Harvard and Stanford Medical Schools and VUmc Join 12 International Research Centers and Dharmacon as Members of RNAi Global In

The Genome-Wide RNAi Global Initiative (RNAi Global), an
alliance of Dharmacon, Inc. and leading international research centers
pioneering the use of whole-genome RNAi screening, today announced the
addition of new members from Harvard Medical School, Stanford Medical
School and the VU University Medical Center (VUmc) in the Netherlands.
Members of RNAi Global are collaborating to advance the productivity
of genome-wide RNAi screening -- widely viewed as a fundamental
breakthrough in discovery biology -- by sharing information and
developing common research standards.
   "As the sponsor of the Genome-Wide RNAi Global Initiative, we are
gratified at the growing number of academic research centers who are
joining RNAi Global and applying our human genome-wide siRNA library
to address important biomedical research questions," said William S.
Marshall, Ph.D., vice president of technology and business development
for Fisher Biosciences. "The addition of these new members with
international reputations for research excellence will help strengthen
the collaborative efforts of RNAi Global members to standardize and
accelerate whole-genome RNAi screening."
   The VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA) is the cancer expertise
center of the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, the
Netherlands. The CCA aims to provide the best possible care and
treatment to patients with cancer. To this end, the CCA integrates and
strengthens all oncology expertise at the VUmc and promotes
multidisciplinary approaches.
   On June 19, 2006, the CCA opened its new research building, where
most preclinical oncology research being conducted at the VUmc is
clustered. To complement its core facilities for genomics and
proteomics research, the CCA is establishing an RNA Interference
Functional Oncogenomics Laboratory (RIFOL). This central facility for
RNAi library screening at the VUmc has now become a member of the RNAi
Global Initiative.
   Dr. Victor van Beusechem, who will direct the RIFOL, said, "We
expect that our participation in the RNAi Global Initiative will boost
our research into the biology and treatment of cancer. We anticipate
that the exciting new technology of genome-wide siRNA library
screening will provide us with new directions to develop more
effective anti-cancer treatments."
   A second new member is Harvard Medical School (HMS). The HMS
ICCB-Longwood High-Throughput Screening Facility, which also assists
researchers in carrying out small molecule screens, will make the
siRNA libraries available to investigators from HMS and HMS-affiliate
institutions.
   "Investigators from the HMS community hope that genome-wide RNAi
screening studies will help to identify new components of previously
characterized biological processes and pathways and help to annotate
the human and mouse genomes," said Dr. Caroline Shamu, director of the
ICCB-Longwood facility. "We look forward to working with the RNAi
Global community of researchers, a group that is sharing information
in order to facilitate protocol development, data analysis and
identification of off-target effects."
   Another new member, the High-Throughput Bioscience Center (HTBC)
at the Stanford University School of Medicine, was created in 2003 to
accelerate the drug discovery process by providing academic
researchers with the capabilities available in industry to run
high-throughput chemical, DNA, siRNA and other high-content screens.
The Center incorporates instrumentation databases, compound libraries
and personnel experienced in these technologies.
   "Consistent with our mission, we are combining high-throughput
instrumentation with new technologies that allow scientists to survey
the entire human genome and vast areas of chemical space, thereby
empowering Stanford researchers to explore the frontiers of biology in
entirely new ways," said David E. Solow-Cordero, Ph.D., associate
director of HTBC. "Along with our acquisition of the Dharmacon siRNA
whole-genome library, we are pleased to join the Genome-Wide RNAi
Global Initiative, which will enable us to learn more about the best
techniques for conducting genome-wide RNAi screening."
   The members of RNAi Global encompass a broad spectrum of
biomedical research interests and geographic locations. Membership is
open to all not-for-profit research institutions that are interested
in an active, participatory role in identifying and setting biomedical
research standards using the Dharmacon human genome-wide siRNA library
for biomedical research. Members have already participated in two
meetings aimed at developing standards for whole-genome RNAi research,
and the next meeting is planned for the fall. More information about
the Genome-Wide RNAi Global Initiative is available at
www.rnaiglobal.org.

   About the siARRAY(R) Human Genome siRNA Library

   The siARRAY(R) Human Genome siRNA Library from Dharmacon consists
of SMARTpool(R) siRNA reagents or SMARTselection(TM)-designed siRNA
reagents -- targeting all unique human genes in the NCBI RefSeq
database -- conveniently arranged in 96-well plates for easy storage
and rapid preparation. SMARTpool siRNA reagents provide significant
benefits for genome-wide siRNA screens including reduced initial
screening costs, simplified sample management as well as reduced false
positive and false negative "hit" results. The Human siGENOME siRNA
Library is designed to accelerate functional genomics research and to
make siRNA SMARTselection technology accessible to all researchers for
detailed analysis of gene families and metabolic pathways.

   About the Genome-Wide RNAi Global Initiative

   The Genome-Wide RNAi Global Initiative is an alliance of leading
international biomedical researchers, established to increase and
accelerate the utility of human genome-wide siRNA libraries. RNAi
Global provides a forum for member institutions to share research
protocols, establish experimental standards and develop mechanisms for
exchanging and comparing screening data. Membership is open to
not-for-profit biomedical research institutions across North America,
Europe and Asia. RNAi Global is being coordinated under the auspices
of Dharmacon, Inc. Its members include The University of Cambridge
scientists at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and MRC
Cancer Cell Unit; The Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer
Research at Princess Margaret Hospital and Samuel Lunenfeld Research
Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, both with The University of
Toronto; Cancer Research UK (CRUK) funded scientists at the London
Research Institute and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR); Fox
Chase Cancer Center; The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ); Harvard
Medical School; UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at the University of
Nebraska Medical Center; Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI); The
Scottish Centre for Genomic Technology and Informatics based at the
University of Edinburgh Medical School (GTI); Stanford School of
Medicine; The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center;
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; VU
University Medical Center (VUmc) and Yale University.

   About Dharmacon

   Dharmacon is a business unit within the Fisher Biosciences group
and the world's leading provider of reliable, high-quality RNA
oligonucleotides, small interfering RNA (siRNA) and related
RNA-interference (RNAi) products and technologies. Using its core
expertise in chemistry, biology, bioinformatics and production,
Dharmacon has developed industry-leading siRNA design, chemical
modification, and delivery technologies for maximizing the efficiency
of gene silencing. Dharmacon's proprietary SMARTselection and
SMARTpool technologies result in potent and specific gene-silencing
agents that can accelerate life-science research and drug discovery.
Dharmacon's siGENOME, a comprehensive and flexible siRNA collection,
offers guaranteed silencing reagents for all unique human, mouse and
rat genes. The company's advanced siRNA modification technologies
further enhance silencing specificity, stability, and in vivo
performance. For more information about Dharmacon products and
services visit www.dharmacon.com or call 303-604-9499.

   About Fisher Biosciences

   Fisher Biosciences, a unit of Fisher Scientific International Inc.
(NYSE: FSH), manufactures and supplies a wide range of products and
services across the general-chemistry and life-sciences arenas. From
fine and high-purity chemicals, clinical diagnostics, proprietary
protein-research and cell-culture products, and
sterile-liquid-handling systems, to innovative RNA-interference
technology and high-content screening, Fisher Biosciences serves
scientific-research, healthcare, drug-discovery, and general
industrial customers around the world. For more information please
visit www.fisherbiosci.com.