experiments without needing all the equipment in-house. It’s a fantastic initiative.”
Beyond the practical experience, students also gained valuable insights into potential careers in science and biotechnology. By interacting with scientists and biotech experts, many discovered the exciting opportunities this field has to offer.
For some, this day was their first introduction to biotechnology; for others, it confirmed their passion for a future in science. One thing is certain—the DNA Experience Day left a lasting impact and inspired a new generation to pursue science and innovation!
During the DNA Experience Day at Kaj Munk College, students explored the fascinating world of DNA and biotechnology. Through hands-on lab experiments, students from senior general secondary and pre-vocational education got a taste of real science. The event was organized in collaboration with the Amgen Biotech Experience and Reizende DNA Labs. Watch the aftermovie and get a glimpse of this inspiring day full of innovation and discovery!
Today, we gave a presentation to the students about DNA and explained why DNA research is so important for the development of new medicines.
'Reizende DNA-Labs' allows students to engage with science. We bring practical sessions to schools for all levels. So that the students are well prepared for science in the future.
The most fun part of today was doing the experiment. The experiments, it's interesting to see how it works. I learned how viruses spread. How it can be genetic and how it can go wrong by chance. How a disease or a virus can be triggered by substances such as smoking.
The 'Reizende DNA-Labs' is so important because they visit schools with experiments. And that means you don't need to have all the materials at home. So that you can expand all those labs with students. That makes it a very good initiative.
I've especially learned about defects and mutations in DNA and how that works.
The Amgen Foundation invests in DNA education. Because it is important that scientific education becomes available for everyone. And additionally, to increase biotechnological knowledge. We do it with several partners and we make several programs. And one of the things happened here today, at this school. And that is 'Reizende DNA-labs', so the traveling lab.
About Amgen Biotech Experience
Established in 1990, the Amgen Biotech Experience introduces students to the excitement of scientific discovery and builds bridges between school and real-life biosciences. The program provides teachers with professional development and education materials and loans research-grade equipment to high schools in 16 countries. Learn more at www.amgenfoundation.org.
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