^{80 secondary school students from SMK Telok Kumbar and SMK Seri Nibong, Penang participated in the Genetics Kits Workshop by B. Braun} 


Programme aims to empower more youths on their journey in STEM education
 
BAYAN LEPAS, Penang, July 23 (Bernama) -- B. Braun Medical Industries Sdn. Bhd. (“BMI”), a leading global medical technology company, reaffirmed its commitment to inspiring youths on their journey into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), with the latest installation of its B. Braun Genetics Kits Workshop, held at the company’s premises today. Developed in partnership with the Penang Science Cluster (“PSC”), the interactive workshop was attended by approximately 80 secondary school students from SMK Telok Kumbar and SMK Seri Nibong, Penang, led by 15 specially trained B. Braun volunteers and PSC staff.
 
The B. Braun Genetics Kits, which were officially launched in August 2022, have continued to garner positive response from over 3,000 students to date, leading to an expansion of the programme from 1,000 kits initially to 1,600 kits in 2024. The updated kits also feature additional interactive experiments to enrich the learning experience of secondary school students in hopes of fostering their scientific curiosity of genetics. The pursuit of STEM is crucial for the country’s economic development and innovative capacity, more so for Penang, who’s economy is largely reliant on high-tech to mid-tech manufacturing industries that require a skilled STEM workforce to innovate and expand.    
 
Emphasizing this was Dato’ Ooi Peng Ee, Chief Executive Officer of PSC, who was present at the workshop.
“The collaboration between B. Braun and PSC demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in advancing STEM education and nurturing the next generation of innovators. We believe that by investing in our students today, we are laying the groundwork for a brighter, more innovative future. Penang Science Cluster remains committed to championing initiatives that not only nurture the next generation of scientists and researchers but also solidifies Penang as a hub for scientific excellence and innovation in the region,” he said.
 
The workshop that is usually performed in schools was organised for the first time in the BMI vicinity at Bayan Lepas, to allow the participants the rare opportunity of experiencing a manufacturing environment. It also provided students an opportunity to hear directly from representatives of BMI’s R&D Division, where they shared their personal stories on the transformative powers of STEM education and the various career options that lay ahead.
 
“For more than 180 years globally, and over 50 years in Penang, B. Braun has helped shape healthcare with our pioneering spirit and groundbreaking contributions. We fully embrace the importance of nurturing STEM education to cultivate a competent and skilled talent pool that will sustain the needs of the industry for generations to come. Our active collaboration with PSC spans over a decade and is perfectly aligned with our vision to protect and improve the health of people around the world, through sharing expertise and the power of technology. B. Braun is pleased to continue to uphold our role as a true partner in shaping the bright minds of tomorrow,” Mr. Lam Chee Hong, President, B. Braun Asia Pacific said in a statement.
 
The B. Braun Genetics Kits initiative reaffirms B. Braun’s commitment to promote continuous learning in youths and to inspire them to pursue a career in life sciences, in line with its objectives as Pillar Lead for Life Sciences in PSC.
 
At B. Braun, decisions are made with the generations of today and tomorrow in mind. The company takes responsibility in the pursuit of protecting and improving the health of people around the world, and acknowledges their shared standards and global goals, implementing them with local contributions.
 
About B. Braun Genetics Kits
• The Genetics Kits by B. Braun was launched in 2021 in collaboration with the Penang Science Cluster. The programme is the continuous evolution of the previous B. Braun Genetics Workshops held in 2016 and 2017, and the DNA Fingerprinting Workshops in 2019.
• It includes two (2) segments of Genetics Kits – Advanced and Novice.
• The content of the kits is flexible and adaptable, following the latest developments, trends and requirements of the school syllabus and educational needs.
 
Aim:
• To ignite students’ interest in Life Sciences and Genetics through interactive experiments that promote innovation and critical thinking.
• To encourage interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education among the students.
• To equip the nation, a pipeline of human capital and fulfilling the growing needs and requirements of the industry
 
The Advanced Genetics Kit:
• It comprises two different experiments – Mendelian Corn and Onion DNA Extraction.
• This kit benefits higher-level secondary school students.
• Both experiments are part of the compulsory Genetics Experiments to fulfil school syllabus for Form 6 Biology students.

The Novice Genetics Kit:
• It comprises four (4) sets of interactive, hands-on experiments – Basic DNA Extraction, Blood Typing, Karyotyping and Fingerprint Dusting.
• Provides a more versatile introduction for lower secondary school students from 13-15 years old.
• Engaging experiments can be experienced in any settings i.e.: home/school or Online/Offline mode.
 
About B. Braun
B. Braun is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies with over 63,000 employees in 64 countries. We aim to protect and improve the health of people around the world. As a true partner, we develop smart solutions and set standards to improve health care. For more than 180 years, we have shaped health care with our pioneering spirit and groundbreaking contributions. Through Sharing Expertise and the power of technology, we drive advancements in health care. Our integrated solutions aim to make medical treatment more innovative, more efficient and more sustainable. 
 
B. Braun Medical Industries in Penang, Malaysia is one of the Group’s largest production sites with over 7,300 employees. Here, we produce healthcare solutions for world markets and advance education for medical practitioners through its world-renowned Aesculap Academy. B. Braun’s Regional Asia Pacific Headquarters is also in Penang. In Petaling Jaya, B. Braun Medical Supplies serves Malaysian healthcare professionals.
 
Source: B. BRAUN MEDICAL INDUSTRIES SDN BHD

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Juanita Johari
Director, Head of Corporate Communications, AP
Email: press.ap@bbraun.com 

--BERNAMA