Document:

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.13

                          INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

     This Indemnification Agreement made and entered into this 14 day of
Sept., 2000 ("Agreement"), by and between Invitrogen Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (together with any successor or successors and predecessors
thereto, the "Company") and Thomas H. Adams, Ph.D. ("Indemnitee").

     WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company that it be able to retain and
attract as directors, officers, employees and agents the most capable persons
available:

      WHEREAS, increased corporate litigation has subjected directors,
officers, employees and agents of corporations to litigation risks and
expenses and the limitations on the availability of directors and officers
liability insurance have made it increasingly difficult for the Company to
attract and retain such persons;

     WHEREAS, its by-laws permit the Company to enter into indemnification
arrangements and agreements;

     WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide Indemnitee with specific
contractual assurance of Indemnitee's rights to full indemnification against
litigation risks and expenses (regardless, among other things, of any
amendment to or revocation of the Company's by-laws or any change in the
ownership of the Company or the composition of its Board of Directors) which
indemnification is intended to be greater than that which is afforded by the
Company's certificate of incorporation, by-laws and, to the extent insurance
is available, the coverage of Indemnitee under the Company' directors and
officers liability insurance policies; and

     WHEREAS, Indemnitee is relying upon the rights afforded under this
Agreement in continuing in Indemnitee's position as an agent of the Company.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants
contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as
follows:

     1.     DEFINITIONS.

            (a)    "agent" of the Company means any person who is or was a
            director, officer, employee or other agent of the Company or a
            subsidiary of the Company; or is or was serving at the request
            of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the
            Company or a subsidiary of the Company as a director, officer,
            employee or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation,
            partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise; or was a
            director, officer, employee or agent of a foreign or domestic
            corporation which was a predecessor corporation of the Company or
            a subsidiary of the Company, or was a director, officer, employee
            or agent of another enterprise at the request of, for the
            convenience of, or to represent the interests of such predecessor
            corporation.

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            (b)    "Corporate Status" describes the status of a person who is
            serving or has served (i) as an agent of the Company, (ii) in any
            capacity with respect to any employee benefit plan of the
            Company, or (iii) as a director, partner, trustee, officer,
            employee, or agent of any other Entity as defined below at the
            request of the Company.

            (c)    "Entity" shall mean any corporation, partnership, joint
            venture, trust, foundation, association, organization or other
            legal entity and any group or division of the Company or any of
            its subsidiaries.

            (d)    "Expenses" shall mean all reasonable fee, costs and
            expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding (as defined
            below), including, without limitation, attorney's fees,
            disbursements and retainers (including, without limitation, any
            such fees, disbursements and retainers incurred by Indemnitee
            pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement), fees and disbursements
            of expert witnesses, private investigators and professional
            advisors (including, without limitation, accountants and
            investment bankers), court costs, transcript costs, fees of
            experts, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding
            costs, telephone and fax transmission charges, postage, delivery
            services, secretarial services, and other disbursements and
            expenses.

            (e)    "Indemnifiable Expenses," "Indemnifiable Liabilities" and
            "Indemnifiable Amounts" shall have the meanings ascribed to those
            terms in Section 3(a) below.

            (f)    "Liabilities" shall mean judgments, damages, liabilities,
            losses, penalties, excise taxes, fines and amounts paid in
            settlement.

            (g)    "Proceeding" shall mean any threatened, pending or
            completed claim, action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute
            resolution process, investigation, administrative hearing,
            appeal, or any other proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
            administrative or investigative, whether formal or informal,
            including a proceeding initiated by Indemnitee pursuant to
            Section 10 of this Agreement to enforce Indemnitee's rights
            hereunder.

     2.     SERVICES OF INDEMNITEE. In consideration of the Company's
covenants and commitments hereunder, Indemnitee agrees to serve or continue
to serve as an agent of the Company. However, this Agreement shall not impose
any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee's service
to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other
agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.

