Merck Millipore Congratulates Nancy Hopkins, Ph.D. of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research (MIT) as Recipient of 2015 Alice C. Evans Award

• Dr. Hopkins is best known for the genetic analysis of early vertebrate development
• Launched a national debate on gender equality in the sciences
• Annual award recognizing significant contributions to the advancement of women in microbiology

June 1, 2015, Darmstadt, Germany — Merck Millipore, the Life Science division of Merck, today announced that Nancy Hopkins, Ph.D., Amgen, Inc. Professor of Biology (emerita), Biology Department and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is the recipient of the 2015 Merck Millipore Alice C. Evans Award for Leadership in Clinical Microbiology. The award was established by the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) Committee on the Status of Women in Microbiology and given in honor of Alice C. Evans, the first woman elected ASM President in 1928. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions toward the advancement of women in microbiology.

Dr. Hopkins is best known for her work on replication of RNA tumor viruses, which led to the development of a system for insertional mutation in zebrafish. For this work, which dramatically changed our understanding of early vertebrate development, Dr. Hopkins was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Hopkins is also known for launching a national debate on gender equality in the sciences, particularly on the status of women faculty in universities throughout the United States.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Alice C. Evans Award,” said Dr. Hopkins. “I am humbled to be included in a list comprised of so many of my heroes – both for their scientific contributions and their advocacy for women in science. As a student, I was privileged to participate in the early years of the molecular biology revolution and to work with many of the founders of the field. I felt protected as a student, and I am grateful for that. Later in my career, though privileged to have a great job, I learned firsthand that women were not operating on a level playing field in science. I saw that many women were treated unfairly. It was difficult to see exceptional scientists under-valued for their work. Then in 1994, women faculty in science at MIT joined forces with the MIT administration to address the problem. The result was beyond anything we could have hoped for. Today, we are so much closer to a world where women scientists can focus on advancing science and not addressing gender inequality. There is nothing better than a life in science when you can participate fully and equally at the highest levels.”

"Merck Millipore is proud to sponsor the prestigious Alice C. Evans award," said John Sweeney, head of Lab Solutions Business, Merck Millipore. "We would like to congratulate Dr. Hopkins and acknowledge her passionate efforts to support women in the scientific community; she is a most deserving recipient of the 2015 award."

The award was presented on May 31 by Dr. Timothy Donohue, ASM president and Dr. Ned Ruby, chair of the ASM Committee on Awards, at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

About Merck Millipore
Merck Millipore is the Life Science subsidiary of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany. As part of the global Life Science business of Merck, Merck Millipore offers a broad range of innovative performance products, services and business relationships that enable our customers' success in research, development and production of biotech and pharmaceutical drug therapies. Through dedicated collaboration on new scientific and engineering insights, and as one of the top three R&D investors in the life science tools industry, the Life Science business of Merck serves as a strategic partner to customers and helps advance the promise of life science. Headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, the global business has around 10,000 employees, operations in 66 countries and 2014 revenues of €2.7 billion. Merck Millipore operates as EMD Millipore in the U.S. and Canada.

About Merck
Merck is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six businesses – Merck Serono, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Merck Millipore and Performance Materials – and generated sales of € 11.3 billion in 2014. Around 39,000 Merck employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges. Merck is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company – since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70% interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are Canada and the United States, where the company operates as EMD Serono, EMD Millipore and EMD Performance Materials.

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