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- Twenty-five secondary school students have completed a year of scientific immersion in IRB Barcelona’s laboratories as part of the "Crazy About Biomedicine" programme, working on innovative experiments under the mentorship of researchers from the centre.
- During the closing ceremony of the 12th edition of the course, students and mentors highlighted the impact of the programme, highlighting both the scientific advances made and the personal connections it fostered.
Last Friday, 22 November, the closing ceremony of the 12th "Crazy About Biomedicine" programme was held, an initiative that offers 25 talented secondary school students interested in science a one-year scientific immersion experience. Throughout the programme, participants had the opportunity to work on scientific experiments performed in IRB Barcelona laboratories, under the mentorship of researchers from the centre.
In addition to the group of young people who took part in the 12th edition of the programme and the Outreach and Impact Officer at IRB Barcelona, Dr. Elena Meléndez, the event was attended by family members and teachers of the participants, as well as the Managing Director of IRB Barcelona, Dr. Margarida Corominas, and Mr. Nando Oterino, Head of Programs in Knowledge, Research, and Culture at the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation.
The event began with the projection of a video that included highlights experienced by the students throughout the year. Next, researcher tutors and students shared reflections on the impact of the programme. Among them Dr. Borja Mateos, a postdoctoral researcher in the Molecular Biophysics laboratory at IRB Barcelona, who addressed the students saying, “Your energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm are what make our roles as researchers and professors so meaningful. Our satisfaction goes far beyond publishing scientific papers or making great discoveries. Training and inspiring younger generations is perhaps the most rewarding part of our work. Keep this in mind because, as you gain more knowledge and experience, it will be your turn one day.”
Meanwhile, student Anna Fernández highlighted the human aspect of the programme: “I have met people who share the same interests as me, and who will accompany me throughout my life. We have formed a really strong bond.”
During the second part of the session, the 25 students presented what they had learned to their families and teachers. In these group presentations, they explained the laboratory techniques used, which included topics such as the diagnosis of Angelman syndrome, the study of hematopoietic stem cells, the application of machine learning to predict drug resistance, cellular stress, and protein degradation as a therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.
The event ended with the official presentation of diplomas to the participants and the traditional group photo. As a symbol of unity and friendship, the students wore sweatshirts designed by themselves with their names and the year of the programme. “At IRB Barcelona, we hope that this experience has been a source of inspiration for the participants and that they continue to explore and discover the world of biomedicine in the future,” said Dr. Elena Meléndez.
About IRB Barcelona
The Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) pursues a society free of disease. To this end, it conducts multidisciplinary research of excellence to cure cancer and other diseases linked to ageing. It establishes technology transfer agreements with the pharmaceutical industry and major hospitals to bring research results closer to society, and organises a range of science outreach activities to engage the public in an open dialogue. IRB Barcelona is an international centre that hosts 400 researchers and more than 30 nationalities. Recognised as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence since 2011, IRB Barcelona is a CERCA centre and member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
