Applied Biosystems Joins the Genographic Project to Support Landmark Population Genetics Study Mapping the History of Human Migration

Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business,and the Genographic Project today announced that Applied Biosystemshas joined the Genographic Project as a supporting sponsor. AppliedBiosystems has signed a multi-year agreement with the project toprovide laboratory research equipment and services to each of the tenparticipating global research centers. The company's technology willbe used to aid in the generation of one of the world's largestdatabases of information about the sources of humankind's diversity.The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The Genographic Project is a ground-breaking research partnershipof the National Geographic Society and IBM to map the history of humanmigration, with global field science supported by the Waitt FamilyFoundation.

Applied Biosystems is a leading global provider of life sciencetechnologies. The company brings a 25-year history of groundbreakinglife science innovation to the project, including the development ofthe technologies that enabled the historic sequencing of the humangenome.

Applied Biosystems DNA analysis technologies -- includinginstruments that sequence DNA, detect genetic variations and identifypatterns of inheritance -- will enhance the ability of the GenographicProject to analyze DNA from more than 100,000 individuals fromindigenous and traditional populations with whom researchers will becollaborating in this landmark study.

Theodore Schurr, Ph.D., principal investigator of the NorthAmerican Regional Center for the Genographic Project and assistantprofessor in the department of anthropology at the University ofPennsylvania in Philadelphia, is the first project researcher toreceive the state-of-the-art equipment from Applied Biosystems. "Myinternational colleagues and I all agree that this dedicatedlaboratory equipment will expand our research efforts tremendously,"said Dr. Schurr. "It will not only accelerate the rate and promote theaccuracy of our genetic analyses, but also greatly amplify the breadthof work that we can do for the Genographic Project."

The other laboratories that will perform the DNA analysis for theproject are located at: the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais(Brazil), Institut Pasteur (France), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain),American University of Beirut Medical Center (Lebanon), RussianAcademy of Medical Sciences (Russia), La Trobe University (Australia),Fudan University (China), Madurai Kamaraj University (India), NationalHealth Laboratory Service (South Africa), and the Australian Centrefor Ancient DNA at the University of Adelaide (Australia).

Researchers at these global regional field research sites will useApplied Biosystems technology to analyze DNA samples from indigenousand traditional populations around the globe. DNA from these groups isimportant to the project because it contains key genetic markers thathave remained relatively unaltered over hundreds of generations.Analysis of these markers should help researchers understandhumankind's diversity resulting from approximately 60,000 years ofglobal migration. Analysis of the collected samples is purely foranthropological research purposes.

"Understanding the genetic variations that have occurred overthousands of years of migration and evolution will help us tounderstand modern-day human diversity, from the way we look to thevarious languages we speak," said Spencer Wells, Ph.D., projectdirector for the Genographic Project. "Applied Biosystems is an idealsupporting sponsor for us in this ambitious initiative because of itslong track record of success in applying science and technology to thechallenges of DNA analysis."

In addition to providing the suite of research technologies thatwill be used in the project, Applied Biosystems also will provideequipment training, service and logistical supply support to theworld-wide research laboratories.

"The discovery and characterization of meaningful geneticvariations has become a principle focus for life science research,"said Catherine M. Burzik, president of Applied Biosystems. "Thisproject, with a mission to help explain those variations that havecontributed to the rich genetic diversity of our species, is wellaligned with our corporate commitment to advancing the manyapplications of life science technology that can benefit society."

Members of the general public can take part in the project bypurchasing a Genographic Project Public Participation Kit andsubmitting their own cheek swab sample, enabling them to track theoverall progress of the project as well as learn their own migratoryhistory. Data from the Genographic Project eventually will be madepublic in a form that does not reveal the identity of participants.Proceeds from kit sales support the Genographic Legacy Fund andincremental field research. For more information about the project,visit www.nationalgeographic.com/genographic.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Please see the attached backgrounder for moreinformation on the Applied Biosystems technologies and services it isproviding to the Genographic Project. For photographs, please visithttp://ftp.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom/genographic_images/.

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About the National Geographic Society

Founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of theworld's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations.Its mission is to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge whilepromoting the conservation of the world's cultural, historical andnatural resources. National Geographic Society reflects the worldthrough its five magazines, cable television channels and programs,films, radio, books, videos, maps, interactive media and merchandise,reaching as many as 300 million people each month.

