Young scientists leave their "print" on GSK Science in the Summer

GSK Science in the Summer™ (www.scienceinthesummer.com) enriches young minds through offering elementary school-aged children a free summer science education program. Students in second through sixth grade in the Greater Philadelphia Area are given the opportunity to study Physical Science & Electricity (Bucks County), Oceanography (Chester County), Genetics (Delaware County), Chemistry (Montgomery County), and Simple Machines (Philadelphia County). Sponsored by GSK and coordinated by The Franklin Institute, GSK Science in the Summer classes are taught by certified teachers at local libraries. Through simple, hands-on experiments, GSK Science in the Summer helps students “grow into science” and gain first-hand knowledge of complex concepts: students learn about density and buoyancy, the uniqueness of fingerprints, the strength of levers, and much more!

To spread the joy of science, GSK Science in the Summer is sharing an experiment from its Genetics curriculum—an experiment that you can do in your very own home! Please note: for optimum safety, an adult should be present during all experiments, and children should wear safety glasses when conducting experiments at home and schools.

Experiment on Fingerprint Comparisons

Everyone has a fingerprint, but, just as no two people have the same DNA pattern, no two fingerprints are alike. This experiment will allow young scientists to see their own fingerprints and compare them to those of family and/or friends.

Materials: no. 2 pencils, index cards, clear tape, magnifying glass (optional)

Instructions:

1. Rub the side of the pencil tip on the index card, making a dark patch.
2. The young scientist should press his or her finger gently into the graphite mark on the paper. Remove the finger—it should be covered in graphite.
3. Cut off a three-inch piece of clear tape; press the middle of the tape (on the sticky side) to the graphite-coated finger.
4. Peel the finger off the tape—the graphite should have transferred a fingerprint to the tape.
5. Place the tape (sticky side down) onto a clean index card—you should be able to see the fingerprint clearly!
6. Repeat the above steps for each new fingerprint, and compare the differences. Use a magnifying glass to see if you can identify unique ridge patterns in each print.

For more information on GSK Science in the Summer classes, visit www.scienceinthesummer.com.

About GSK – GSK – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information go to us.gsk.com, follow us on twitter.com/GSKUS, or visit our blog(www.morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog/).

About The Franklin Institute – Founded in honor of America’s first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is a renowned and innovative leader in the field of science and technology learning, as well as a dynamic center of activity. It is dedicated to creating a passion for science by offering new and exciting access to science and technology in ways that would dazzle and delight its namesake. For more information, please visit www.fi.edu.

Media Contacts:

Jennifer Armstrong, GSK, (215) 751-5664 or jennifer.l.armstrong@gsk.com

Camille Dager, Harris, Baio & McCullough, (215) 440-9800 or camille@hbmadv.com

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D ‘Risk factors’ in the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2013.