- 8 high school students discover biomedical science with four research groups at the IIBM
- The 4th ESO+Company program connects young people with the professional world before making key decisions about their future
The Instituto de Investigaciones Sols-Morreale (IIBM), a joint center of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), welcomed eight students this spring participating in the 4º de ESO+Empresa program. During one week, from March 31 to April 4, the young people integrated into four research groups at the IIBM: those led by Guillermo de Cárcer, Ángela Martínez Valverde, José L. Orgaz, and Isabel Sánchez. All of them have been collaborating for years with this initiative from the Consejería de Educación de la Comunidad de Madrid (CAM).
The stay began with a welcome from Belén Peral, head of the Scientific Communication and Culture Unit, who provided an introduction to the center's operations, the roles of CSIC and UAM, the reasons explaining its nature as a joint center, and the historical milestones of figures such as Alberto Sols and Gabriella Morreale. Following this, the students toured various facilities at the IIBM, including laboratories, Scientific-Technical Services, and the Department of Biochemistry at the UAM Medical School.
During the week, the students familiarized themselves with basic techniques in molecular and cellular biology such as DNA extraction, protein quantification, handling agarose and acrylamide gels, cell culture, and microscopy. Under the supervision of scientists, they even had the opportunity to directly experience some of these procedures.
A First-Person Experience
Edurne Delgado Olivares and Marina García Domínguez, from CEIPSO Luna in Rivas Vaciamadrid, joined Dr. Guillermo de Cárcer’s research group, where they observed the culture of tumor cells and learned how to transform plasmids and extract plasmid DNA from bacteria.
In Dr. José L. Orgaz’s group, Laura García Hernández and Irene Torres Rebolledo, from IES Ciudad de los Poetas (Madrid), became familiar with cellular and molecular biology techniques.
Meanwhile, Miriam Marín Morales and Carla Collado-Repullo, from Humanitas Bilingual School in Torrejón de Ardoz, joined Dr. Ángela Martínez Valverde’s team, where they explored research lines on obesity and its comorbidities, in addition to practicing with cell cultures and biochemical techniques.
Finally, Diego Sanz Villarejo and Manuel Gómez Gutiérrez, from SIES África (Moraleja de Enmedio), integrated into Dr. Isabel Sánchez’s group, where they practiced techniques such as cell culture, immunofluorescence, and the use of optical and confocal microscopy, among other tools used in biomedical research.
Understanding Science from the Inside to Imagine the Future
The 4th ESO+Company program, promoted by the Education Department of CAM since the 2008-2009 academic year, seeks to bridge the gap between secondary education and the labor market. Since its inception, the CSIC Delegation in Madrid has supported this initiative with the goal of fostering scientific vocations among students.
Participation in the program is voluntary, and students selected by their educational institutions have the opportunity to experience a unique professional experience, which can be decisive in shaping their academic paths. Each year, the number of Secondary Education Centers applying to participate and the number of companies and institutions willing to host young people increases. In this context, the IIBM reaffirms its commitment to training new generations of scientists and hopes to expand the number of available places in future editions.
The IIBM thanks the involvement of the four research groups in the 2025 edition and looks forward to their continued collaboration with this enriching initiative in the coming academic years.