The LMB recently hosted eighteen students from the London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) for a morning of activities, talks and tours.
The visit began with a talk on the history, organisational structure and current research of the LMB. The students then visited the microscopy suite where they visualised various cell types using super-resolution confocal microscopes and had the opportunity to operate electron microscopes to view virus particles. Next the students headed to the Mechanical Workshop where they heard about the hugely important role the workshop plays in designing and constructing specialist scientific equipment. The students had lots of questions and were amazed to find out the time and resource required to construct a mesolens microscope.
The students also had the opportunity to get hands-on in the lab. Denise Walker, from Bill Schafer’s group in the Neurobiology Division, taught the students about how scientists study behaviour using the nematode C. elegans, and how the information discovered can be relevant to human disease. The students looked at live worms using sterio and fluorescent microscopes. One of the students commented, “my favourite part was the hands-on experiments with C. elegans because I could briefly get a taste of what it is like working with one of the most well-known model organisms.”
Finally John O’Neill and Priya Crosby, from the Cell Biology Division, talked to the students about their group’s research, their paths into science and the life of a scientist. This was really useful for the LIYSF students who are about to embark on their undergraduate university degrees. One student commented, “I learned lots about research and PhDs. We currently get limited exposure to this so it was very helpful.”
LIYSF is a two-week residential course for students aged 16-21, who have a keen interest in studying science. Students come from over 65 different countries and participate in a wide programme of lectures, seminars and visits. This is the fourth year that the LMB has hosted a visit from LIYSF.
Further references:
London International Youth Science Forum
