What is a laboratory like inside? What instruments do researchers use? What sorts of professionals carry out research? These are some of the questions asked by the nearly 400 children aged between 10 and 12 who have visited the Barcelona Science Park to take part in a biomedicine theatre workshop. The workshop is a joint project with the Institute for Research in Biomedicina (IRB Barcelona) and the Bioregion of Catalonia and it is offered free to schools. You can see children's drawings of their experiences on the Park's website and soon they will be on show at an exhibition to be held in the Modular Building.

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The aim of this activity, called “Research in Primary Schools,” is to awaken schoolchildren’s interest in science and encourage them to pursue their interests in the field, as well as to enrich their educational curriculum. The project forms part of the Barcelona Science Park’s scientific dissemination programme, “Research in Society”.

The activity runs from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and consists of two parts: a theatre workshop and a guided tour of some of the Park’s facilities. During the workshop, two slightly mad scientists ask the children questions and invite them to perform an experiment. The scientists explain what genes and DNA do, and the differences between animal and vegetable cells. Afterwards the children can observe these differences through a microscope.

While one group is in the workshop the other group visits the laboratories of the Combinational Chemistry research group (led by Fernando Albericio) which develops new compounds, and the Design, Synthesis and Structure of Peptides and Proteins research group (led by Ernest Giralt). Here they can see scientists at work and the instruments they use. Afterwards the children move into the Core Scientific Services (SCC-PCB) magnification facility (Drosophila Section) where they learn how the fruit fly is used to study certain diseases. Finally, they go to the Animal Research Centre (SEA-PCB) to hear about the characteristics of animals used in research.

The drawings you can see on the Park’s website reflect activities from the children’s workshop, scientific concepts they have learned and the objects they have interacted with. One the most enjoyable activities for the children is an experiment that shows how carbon gel changes straight from solid to gas. The gel is placed in a plastic bag which explodes as the gel warms to room temperature.

This biomedicine workshop started in February and is usually held twice a month; every other Friday. Up to June, twelve schools from Barcelona took part in the workshop. The workshop will start again in September and we expect it to continue throughout 2008.

For more information:
comunicacio@pcb.ub.cat