     3.     AGREEMENT TO INDEMNIFY. The Company agrees to indemnify
Indemnitee as follows:

            (a)    Subject to the exceptions contained in Section 4(a) below,
            if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made a
            party to any

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            Proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the
            Company) by reason of Indemnitee's Corporate Status, Indemnitee
            shall be indemnified by the Company against all Expenses and
            Liabilities incurred or paid by Indemnitee in connection with
            such Proceeding (referred to herein as "Indemnifiable Expenses"
            and "Indemnifiable Liabilities," respectively, and collectively
            as "Indemnifiable Amounts").

            (b)    Subject to the exceptions contained in Section 4(b) below,
            if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made a
            party to any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to
            procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee's
            Corporate Status, Indemnitee shall be indemnified by the Company
            against all Indemnifiable Expenses.

     4.     EXCEPTIONS TO INDEMNIFICATION. Indemnitee shall be entitled to
indemnification under Section 3(a) and 3(b) above in all circumstances other
than the following:

            (a)    If indemnification is requested under Section 3(a) and it
            has been adjudicated finally by a court of competent jurisdiction
            that, in connection with the subject of the Proceeding out of
            which the claim for indemnification has arisen, Indemnitee failed
            to act in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably
            believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
            Company or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding,
            Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's
            conduct was unlawful, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to payment
            of Indemnifiable Amounts hereunder.

            (b)    If indemnification is requested under Section 3(b) and

                   (i)     It has been adjudicated finally by a court of
                   competent jurisdiction that, in connection with the
                   subject of the Proceeding out of which the claim for
                   indemnification has arisen, Indemnitee failed to act in
                   good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed
                   to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
                   Company, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to payment of
                   Indemnifiable Expenses hereunder; or

                   (ii)    It has been adjudicated finally by a court of
                   competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee is liable to the
                   Company with respect to any claim, issue or matter
                   involved in the Proceeding out of which the claim for
                   indemnification has arisen, including, without limitation,
                   a claim that Indemnitee received an improper personal
                   benefit, no Indemnifiable Expenses shall be paid with
                   respect to such claim, issue or matter unless the Court of
                   Chancery or another court in which such Proceeding was
                   brought shall determine upon application that, despite the
                   adjudication of liability, but in view of all the
                   circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and
                   reasonable entitled to indemnity for such Indemnifiable
                   Expenses which such court shall deem proper.

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                  (c)      The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify the
                  Indemnitee for expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever
                  (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines ERISA excise
                  taxes and penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) for which
                  payment is actually made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under a
                  valid and collectible insurance policy of D&O Insurance or
                  under a valid and enforceable indemnity clause, by-law or
                  agreement.

         5.       PROCEDURE FOR PAYMENT OF INDEMNIFIABLE AMOUNTS. Indemnitee
shall submit to the Company a written request specifying the Indemnifiable
Amounts for which Indemnitee seeks payment under Section 3 of this Agreement
and the basis for the claim. The Company shall pay such Indemnifiable Amounts
to Indemnitee within twenty (20) calendar days of receipt of the request. At
the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall furnish such documentation and
information as are reasonably available to Indemnitee and necessary to
establish that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder.

        6.      INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY
SUCCESSFUL. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, and without
limiting any such provision to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of
Indemnitee's Corporate Status, a party to and is successful, on the merits or
otherwise, in any Proceeding, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all
Expenses reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee's behalf in
connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding
but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than
all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on
Indemnitee's behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue
or matter. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any claim, issue
or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be
deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

        7.      EFFECT OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS. Neither the settlement or
termination of any Proceeding nor the failure of the Company to award
indemnification or to determine that indemnification is payable shall create an
adverse presumption that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification
hereunder. In addition, the termination of any proceeding by judgment, order,
settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendre or its equivalent shall
not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a
manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding,
had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's action was unlawful.

