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The theme day started with presentations given by three scientists, two of whom are members of the Hormone Laboratory research group, and one guest lecturer. Illimar Hugo Rekand works at the Biorecognition group at the Department of Biomedicine, as well as in the Organic Synthesis group at the Department of Chemistry. He talked about his project where he is using machine learning to develop drugs which target novel antibiotics in order to circumvent antibiotic resistance.

Next, clinical dietician and research coordinator Kristin Amundsen presented the current clinical trial she is working on. In this trial, researchers are investigating dietary strategies for the remission of Type 2 diabetes (Carbcount). This is a collaboration with universities in Sweden, Scotland, Denmark and Germany.

The final presentation was held by Regine Åsen Jersin. She is a molecular biologist and finished her PhD in obesity and adipose tissue biology in 2020. She is now a researcher at the Hormone Laboratory research group, investigating mechanisms involved in breast cancer. She talked about both obesity and breast cancer, as the day also included a practical part where the students would be shown both fat and cancer cells in the laboratory.

After the presentations, the students were all given lab coats and overshoes and divided into 4 groups. First, they were with Regine to the cell lab to look at breast cancer cells under the microscope and to learn about sterile technique. Then she showed them the rest of the laboratory and saw how live cells are frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen (-196°C).

Laura Roxana Jonassen recently gained her masters degree and is now working as a technician in the group. She explained how lipid staining of cultured fat cells is performed and showed the students stained cells under the microscope. Laura also showed them a petridish containing the E. coli bacteria, which is frequently used in the lab to produce small circular DNA (plasmids).

While two groups attended the tour, the other students read popular science articles by members of the research group recently published in the media. After the tour of the lab, the students were all very happy and full of new knowledge. They asked good questions during both the presentations and tour of the lab. Several of them expressed an interest in studying chemistry, biomedicine or molecular biology. Maybe we will see them again as scientists in the future!    👩‍🔬🥼🧫👨‍🔬

A big thanks to all the presenters and to everyone who helped make the day happen for the students from Kvam High School!