Amgen Foundation Renews Grant for Biology Education in Pandemic

Thousand Oaks biotech Amgen Inc. on Tuesday announced the renewal of a $3 million grant to Khan Academy, a nonprofit learning institute in Mountain View. The Amgen Foundation, the company’s philanthropy arm, has donated nearly $7 million to Khan over five years. The foundation is the exclusive sponsor of Khan’s biology content and has supported the development of the subject since 2015, the company said. Funding will support the following learning initiatives: virtual biology lessons; partnerships with school districts facing budget shortfalls; and LabXchange, an online science learning platform launched earlier this year by Harvard and the Amgen Foundation. “As school districts determine if they can reopen campuses, they are facing unprecedented financial pressure,” Amgen said in a statement. “The Amgen Foundation is committed to strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work, and to that end, part of its renewed funding supports two school districts in Southern California that are partners of Khan Academy.” Supported districts are Paramount Unified and Hueneme Elementary, Amgen said, which serve primarily students of color and face titanic budget shortfalls.