Babraham Institute celebrates 15th Anniversary of Schools’ Day to inspire scientists of the future

23rd March 2009

Babraham scientists have been sharing their passion for science with over 1,500 pupils, from primary school age to 6th formers during National Science and Engineering week.

The Institute celebrated its 15th annual Schools’ Science Day, opening its laboratories to 140 GCSE and A’ level students from 18 schools across Cambridgeshire. Pupils spent the day immersed in laboratory experiments alongside ‘real scientists’, getting to grips with state-of-the-art equipment and experiencing cutting-edge science at close quarters. For the first time, Schools’ Day had an international dimension, with a group of pupils from Finland joining Cambridge 6th formers for laboratory work and a workshop exploring the ethical aspects of biomedical research.

Dr Claire Cockcroft, who runs Babraham’s Public Engagement Programme explained, “Schools’ Day offers students an unrivalled opportunity to experience leading-edge research and meet inspirational role models to get personal insights into scientific careers. We hope this will not only inspire future scientists, but also will share the excitement of biomedical research and provide a better understanding of science in society to all students.“

"It was an absolutely fantastic experience,” enthused Megan Sorensen, a student at Hills Road 6th Form College, “providing a snapshot into the cutting-edge research that’s going on at the moment. It is completely unique in the way that it enables students to take part in projects themselves and interact with researchers"

Jane Dean a science teacher at Comberton Village College added, “My students were literally buzzing with what they had done and were really eager to share their experiences with me. They found all of the projects interesting and were fascinated by the range of equipment available and ‘ingenuity of the methods’. This is such a valuable day, giving pupils an insight into careers available in science.”

The Babraham Institute has been taking science into primary schools since 2005. Over 1000 pupils from 10 local primary schools were treated to hands-on science classes or science-themed assemblies during March by a team of scientists and PhD students led by Michael Hinton, Babraham’s primary schools’ liaisons officer.

Hundreds of pupils and parents got up close and personal with the immune system at Babraham’s exhibit in the Biology Zone at the Cambridge Science Festival. ‘Blood, Sweat, Snot and Tears’ explained how our bodies fight disease and the inner workings of the immune system with the aid of a giant immunological snakes and ladders, jigsaws, germ powder and cartoon characters the ‘immuno-invisibles’ - superheroes of the immune system. Babraham’s science week events were supported by grants from the BBSRC and RCUK.

Contact details:

Dr Claire Cockcroft
Head. External Relations
Email: claire.cockcroft@babraham.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1223 496260
Fax: +44 (0)1223 496002
Mobile: +44 (0)7786 335978

The Babraham Institute
Babraham Research Campus
Cambridge CB22 3AT
United Kingdom

Notes to Editors:

The Babraham Institute is a charitable organisation devoted to biomedical research and is an institute of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The Institute’s research is focused on understanding the biological events that underlie the normal functions of cells and on how their failure or abnormality may lead to disease. As such, Institute scientists are striving to find cures for conditions where there is currently no treatment or where the existing treatment is not fully effective or causes serious side effects. The latest technologies are being used to study the basis of conditions such as neurodegenerative disorders, birth defects, cancer and diseases of the immune and cardiovascular systems. With a strategic focus on ‘healthy ageing’, novel approaches for tackling chronic diseases and public health concerns like obesity are being discovered. The Institute’s innovative research is commercialised through Babraham Bioscience Technologies (BBT) Ltd, which also manages Babraham’s vibrant Bioincubator on the Babraham Research Campus, six miles south-east of Cambridge.  Website: www.babraham.co.uk