Science Garage

We designed this special space just for high school students to learn about science. To inspire them to be curious about the world and their place in it. To remind them that they grow with every new experience – whether it’s a success or failure. And to give them a chance to dream big. We call it Science Garage.

Science Garage is the newest part of our partnership with the South San Francisco Unified School District. It’s a four-year biotech pathway designed to give all high school students in the district the chance to explore the exciting field of biotechnology and ignite a passion for future careers in STEM.

Beyond their textbooks and exams, students engaging with Science Garage will focus on conducting hands-on experiments, developing advanced lab skills, and learning about science through trial-and-error.

Every ninth grader gets exposure to Genentech's four-week biotech unit through their required biology course. After that, students will have the chance to take up to two years of additional elective biotech coursework and complete an independent study – providing them with a solid foundation for future study in college and beyond.

Students have access to state-of-the-art equipment at the Science Garage biotech lab and classroom. Science Garage was built at South San Francisco High School with support from a $7.8 million grant from the Genentech Foundation, and opened in late 2017.

Science Garage provides access to specialized equipment that is typically only available to professional scientists and researchers in academia and industry – giving students an exciting opportunity to translate what they’ve learned in a classroom into real-world scenarios.

Genentech volunteers support Science Garage students by sharing what they’ve learned through their own careers at Genentech, lending a hand in the lab, and spreading their passion for science so students can see it as a something they can explore for a lifetime.