        8.      AGREEMENT TO ADVANCE INTERIM EXPENSES; CONDITIONS. The Company
shall pay to Indemnitee all Indemnifiable Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with any Proceeding, including a Proceeding by or in the right of the
Company, in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding, if Indemnitee
furnishes the Company with a written undertaking to repay the amount of such
Indemnifiable Expenses advanced to Indemnitee if it is finally determined by a
court of competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee is not entitled under this
Agreement to indemnification with respect to such Expenses. Such undertaking
shall be an unlimited general obligation of Indemnitee, shall be accepted by
the Company without regard to

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the financial ability of Indemnitee to make repayment, and in no event shall be
required to be secured.

        9.      PROCEDURE FOR PAYMENT OF INTERIM EXPENSES. Indemnitee shall
submit to the Company a written request specifying the Indemnifiable Expenses
for which Indemnitee seeks an advancement under Section 8 of this Agreement,
together with documentation evidencing that Indemnitee has incurred such
Indemnifiable Expenses. Payment of Indemnifiable Expenses under Section 8 shall
be made no later than twenty (20) calendar days after the Company's receipt of
such request and the undertaking required by Section 8.

        10.     REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE.

                (a)     RIGHT TO PETITION COURT. In the event that Indemnitee
                makes a request for payment of Indemnifiable Amounts under
                Section 3 and 5 above or a request for an advancement of
                Indemnifiable Expenses under Sections 8 and 9 above and the
                Company fails to make such payment or advancement in a timely
                manner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee may
                petition the appropriate judicial authority to enforce the
                Company's obligations under this Agreement.

                (b)     BURDEN OF PROOF. In any judicial proceeding brought
                under Section 10((a)) above, the Company shall have the burden
                of proving that Indemnitee is not entitled to payment of
                Indemnifiable Amounts hereunder.

                (c)     EXPENSES. The Company agrees to reimburse Indemnitee in
                full for any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with
                investigating, preparing for, litigating, defending or settling
                any action brought by Indemnitee under Section 10((a)) above, or
                in connection with any claim or counterclaim brought by the
                Company in connection therewith.

                (d)     VALIDITY OF AGREEMENT. The Company shall be precluded
                from asserting in any Proceeding, including without limitation,
                an action under Section 10((a)) above, that the provisions of
                this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable or that
                there is insufficient consideration for this Agreement and shall
                stipulate in court that the Company is bound by all the
                provisions of this Agreement.

                (e)     FAILURE TO ACT NOT A DEFENSE. The failure of the Company
                (including its Board of Directors or any committee thereof,
                independent legal counsel, or stockholders) to make a
                determination concerning the permissibility of the payment of
                Indemnifiable Amounts or the advancement of Indemnifiable
                Expenses under this Agreement shall not be a defense in any
                action brought under Section 10((a)) above, and shall not create
                a presumption that such payment or advancement is not
                permissible.

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        11.     REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company
hereby represents and warrants to Indemnitee as follows:

                (a)     AUTHORITY. The Company has all necessary power and
                authority to enter into, and be bound by the terms of, this
                Agreement, and the execution, delivery and performance of the
                undertakings contemplated by this Agreement have been duly
                authorized by the Company.

                (b)     ENFORCEABILITY. This Agreement, when executed and
                delivered by the Company in accordance with the provisions
                hereof, shall be a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
                Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
                terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by
                applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or
                similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
                generally.

        12.     INSURANCE. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that, so
long as Indemnitee shall continue to serve as an agent of the Company and
thereafter so long as the Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible
proceeding by reason of the fact that Indemnitee was an agent of the Company,
the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and
maintain a policy or policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies
providing the Indemnitee with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, and to
ensure the Company's performance of its indemnification obligations under
this Agreement. In all policies of director and officer liability insurance,
Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide
Indemnitee at least the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most
favorably insured of the Company's directors if Indemnitee is a director, or
of the Company's officers if the Indemnitee is not a director but is an
officer; or of the Company's key employees, if the Indemnitee is not a
director or officer but is a key employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if
the Company, after employing commercially reasonable efforts as provided in
this section, determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably
available, if the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the
amount of coverage provided, or if the coverage provided by such insurance is
limited by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit the Company
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain a policy
or policies of insurance with coverage having features as similar as
practicable to those described above.

