Framlinghamian 2023-2024 Single page - web 144dpi - Flipbook - Page 10
SPIRIT OF INQUIRY
on experience in the labs as part of the
our member organisations cover
annual Biology Week with the Royal
demonstrates this. Research in these
Society of Biology (RSB). Launched by the
昀椀elds will be instrumental in overcoming
RSB in 2012, the Biology Week takes place
some of our most pressing global issues,
every October with the aim of inspiring
including climate change, developing
people of all ages and backgrounds in
sustainable food and fuel, and diagnosing
biology.
and treating diseases.”
With an innovative focus week for our
In March, aspiring College biology pupils
science scholars, the collaboration with
teamed with local schools for a day of
RSB o昀昀ers pupils the rare opportunity to
hands-on bioscience research as the
carry out high levels of practical work,
College played host to University College
as well as attending talks from industry
London’s (UCL) Biology Conference.
specialists. Experts from biochemistry
to biomimicry played host to a variety
Led by University College London’s
of lectures with speakers including Dr
Professor of Developmental
Norman Van Rhijn, a researcher from
Neurobiology, Stephen Price, our Year 10
the University of Manchester, Professor
and 12 pupils were joined by friends from
Lorenzo Frigerio, the Chair of Faculty of
Thomas Mills High School and Hartismere
Science from the University of Warwick,
School for an insightful event which
as well as a Virtual Lecture from the
included research analysis, practical
Malaysian Society of Biochemistry.
experiments, lab workshops and an
introductory taster lecture.
Pupils rolled up their lab coat sleeves for
anatomic dissections and studies of leaf
The day began with a deep-dive into the
chromatography, rounding the week o昀昀
plastic-degrading enzyme research by
with a pop quiz and science spelling bee.
Dr Federica Bertocchini. Driven by the
continued increase of plastic pollution on
Speaking about the importance of the
our planet, Dr Bertocchini was determined
week in a statement on their website, the
to 昀椀nd a more environmentally conscious
Royal Society of Biology said: “Innovation
way of getting rid of non-recyclable
in biology will help us to support all life
plastics without the use of incinerators or
on Earth now and in the coming decades.
machinery.
Biology Week aims to celebrate and raise
the pro昀椀le of these achievements and
Using plastic degradation by biological
the important work that bio scientists are
means was a relatively new way to
doing, and to highlight this to all public
approach the plastic waste problem,
audiences.
but Dr Bertocchini discovered that
the saliva in the larvae of wax worms
“Biology is an incredibly wide 昀椀eld –
(lepidopteran Galleria mellonella)
the broad range of disciplines that
contained enzymatic properties capable
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