Genetics Workshops brought hundreds of students to Tartu

From March 11th to 22nd, biology enthusiasts from all over Estonia gathered once again at the University of Tartu Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology to participate in Genetics Workshops. 

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The genetics study days, consisting of eight full days filled with exciting laboratory experiments in the institute's labs, brought over two hundred high school students from various counties of Estonia to the institute over the course of two weeks.

In these study days, happening for the seventh time in our institute, each participating student could choose a workshop of their liking to attend throughout the day. This year, the workshop options included three themes - each day out of the eight study days, one workshop would focus on forensics, and the other would cover either the HIV receptor or, as a novel theme occurring three times, a green technology workshop. In the green technology workshop, students learned to detect the presence of archaebacteria, the ancient organisms capable of degrading biodegradable plastic bags, in environmental samples. Throughout the workshop, students learned how some of the oldest organisms evolutionarily can contribute to a greener future for humanity.

All workshops were led by enthusiastic students from the University of Tartu's biosciences bachelor's and master's programs, who are also members of the Biosciences Students' Association. The association coordinates educational activities through its education working group, led by Agnes Vaht, a master's student in biomedicine, who was also the organizer of the genetics study days for the second consecutive year on behalf of the association. These enthusiastic mentors have extensive mentoring experience, as many of them are good partners to the institute in organizing various scientific events such as family days, Researchers' Night, or the Mobile Bioclass.