        13.     CONTRACT RIGHTS NOT EXCLUSIVE. The rights to payment of
Indemnifiable Amounts and advancement of Indemnifiable Expenses provided by this
Agreement shall be in addition to, but not exclusive of, any other rights which
Indemnitee may have at any time under applicable law, the Company's by-laws or
certificate of incorporation, or any other agreement, vote of stockholders or
directors, or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee's official capacity and
as to action in any  other capacity as a result of Indemnitee's serving as a
director, officer or agent of the Company.

        14.     SUCCESSORS. This Agreement shall be (a) binding upon all
successors and assigns of the Company (including any transferee of all or a
substantial portion of the business, stock and/or assets of the Company and any
direct or indirect successor by merger or

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consolidation or otherwise by operation of law) and (b) binding on and shall
inure to the benefit of the heirs, personal representatives, executors and
administrators of Indemnitee. This Agreement shall continue for the benefit
of Indemnitee and such heirs, personal representatives, executors and
administrators after Indemnitee has ceased to have Corporate Status.

     15.    SUBROGATION. In the event of any payment of Indemnifiable Amounts
under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such
payment to all of the rights of contribution or recovery of Indemnitee
against other persons, and Indemnitee shall take, at the request of the
Company, all reasonable action necessary to secure such rights, including the
execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring
suit to enforce such rights.

     16.    CHANGE IN LAW. To the extent that a change in applicable law
(whether by statute or judicial decision) shall permit broader
indemnification than is provided under the terms of the by-laws of the
Company and this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to such broader
indemnification and this Agreement shall be deemed to be amended to such
extent.

     17.    SEVERABILITY. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement
shall be interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under
applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement, or any clause
thereof, shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
illegal, invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, such provision or
clause shall be limited or modified in its application to the minimum extent
necessary to make such provision or clause valid, legal and enforceable, and
the remaining provisions and clauses of this Agreement shall remain fully
enforceable and binding on the parties.

     18.    INDEMNITEE AS PLAINTIFF. Except as provided in Section 10((c)) of
this Agreement and in this Section 18, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to
payment of Indemnifiable Amounts or advancement of Indemnifiable Expenses
with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee against the Company, any
Entity which it controls, any director, officer or agent thereof, or any
third party. This Section shall not apply (i) to counterclaims or affirmative
defenses asserted by Indemnitee in an action brought against Indemnitee, (ii)
if the Company has consented to the initiation of such Proceeding, (iii) if
such indemnification is expressly regarded to be made by law or (iv) if such
indemnification is provided by the Company, in its sole discretion, pursuant
to the powers vested in the Company under the General Corporation Laws of
Delaware. In addition to the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify the Indemnitee (i) for
any expenses incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding
instituted by the Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a
court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material
assertions made by the Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made by good
faith or was frivolous; or (ii) under this Agreement for any amounts paid in
settlement of a proceeding unless the Company consents to such settlement,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

     19.    MODIFICATIONS AND WAIVER. Except as provided in Section 16 above
with respect to changes in applicable law which broaden the right of
Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Company, no supplement, modification or
amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by
each of the parties hereto. No waiver or any of the provisions of

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this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provisions of this Agreement (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver
constitute a continuing waiver.

