Merck Introduces Mobile Laboratory to Promote Protein Research

• Company’s mobile lab to visit 20 campuses across China, sharing protein research knowledge through live digital demonstrations

Shanghai, China, June 20, 2019 — Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced a national campus tour in China for the company’s first mobile protein research laboratory. The retrofitted van, converted into a lab on wheels, is a novel way for college students to learn more about protein analysis and preparation.

“Merck is dedicated to helping scientists solve the toughest problems in life science through our broad spectrum of high-quality products and solutions,” said Steve Vermant, managing director, Life Science business of Merck in China. “We hope to elevate scientific learning by engaging students in our mobile lab.”

The national tour will cover 20 college and biotech campuses in 13 cities across the country including Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Wuhan through July, with the first stop in Shanghai. The tour offers an engaging learning experience of scientific discovery through product displays, live demonstrations, speeches, online games and digital interaction.

Protein is the fundamental building block in life science research. Revealing the structure and function of thousands of proteins in organisms is one of the most challenging areas in the industry. The Life Science business of Merck provides solutions from protein preparation to protein analysis, as well as a variety of protein research tools including the immobilon-E PVDF membrane, the first PVDF membrane to eliminate the alcohol pre-wet step.

Merck is dedicated to engaging young minds, igniting their scientific curiosity and inspiring them to consider a STEM-related career through SPARK, its global volunteer program.

SPARK unites employees around the globe in a shared commitment to give back, focusing on a variety of hands-on science learning programs, including Curiosity Labs™ and the Curiosity Cube® mobile science lab, a retrofitted shipping container that travels across North America and provides a learning environment that immerses visitors of all ages in science topics through hands-on experiments and technology. Through SPARK, more than 7,100 employees have volunteered nearly 66,000 hours of their time — hosting thousands of events in 36 countries and engaging nearly 206,000 young minds.

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About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 52,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene- editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – Merck is everywhere. In 2018, Merck generated sales of €14.8 billion in 66 countries.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the “Merck” name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Performance Materials.