Bachem supports SimplyNano educational project

Bubendorf, Switzerland: – Bachem AG has become a prominent supporter of the Swiss educational project SimplyNano that aims to inspire young people with the science of ‘tininess’.

The project is part of a series organised by the SimplyScience Foundation, a non-profit foundation whose mission is to engage children and young people in scientific and technical topics.

The importance of nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the science of the “tiny”, based on unique properties of substances and materials possess at nanoscale that make them attractive for advanced life sciences and other applications and a leading focus of research investment. Because of their special properties, nanomaterials are found in many technical materials but also in many everyday products such as cosmetics, textiles, paints, or in medicines.

SimplyNano aims to demonstrate the wonders of nanotechnology with a series of experiments that can be safely performed in the classroom. These enable students to discover, among other things, how baby diapers with “super absorbers” absorb extremely large amounts of liquid, how nano-structures on a gecko’s feet enable it to climb up walls, or how the “memory effect” works with metals in dental braces and medical stents.

Program in a suitcase

The program was developed as a STEM learning medium by St. Gallen-based start-up Innovationsgesellschaft, using materials and learning aids that can all be accommodated in a single case, with kits now being distributed free of charge to secondary schools in northwestern Switzerland and aimed to be available nationwide by 2025.

The program also includes half-day training courses for teachers provided by supporting companies, such as Bachem. In addition to technical knowledge, this also promotes the exchange of experience between teachers and companies and creates a bridge from schools to the professional world and training companies.

The project is financed by the Basel-Land and Solothurn lottery funds, the Basel-Stadt Department of Education, and a broad sponsorship from companies, associations, and foundations, with support from nearly 40 project partners from various industries.

Bachem buy-in

As an innovation-driven company specializing in the development and production of peptides and oligonucleotides (TIDES), Bachem is already immersed in the world of nanotechnologies and small molecule therapeutics. Many members of the Bachem workforce have a scientific technical, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) background, especially in chemistry & biology, and the company is constantly seeking to nurture new talent in the STEM area as the key to continued growth through innovation. The Bachem training center at its Bubendorf  headquarters offers first-class industrial training in various Lehrstellen apprenticeships.

Bachem also has a history of collaboration with academia, with active collaborations with partners in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, cosmetics, and life science research, including active partnerships with educational institutions such as the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), the University of Basel, ETH Zurich, or EPFL Lausanne.

For all these reasons, Bachem is proud to support the SimplyScience project SimplyNano, which will include making its facilities at its headquarters available for Simply Science training sessions for the Basel region over coming weeks.

About Bachem

Bachem is a leading, innovation-driven company specializing in the development and manufacture of peptides and oligonucleotides. The company, which has over 50 years of experience and expertise, provides products for research, clinical development, and commercial application to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide and offers a comprehensive range of services.

Bachem operates internationally with headquarters in Switzerland and locations in Europe, the US and Asia. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

For further information, see www.bachem.com.

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