Bioscience institutions come together to launch Microlife Discovery Center for are...(r Union High School District and the Oce...)

Says Martyn Collins, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Microlife Discovery Center: "The Center is a perfect example of what can happen when the bioscience and research communities join forces with local school systems such as the Sweetwater and Oceanside districts for the betterment of students' science education and career development."

Jeremy Babendure, Ph.D., Director of UCSD's BioBridge program, agrees: "As school districts face increased budget cuts, the Microlife Discovery Center synergizes what BioBridge can do to excite students about science and related careers, and to bridge gaps in science education faced by secondary schools."

"I believe that the new Center provides a powerful opportunity for fostering early interest in science by enabling students to experience first-hand the excitement of discovery," notes Dr. Jay Short, Ph.D., Chairman, CEO and Principal of BioAtla. "The discoveries and innovations made by scientists are key for addressing the myriad of challenges we are facing today and will face tomorrow," he says.

Members of the public will get the chance to experience the excitement of the Center's MicroBlitzSM activities by attending the San Diego Science Festival Expo in Balboa Park on Saturday, April 4. That day, the Microlife Discovery Center will be sponsoring a competition for all comers, to discover and name new species of microbes discovered in Balboa Park.

In the first public Microbial Bioblitz event (sponsored by the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation), more than 200 novel species of microbe were found in New York's Central Park.

Students who participate in the school-based program stand an excellent chance of making their own discover
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