Once again, the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sols-Morreale (IIBM), CSIC-UAM has celebrated Science and Technology Week 2024 (SCT2024) under the umbrella of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). Every year, all the initiatives from CSIC centers and delegations are compiled on the website www.semanadelaciencia.csic.es, where information is provided about the activities, including their title, reservation process, target audience, location, and more. This year marked the 24th edition of this major national outreach event, aimed at both the general public and students across all educational stages.
In the Comunidad de Madrid, CSIC centers organized more than a hundred outreach activities. At the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sols-Morreale (IIBM), CSIC-UAM, seven initiatives were carried out, including talks, workshops, and scientific tours. Once again, the research community and technical staff at IIBM demonstrated their commitment to science communication, aiming to bring our research closer to society and better prepare the public for the challenges of an ever-changing world.
Between November 4 and 15, numerous educational institutions visited us, including IES Vall d'Alba from Castellón (Comunidad Valenciana), as well as IES San Isidro, IES Benjamín Rúa, IES Ciudad de los Muchachos, IES Lope de Vega, and IES Virgen del Remedio, all from the Comunidad de Madrid. The visiting students were from 4th year of ESO, 1st and 2nd year of Bachillerato, and vocational training programs. Additionally, some students attended individually, outside of a school group, and we also welcomed a large number of adults, particularly those interested in Isabel Lastres’ lectures on Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Scientific tours and workshops were the most in-demand activities. Teresa Navarro, from the Biomedical NMR Service Sebastián Cerdán, along with Mónica Martín Belinchón and Bárbara Acosta, from the Optical and Confocal Microscopy Service, led the scientific tour "Bioimaging Techniques in Biomedical Research", with the collaboration of Elena del Fresno Ventura, a predoctoral researcher from the Pathophysiology and Molecular Mechanisms of Obesity and Comorbidities group.
The workshop “The Amoeba Dicty Helps Us Study Rare Diseases”, organized annually by Ricardo Escalante and Laura Antón, was once again part of the event. This year, we also introduced a new scientific workshop that generated great interest—IES Vall d'Alba, from Castellón de la Plana, specifically visited us to participate. This initiative, titled “Molecular Poetry: The Secret Language of Enzymes”, was coordinated by Alejandro K. Samhan Arias and Oscar H. Martínez-Costa, professors at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM).
Another highlight was the scientific tour "Investigating Hearing and Hearing Loss", coordinated by Silvia Murillo-Cuesta from the Non-Invasive Neurofunctional Evaluation Service, with participation from Sandra Franco-Caspueñas and Luz Divina Blanco Herrera, from the Auditory Neuropathology and Myelinopathies group. Special thanks go to Mónica Martín Belinchón and Bárbara Acosta Iborra for their contributions.
Isabel Lastres-Becker, associate professor at UAM and head of the Parkinson’s, ALS, and Tauopathies: New Perspectives group, delivered two different lectures: "Can Alzheimer's Disease Be Cured?" and "Parkinson’s Disease: What Do We Know? New Therapy Perspectives". Both talks were attended by adults and students alike.
Meanwhile, Ángela Martínez-Valverde, head of the Pathophysiology and Molecular Mechanisms of Obesity and Comorbidities group, was invited to IES Calderón de la Barca, in Pinto, to give the lecture "The Obesity Pandemic and Associated Metabolic Disorders" to 1st-year Bachillerato students.
This year, the UCCC would like to share two of the many messages of appreciation we received via e-mail from teachers, students, and the general public, thanking us for our engagement with society:
- "Good afternoon, I just wanted to send a few lines to thank you for the activity 'XX'. The explanations from the speakers were incredibly interesting and engaging, and visiting the lab with them was a true privilege. Congratulations on these initiatives that help us better understand science and bring it closer to us. Best regards."
- "Thank you very much! It was fantastic—it was a great experience to visit you. Congratulations on your work, and thank you!"
The IIBM extends its gratitude to everyone who participated in SCT2024 and congratulates them on the passion, enthusiasm, and dedication they bring to every activity.
Link to the CSIC article highlighting three of our activities among the 300 they offered! READ