Harris & Harris Group Notes OpGen and Life Technologies Collaboration Agreement

NEW YORK, May 30, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harris & Harris Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:TINY) notes that OpGen, Inc., a commercial stage whole genome analysis company, and Life Technologies Corporation today announced that they have signed a collaboration agreement to develop systems, technologies and applications intended to improve the management and surveillance of microbial outbreaks in the public health and infectious disease markets.

The OpGen-Life Technologies collaboration will focus on developing applications and analysis systems that enable the use of the companies' Whole Genome Mapping and Ion Torrent sequencing technologies for food outbreak and infectious disease analysis. OpGen's Whole Genome Mapping technology provides a rapid, comprehensive structural analysis of microbial genomes that, when combined with sequencing data, more accurately detects important novel genetic elements associated with toxicity, virulence and drug resistance.

The rise in disease outbreaks due to food borne illnesses and hospital-acquired infections poses an ongoing threat. Public health officials and healthcare organizations need access to improved first responder technologies to rapidly identify disease-causing agents in order to effectively control and contain outbreaks. OpGen's Whole Genome Mapping technologies in conjunction with the Ion Torrent system will provide a valuable new approach that will provide public health and clinical laboratories access to cutting-edge technologies for microbial analysis and outbreak management.  The press release can be accessed at http://ir.lifetechnologies.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=678032.

Harris & Harris Group is an investor in privately held OpGen, Inc.

Harris & Harris Group is an early-stage, active investor in transformative nanotechnology companies. Detailed information about Harris & Harris Group and its holdings can be found on its website at www.HHVC.com.

This press release may contain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. These statements reflect the Company's current beliefs, and a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in this press release.  Please see the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, as well as subsequent filings, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties associated with venture capital investing and other significant factors that could affect the Company's actual results. Except as otherwise required by Federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events or uncertainties.  The references to the websites www.HHVC.com and http://ir.lifetechnologies.com have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. Harris & Harris Group is not responsible for the contents of third party websites.

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Released May 30, 2012