Igniting a passion for genetics: B. Braun’s signature life sciences programme with PSC returns bigger and better

Bayan Lepas, Penang – 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.