About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems

Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The AppliedBiosystems Group serves the life science industry and researchcommunity by developing and marketing instrument-based systems,consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools toanalyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins tomake scientific discoveries and develop new pharmaceuticals. AppliedBiosystems' products also serve the needs of some markets outside oflife science research, which we refer to as "applied markets," such asthe fields of: human identity testing (forensic and paternitytesting); biosecurity, which refers to products needed in response tothe threat of biological terrorism and other malicious, accidental,and natural biological dangers; and quality and safety testing, forexample in food and the environment. Applied Biosystems isheadquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of nearly $1.8billion during fiscal 2005. The Celera Genomics Group is focused ondiscovery, development, and commercialization of diagnostic productsas well as leveraging its proteomic, bioinformatic, and genomiccapabilities to identify and validate drug targets, and is alsoseeking to advance therapeutic antibody and selected small moleculedrug programs in collaboration with global technology and marketleaders. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports andother information filed by the company with the Securities andExchange Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com, or bytelephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Applied Biosystems isavailable at http://www.appliedbiosystems.com.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, withmore than 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Ithas a long history of innovating on behalf of society, and in recentyears has launched a series of major research initiatives designed toovercome many of the remaining "grand challenges" of science,including the Deep Blue chess-playing computer and unraveling themysteries of protein folding with BlueGene, the world's fastestsupercomputer. IBM Research is the world's largest informationtechnology research organization, with more than 3,000 scientists andengineers at eight labs in six countries. For more information aboutIBM, visit www.ibm.com.

About the Waitt Family Foundation

The Waitt Family Foundation funds partnerships and projects thatseek a deeper understanding of human history, expand the potential ofthe human mind and improve mankind's knowledge through historical andscientific exploration. The Foundation applies its resources on thepast, present and future of mankind, and by anticipating what might beon the horizon tomorrow, helps prepare for a better world. For moreinformation about the Waitt Family Foundation, visitwww.waittfoundation.org.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Applied Biosystems, AmpFlSTR and Celera are registered trademarksand Applera and Yfiler are trademarks of Applera Corporation or itssubsidiaries in the US and/or certain other countries. TaqMan is aregistered trademark of Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. All othertrademarks are the sole property of their respective owners. Copyright(C) 2006 Applied Biosystems. All rights reserved.----------------------------------------------------------------------

Applied Biosystems

Genographic Project - Technology Backgrounder

Specific technologies supplied by Applied Biosystems to supportthe Genographic Project include:

3100 and 3130xl Genetic Analyzers: The versatile, next-generation3130 Series Systems, including the 3130xl, deliver higher qualitygenomic data, faster turnaround times, improved automation, andgreater reliability across the complete range of sequencing,resequencing (mutational profiling), and fragment analysisapplications. The 16-capillary 3130xl Genetic Analyzer and theupgradable 4-capillary 3130 Genetic Analyzer provide all the benefitsof the Applied Biosystems suite of fluorescence-based capillaryelectrophoresis (CE) systems. Both systems offer industry-leadingperformance, plus sophisticated automation capabilities that save timeand increase productivity.

GeneAmp(R) PCR System 9700: The tradition of quality andperformance that began with Applied Biosystems' first TC1 thermalcycler in 1988 continues with the versatile, reliable GeneAmp(R) PCRSystem 9700. The GeneAmp(R) PCR System 9700 is specifically designedfor the amplification of nucleic acids. The complete system consistsof a base module and one of many interchangeable sample block modules.The 96-well GeneAmp(R) PCR System 9700 is designed for use with 0.2 mlreaction tubes or 96-well reaction plates for all routine PCRapplications.

7300 Real-Time PCR System: The Applied Biosystems 7300 Real-TimePCR System is an integrated platform for the detection andquantification of nucleic acid sequences. Real-time PCR combinesthermal cycling, fluorescence detection, and application-specificsoftware to measure the cycle-by-cycle accumulation of PCR products ina single-tube, homogeneous reaction. Real-time PCR runs are completedin less than two hours, and quantitative results are availableimmediately upon completion of PCR, with no need to run gels, purifyPCR products, or perform any post-PCR manipulations.

7900HT Fast Real-Time PCR System: The Applied Biosystems 7900HTFast Real-Time PCR System is the only real-time quantitative PCRsystem that combines 96- and 384-well plate compatibility and theTaqMan(R) Low Density Array with fully automated robotic loading.Acknowledged as the Gold standard in real-time PCR, the 7900HT systemcombined with TaqMan(R) Genomic Assays enables unprecedentedthroughput and flexibility, allowing the pursuit of projects beyondthe scope of previous real-time instruments.

AmpFlSTR(R) Yfiler(TM) PCR Amplification Kits: The AppliedBiosystems AmpFlSTR(R) Yfiler(TM) PCR Amplification Kit is an STRassay that co-amplifies 17 Y-chromosome STRs in a single PCR reaction.The Yfiler kit has been developed for use with the ABI PRISM(R) 3100Genetic Analyzers. Data generated from the Yfiler kit can be analyzedwith Applied Biosystems software packages including GeneMapper(R) IDSoftware.

GeneMapper(R) ID Software: GeneMapper ID Software v3.2 improvesworkflow by streamlining the transition between data collection andanalysis. Built-in automated concordance checks for controls andmarkers common to various AmpFlSTR PCR amplification kits and measuresdata integrity before results are exported in a database-compatibleformat.