Gymnasium students visit the Institute and take part in interesting laboratory practical works

On March 14, dozens and dozens of gymnasium students interested in biology will gather once again in the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology to take part in exciting Genetic Workshops.

Genetic Workshops, eight full days of interesting laboratory experiments and study cycles in the laboratoires of the institute, will bring together almost 240 upper secondary school students from different counties. Gymnasiums from Ida-Viru, Pärnu, Jõgeva, Harju and Tartu county are represented.

Each participating student can choose from two options the workshop they like and start solving the case of either the HIV receptor or forensics under the guidance of instructors.

The workshops are organised by the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology together with the Biosciences Students’ Association who provides the instructors among students of Gene Technology and other related curricula in the university.

We, instructors, are truly glad to welcome the students in the institute at last.

Katariina Kordemets, Head of the Study Days in academic year 2021-2022, Biosciences Students’ Association

Covid-19 and difficulties organising face-to-face teaching made it impossible to organise the workshops in March 2020 as the restrictions were enforced. The situation did not improve much for March 2021, the schools used still remote studies, and also in late autumn 2021 the university had to postpone the workshops dut to high infection rate.

The organisers of the workshops place great emphasis on the safety of students and instructors using Covid-19 antigen rapid tests and personal protective equipment for Covid-19. The students from different counties and schools are not put together in one study group.

The aim of the Genetics Workshops is to evoke interest in genetics among gymnasium students through interesting laboratory practical works which enrich the school curriculum in biology and to highlight the importance of science in society.

The visiting of the institute and participating in the workshops is free of charge for schools.

The project is supported by:
Estonian Research Council
Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology
Biosciences Students’ Association
Bioatlas Ltd
Solis BioDyne Ltd

The photo gallery of the Genetic Workshops was taken on March 15, 2022. Photos by Andres Tennus, University of Tartu.
Students from Kuusalu School and Tartu Jaak Peterson Gymnasium on the photos.