     20.    GENERAL NOTICES. All notices, requests, demands and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been
duly given (a) when delivered by hand, (b) when transmitted by facsimile and
receipt is acknowledged, or (c) if mailed by certified or registered mail
with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is
so mailed:

            (i)    If to Indemnitee, to:

                   Name: Thomas H. Adams, Ph.D.
                   Address:
                           P.O. Box 3092
                           Rancho Santa Fe, CA  92024

                   If to the Company, to:
                   Law Department
                   Invitrogen Corporation
                   1600 Faraday
                   Carlsbad, CA  92008

or to such other address as may have been furnished in the same manner by any
party to the others.

     21.    GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
and enforced under the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to
the provisions thereof relating to conflicts of law.

     22.    CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. The Company hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of Delaware and
the United States District Court in Delaware. The Company hereby irrevocably
and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any
Proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in the courts of
Delaware or the United States District Court in Delaware, and hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim that
any such Proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an
inconvenient forum.

     23.    AGREEMENT GOVERNS. This Agreement is to be deemed consistent
wherever possible with relevant provisions of the Company's by-laws and
certificate of incorporation, however, in the event of a conflict between
this Agreement and such provisions, the provisions of this Agreement shall
control.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the day and year first above written.

                                       INVITROGEN CORPORATION

                                       By:
                                          -----------------------------------
                                          Lyle C. Turner, Chairman, President
                                          & CEO

                                       INDEMNITEE

                                       /s/ Thomas H. Nolan
                                          -----------------------------------

                                                                             9<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.14

                                                               [LOGO] INVITROGEN

                                         February 15, 2000

Lewis J. Shuster
18 East Kincaid Ct.
West Windsor, NJ  08550-2915

Dear Lew:

     Invitrogen is pleased to present our revised offer for the position of
Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Invitrogen Corporation. A non-competition
agreement, a brief description of the employee benefits and employment
eligibility verification (I-9) form is enclosed. Please bring the completed
I-9 form along with proper identification on your first day of employment. As
COO, you will have all the duties and responsibilities normally associated
with the position of chief operating officer of companies in the industry and
of a similar size to Invitrogen. You will report directly to me, as the Chief
Executive Officer of Invitrogen.

     If you accept this offer, your employment will start on January 4, 2000
(the "Start Date"). It is understood that you will initially remain in New
Jersey, and that you will not relocate to California until July 2000 (the
"Relocation Date") (the period between the he Start Date and the Relocation Date
is the "Interim Period"). During the Interim Period, your work level
commitment will be 80% of full time work. Also, during the Interim Period,
you will be required to maintain an office in your home, and you will work
out of your home. However, it is anticipated that you will spend 10-15 days
per month at Invitrogen's offices in Carlsbad, California and/or at its
subsidiaries' offices in other states or countries. Following your relocation
to California, your work level commitment will increase to full-time, and you
will work out of Invitrogen's Carlsbad, California office.

<PAGE>

     Your annual pay rate will start at $300,000 per year. Your pay rate will
be prorated during the Interim Period (i.e., your pay rate will be 80% of
$300,000). Your pay rate will be reviewed annually by the Board of Directors,
and may be increased (but not decreased) in their discretion based upon your
performance. In addition, you will participate in Invitrogen's executive
bonus plan. For the year 2000, under this bonus plan you will be eligible for
a bonus equal to 25% of your annual pay rate ($75,000).

     Invitrogen will also reimburse you for all reasonable business expenses
incurred by your during your employment with Invitrogen (subject to
presentation of appropriate documentation in accordance with Invitrogen
policies). Such reimbursement will include, without limitation, all costs of
travel (including transportation, meals and lodging) during the Interim
Period between your home office in New Jersey and Invitrogen's offices in
Carlsbad, California and/or its subsidiaries offices in other states or
countries, and all incremental costs of maintaining and operating your home
office in New Jersey.

     As additional compensation: on your Start Date you will receive options
for 250,000 shares of Invitrogen stock (the "Options"). The Options will be
issued under and in accordance with the terms of Invitrogen's Stock Option
Plan. The exercisable price for the Options will be the fair market value of
Invitrogen's stock on the Start Date. The Options will have a ten-year term.
The Options will vest monthly in equal installments over a five-year period
commencing with the Start Date.

