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Primary school students in the Open Lab of the Barcelona Science Park (Photo: PCB).
 17.02.2023

“Berta and Biomedical Research”, a story by Novartis for primary school students who visit the Park

Through a collaboration with the Barcelona Science Park, Novartis presents the story “Berta and Biomedical Research” to primary students participating in the Discover Research in Biomedicine! and Discover Research in Nanosciences! workshops as part of the PCB Research in Society programme.  During the 2022-2023 academic year, around 1,000 copies of this children’s story will be distributed to raise awareness about how clinical trials work and their importance in research.

The author of the original story is Joan Arbó, a member of the Clinical Research Team of Novartis Spain who, at the invitation of his son’s infants’ class, was asked to explain to the children about his work. He prepared the text and Novartis Spain decided to publish it and was able to make this didactic and familiar story available to the little ones, for them to enjoy and learn about the scientific research of medicines and health treatments.

At the end of the visit by the students and teachers through the spaces of the Barcelona Science Park, and following the main theme of the workshops, about how medications are developed (from basic research to the first trials with animal models) the story is given to the children to make them aware of the last phase of a drug before it reaches the market: the clinical trial.

Discover Research! This is a project aimed at upper primary school students to carry out experiments following scientific method and, at the same time, to extend their knowledge of elementary concepts in a fun way in two differentiated areas: biomedicine and nanosciences.

This activity includes a visit to the Park’s facilities, where research staff show them the journey a drug takes before it reaches people, from a chemistry laboratory to a fly room and finally, through an interactive presentation, where they can see some of the studies that are being carried out with animal models of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, among others.

» If you would like to see the animated version of the story or download the digital version, click on this link: Un cuento para finales felices (A story for happy endings) | Novartis Spain [+]