June 9, 2005

Detroit's Asterand voted best
place to work for scientists

Detroit, MI June 9, 2005: Asterand, the Detroit-based tissue banking company, has been voted one of the top ten places for scientists to work in an international survey. The survey was carried out by the Scientist magazine which invited its 30,000 readers in 21 countries to complete an email questionnaire.

This is the second year in succession that Asterand has appeared in the list of top ten places to work. The detailed questionnaire covered 11 major topics including the research environment, internal communications, job satisfaction, training and development, integrity, remuneration and benefits and location. The results are published in the June 6 issue of the Scientist.

Asterand currently employs over 60 scientists and support staff.”We are proud of the diversity of a team- who apart from being highly skilled- represent over 13 different nationalities and speak 15 languages,” says CEO Randal Charlton. ”Our multicultural staff makes it relatively easy for us to operate internationally. Many of the Asterand team have been recruited from Wayne State University as well as other universities and employers in Southeast Michigan.”

“I believe our location has been a big factor in helping us maintain our top ten ranking,” adds Charlton. “In August of last year we became the anchor tenants of a high tech building known as Techone on the campus of Wayne State University. The building was renovated by the university at a cost of $12million and we have been provided with state-of–the-art facilities to grow our company.”

Asterand has increased its revenues by 300 per cent every year of its five-year existence and added one new job a month. “The key to the company’s growth is its people and the core set of values we are developing as a team,” says Charlton. “We are not wedded to any one invention or product, rather we are setting out to provide the world of medical research with the basic research materials and services they need- whatever that may be. We will not come up with the cure for cancer but we will help everyone who is looking.”

About Asterand
Asterand is the leading provider of human tissue for genomic and proteomic research. The company acquires donated samples from a worldwide network of collaborating hospitals and clinics. These samples together with associated data and pathology reports are made available to commercial drug discovery companies as well as researchers at academic institutions.

Asterand supplies tissues in a variety of formats including fresh, frozen and fixed as well as derivative products such as tissue microarrays, RNA and DNA. The company also carries out a wide range of applied research projects on behalf of clients.

For more information, contact Randal Charlton, CEO at 313-263-0960, or visit Asterand’s website at www.asterand.com.