     Invitrogen will reimburse you for all of your relocation costs and
expenses, including, without limitation, moving (and temporary storage if
necessary) of your family's household items, travel for your family
(including travel and lodging to look for housing in California), temporary
housing accommodations for you and your family, travel back to

<PAGE>

New Jersey to complete the sale of your New Jersey home (if necessary), and
closing costs and sales commissions associated with the sale of your New
Jersey home (collectively, "Relocation Costs"). In addition, to the extent
that any Relocation Costs are included in your federal and state taxable
income (and not deductible by you) for any reason, Invitrogen will reimburse
you for the taxes incurred on such additional income (including the taxes
incurred on such reimbursement).

    Invitrogen has a substantial employee benefits package. Effective on your
Start Date, you will be eligible to apply for Invitrogen's medical, dental,
life, vision and chiropractic insurance, its short and long term disability
plans, its Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and its 401(k) retirement
plan. These benefits will be provided to you and your dependents at no cost.
Other benefits are also offered, such as the option to purchase additional
life insurance and, after twelve months of employment, the option to
participate in the 401(k) matching plan. You will also be entitled to sick,
holiday, and vacation leave in accordance with Invitrogen's policies for
senior executives.

     You will be entitled to a severance package if Invitrogen should
terminate your employment for any reason. The package includes: (a) one (1)
month's salary for each year of service, with a minimum of six (6) months'
salary and a maximum of twelve (12) months' salary, payable to you in a lump
sum on your termination date at your base salary rate in effect at that time;
and (b) continuance of all insurance coverages then in effect for you and
your dependents for a period of twelve (12) months from your termination date
(or, if earlier, until such time as you obtain comparable insurance coverages
from another employer), at no cost to you. This severance package will not
apply if you should terminate your employment without cause. Notwithstanding
the above, if there is a termination of your employment for any reason due to
a Change in Control (defined below) of Invitrogen,

<PAGE>

you will be entitled to receive a full twelve (12) months salary as severance
pay, regardless of your number of years of service and regardless of who
effects the termination.

     For purposes hereof, the term "Change of Control" will mean the
acquisition of more than 50% of the stock or voting control of Invitrogen by
another person (or the increase in the stock ownership or voting control of a
current stockholder of Invitrogen such that such stockholder's stock
ownership is increased from less than 50% to greater than 50%), the
acquisition or lease of substantially all of the assets of Invitrogen by
another person the merger or consolidation of Invitrogen with another person
where such other person is the surviving or controlling person, the entering
into of a management or operating between Invitrogen and another person where
such other person assumes operational control of Invitrogen, or other similar
event. Also for purposes hereof, references to a "stockholder" or "person"
shall include individuals, entities, affiliates of such individuals or
entities, and/or groups of individuals and/or entitles operating in concert
with each other.

     Further provided, that Lew Shuster will receive eighteen (18) months of
salary and benefits upon a termination without cause if such termination
occurs (a) within the first thirty (30) months of his employment at
Invitrogen, and (b) such termination follows within eighteen (18) months of
(or is associated with) a Change of Control in Invitrogen, as defined above.

     Your employment will be for no set term, and may be terminated by either
party at any time and for any reason, upon not less than 60 days written
notice to the other party.

    This letter, along with your signed Application for Employment, will
constitute our entire agreement regarding the terms and conditions of your
employment. There are no other agreements, oral or written, between us.

<PAGE>

     We sincerely hope you will decide to accept this offer and join our
company. This offer expires February 18, 2000. Please contact me as soon as
possible to arrange a schedule for joining our team.

                                       Sincerely,

                                       /s/ Lyle C. Turner

                                       Lyle C. Turner
                                       President and Chief Executive Officer

I ACCEPT/decline the offer outlined above.

/s/ Lew J. Shuster                               February 16, 2000
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Signature                                        Date

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00021-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00021-of-00352.parquet"}]]