Centenary Open Day

The Unit held its ninth annual Open Day, coinciding with the MRC Centenary week, for local schools on the 25 June 2013. The MRC is celebrating 100 years of medical research. Seven local schools attended the day and 120 pupils and teachers took part in the activities. Professor Peter Somogyi introduced the visit with a short presentation on the MRC’s work celebrating a hundred years of life-changing discoveries achievements. He acknowledged those who have supported us along the way, and introduced the great burden that diseases of the brain impose on society.

Groups of students went to visit the laboratories getting hands-on experience with instruments, real specimens and experiments, providing a glimpse of what to expect in a working research laboratory. They all visited two of the research groups.

Student feedback shows that they found the visit stimulating, and that the research they were shown inspired them. It was clear that the teachers also found the experience stimulating, and we were again told that after last year's visit some students were inspired to make University applications for various bioscience degrees, including neuroscience and medicine. Feedback what the students' found interesting: “the electron microscope …” ”watching a cell undergo mitosis …” ”the ability to see in action work that had previously only been shown in textbooks…” ”learning about the link between GABA and depression…” ”discussing optogenetics and its applications in medicine”…”finding out about place cells and the structure of different cells…” ”having an amazing view of dendrites and axons…” ”Learning about Parkinson’s disease and new research is beginning …“ ” to see people working in the lab and hear about their work…”.

Thanks to all who participated and made this day possible.