Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: "Millipore Names First Seed Grant Fellow"

Home > Press > Millipore Names First Seed Grant Fellow

Abstract:
Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia is first recipient of major grant to the Harvard Stem Cell Institute

Millipore Names First Seed Grant Fellow

BILLERICA, MA | Posted on July 29th, 2008

Millipore Corporation, a Life Science leader providing technologies, tools and services for bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, today named acclaimed stem cell researcher Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia as the first recipient of the Millipore Seed Grant Fellowship, recently established in partnership with the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI).

In 2008, Dr. Bhatia will receive $100,000 of the $500,000 Millipore grant to HSCI announced last September and is eligible for continued funding in 2009. The funds will be used to support her innovative research in the area of embryonic stem cell differentiation.

"We are impressed with Dr. Bhatia's groundbreaking research, which combines cell biology and micro-engineering," said Geoffrey Crouse, Vice President, Life Science Business Unit, Millipore Corporation. "Her work will help advance the promising field of stem cell research by increasing our understanding of the mechanisms of stem cell differentiation. This type of research could lead to break-through therapies for a whole host of medical conditions. Millipore is committed to advancing life science research. We believe stem cells are critical to improving drug safety and ultimately addressing major human health issues."

"I'm honored to receive this prestigious award," said Dr. Bhatia. "Having support and recognition from the corporate community is imperative, and brings us closer to our goal of curing life-threatening diseases such as cancer. I applaud Millipore for its commitment to stem cell research."

Dr. Bhatia currently serves as a biomedical engineer in the department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass. and as professor of health sciences and technology, and electrical engineering and computer science, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass. She is the recipient of many accolades and awards, including the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering Fellowship, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Y. C. Fung Young Investigator Award and the International Society of BioMEMS & Biomedical; Nanotechnology Scientific Leadership Award. Dr. Bhatia earned her M.D. at Harvard Medical School and doctorate in biomedical engineering and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from MIT, and a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from Brown University.

The Millipore Seed Grant Fellowship was established in September, 2007, to direct the funding of Millipore's five-year, $500,000 grant to HSCI. Each year, beginning in 2008, $100,000 will be earmarked for a Harvard-affiliated seed grant recipient, selected from a list of candidates provided by HSCI.

The HSCI gift is Millipore's first major grant aimed at promoting stem cell research. A second grant, for $150,000, was recently awarded to a scientist at the Scripps Research Institute of California

####

About Millipore Corporation
Millipore (NYSE: MIL) is a Life Science leader providing cutting-edge technologies, tools and services for bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. As a strategic partner, we collaborate with customers to confront the world’s challenging human health issues. From research to development to production, our scientific expertise and innovative solutions help customers tackle their most complex problems and achieve their goals. Millipore Corporation is an S&P 500 company with 6,000 employees in 47 countries worldwide.

The Millipore Corporate Giving Program, (formerly the Millipore Foundation) seeks to contribute to the public good in ways that reflect our values as a company at the frontier of scientific innovation. One of our aims is to help Millipore employees make a positive difference in the world around them. We pursue our goals by offering grants in the areas of K–12 science education, bioscience research, and local community support and by funding a series of programs that encourage employee giving and volunteerism. For more information, please visit www.millipore.com/foundation/mf3/millipore_foundation.

ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCE TOGETHERTM

Research. Development. Production.

About Harvard Stem Cell Institute

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute is a scientific collaborative within Harvard University and its affiliated hospitals, established to fulfill the promise of stem cell biology as a basis for cures and treatments for a wide range of chronic and medical conditions. HSCI takes a broad approach, focusing not only on stem cell science, but also on teacher education and programs in bioethics and the public policy issues generated by stem cell research. For more information, visit www.hsci.harvard.edu.

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Millipore Corporation
Karen Marinella Hall, 978-715-1567
Director of Corporate Communications

or
Millipore Corporation
Tara Pescatore Duplaga, 978-715-1268
Corporate Giving Representative

or
Harvard University
B.D. Colen, 617-495-1585
Sr. Communications Officer for University Science