Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy Receives 60,000 Euros for Teaching
German Chemical Industry Donates Money for New Lab Equipment for Experiments in the Bachelor's and Master's Degree Programs in Biochemistry at Freie Universität
№ 171/2016 from May 23, 2016
Biochemistry students at Freie Universität Berlin will soon benefit from a gift from the German Chemical Industry Association, which has donated 60,000 euros for the purchase of new equipment at the Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry. On Tuesday at the opening meeting of the seventh Innovation in Chemistry and Biotechnology Congress, Dr. Christian Schleicher, the chairperson of the Northeast Regional branch of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) symbolically presented a check to Professor Dr. Florian Heyd. Dr. Schleicher said that promoting young scientists is an important investment for promoting industry in Germany and that "We are happy to be in a position to help." The institute will also be contributing 12,000 euros toward purchasing the new equipment. "This money permits us to purchase the most modern equipment, which in turn enables us to redesign the lab courses in the field of nucleic acids that are part of the bachelor's and master's degree programs. This is necessary in order to provide the students with an up-to-date education," said Prof. Dr. Florian Heyd. In particular, the institute intends to purchase a qPCR machine, a modern system of imaging for chemiluminescence detection and refrigerated centrifuges used for sample preparation.
The donation to Freie Universität is part of a Germany-wide campaign of the Fonds of the German Chemical Industry Association. Altogether it has contributed 1.1 million euros to improve teaching within the degree programs in chemistry. As the scholarship fund of the German Chemical Industry Association, it has been supporting basic research, junior researchers, and chemistry classes in schools since 1950. Through the foundation, the Fonds awards scholarships, supports scientific research in chemistry in Germany, and contributes to improving chemistry instruction at primary and secondary schools in Germany.
In eastern Germany alone, more than 58,000 employees work in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. NORDOSTCHEMIE is an organization representing the economic and social policy interests of the more than 300 member companies. Its members include the employers' association Nordostchemie e. V. (AGV Nordostchemie), the northeast regional branch of the German Chemical Industry Association e. V. – Landesverband Nordost – (VCI LV Nordost), and its associations. The headquarters are in Berlin, with other offices in Dresden and Halle.
Further Information
- Torsten Kiesner, German Chemical Industry Association e.V., Northeast Branch, Tel.: +49 30 343816-30, Email: kiesner@nordost.de
- Prof. Dr. Florian Heyd, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität, Tel.: +49 30 838-62938, Email: florian.heyd@fu-berlin.de
Link to the Homepage
Heyd Group: www.bcp.fu-berlin.de/en/chemie/biochemie/research-groups/heyd-group/index.html