Kids discover biobanking and pathology at BBMRI.at Kids Uni Workshop
BBMRI.at and the D&R Institute of Pathology at Med Uni Graz once again welcomed young students to explore how patient samples travel from collection to pathology and ultimately biobanks. Through hands-on laboratory activities, children gained insight into tissue processing, microscopy, and the importance of biobanking and pathology.
Look behind the scenes of pathology and biobanking
In this year’s second Kids Uni Workshop on Biobanking and Pathology, BBMRI.at and the Diagnostics & Research (D&R) Institute of Pathology at the Med Uni Graz offered schoolchildren the opportunity to understand the journey of a biological samples. Two school classes participated and learned how samples move from hospital clinics through pathology labs (to diagnose a disease) to biobanks (where they support research projects). All this happened in an interactive way.
Hands-on laboratory experiments
During the workshop, the students worked directly with laboratory equipment, devices and techniques commonly used in pathology and biobanking. Under expert supervision, they
- Cut and snap-froze tissue in liquid nitrogen,
- Stained paraffin-embedded tissue sections, and
- Examined stained tissue sections of different organs.
These activities allowed the children to see how tissues are prepared for diagnostic assessment and preserved for biobanking and future research. To help them better understand what they observed under the microscope, the instructors and kids discussed about the major organs and their roles.
Inspiring curiosity for biobanking, pathology and science
By stepping into the role of “biobankers, pathologists, or scientist for a day” the students gained a clearer picture of how pathology and biobanking work—while discovering that science can be exciting and accessible. The workshop continues BBMRI.at’s commitment to promoting scientific understanding among young learners.
