FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jennifer Moire
Biotechnology Institute
Phone: 703-248-8681
Cell: 952-240-4010
Email: jmoire@biotechinstitute.org

       SAN FRANCISCO, June 6, 2004 -The Biotechnology Institute, the national organization dedicated to biotechnology education, announced last night that Ellyn Daugherty of San Mateo High School in San Mateo, CA is the recipient of its first National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Award. The award was presented during a ceremony at the Biotechnology Institute's annual Conference on Biotechnology Education in San Francisco.

       With funding from Genzyme Corporation, the Biotechnology Institute established the award to recognize exemplary teaching at the high school level that has positively impacted students' understanding of biotechnology's promises and challenges.

       "I am honored to recognize these exceptional leaders in biotechnology education," said Dr. Paul A. Hanle, Biotechnology Institute President. "The National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Award is a way to support outstanding teachers who awaken young people to the promise that biotechnology holds in health, food, industry and the environment."

       "Genzyme strongly supports science education initiatives that broadly increase the awareness of biotechnology and build real excitement and enthusiasm about the industry's achievements and its future," added Elliott Hillback, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Genzyme Corporation and an Institute board member. "We have conducted similar programs in various communities where we operate so are particularly pleased to help expand the Institute's Teacher-Leader Program and Award to the national stage."

       Finalists were identified from a nationwide applicant pool. The winner, who will receive an award of $10,000, was chosen by a panel of judges as a model for incorporating biotechnology into the classroom and for serving as a resource on the subject with their peers.

This year's list of finalists includes:

Second Place: Noel Mellon
Mt. Carmel High School, San Diego, CA
Award: $5,000

Third Place: Rosalind Servinsky
Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center, Johnstown, PA
Award: $2,500

       About the National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Program

       The Biotechnology Institute's National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Program is building a cadre of 1,000 Teacher-Leaders through a series of hands-on laboratories held in the United States and Canada throughout the year. These labs include professional development sessions for science teachers where strategies are shared for introducing biotechnology concepts to their students. These "Teacher-Leaders" make a commitment to conduct similar sessions for their peers and to implement biotechnology-specific curriculum and resources into the classroom. The Institute has trained 700 educators across the United States and Canada as Teacher-Leaders since 2002.

       About the Biotechnology Institute

       The Biotechnology Institute (Error! Bookmark not defined.) was founded in 1998, as an independent, national, nonprofit organization, dedicated to education about the present and future impact of biotechnology. Its mission is to engage, excite and educate the public about biotechnology and its immense potential for solving human health, food and environmental problems.

       About Genzyme Corporation

       Genzyme Corporation is a global biotechnology company dedicated to making a major positive impact on the lives of people with serious diseases. The company's broad product portfolio is focused on rare genetic disorders, renal disease, osteoarthritis and immune-mediated diseases, and includes an industry-leading array of diagnostic products and services. Genzyme's commitment to innovation continues today with research into novel approaches to cancer, heart disease, and other areas of unmet medical need. More than 6,300 Genzyme employees in offices around the globe serve patients in over 80 countries.