During the summer, the Biology Department took a group of Lower Sixth Form pupils to the University of Pecs in Hungary for a week-long study visit at the Microbiology Department in the Faculty of Science.
Pupils gained first-hand experience of what a typical week as a student undertaking tertiary education entails. They received five mornings of excellent lectures and seminars, and also undertook three afternoons of laboratory work.
One of the most exciting talks was entitled ‘How to Mend a Broken Heart’, which focused on the treatment of hypoxic heart disease using cell therapy. Lab work included DNA electrophoresis on a bacteriophage’s DNA, which resulted in the satisfaction of seeing the fragments ordered by size under UV light.
Dr Csaba Fekete, from Pecs, gave up a vast amount of time, and put together a fantastic schedule for the group.
Beyond the academic work, they enjoyed Hungarian meals, and also undertook cultural visits in the late afternoon and evening, including the early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae), a UNESCO World Heritage site.
S Burman-Roy
