Biochemistry Day Introduces High School Students to the World of Science
Header: PhD student Nick Silver explains the ELISA to students.
Written by Grace Parish
On Saturday, April 26, the Biochemistry Graduate Student Union (BGSU) hosted its highly anticipated annual Biochemistry Day. Biochemistry Day is a public outreach event designed to engage high school students from underrepresented communities with experiences in science. The event offers students the opportunity to explore careers in biochemistry through hands-on activities, discussions, and mentorship. In collaboration with the University of Toronto (U of T) Faculty of Medicine’s MedLinx program, the BGSU welcomed 70 curious high school students to the Medical Sciences Building for a day of career panels, lab tours, and science experiments.
The morning focused on career exploration. Students rotated in small groups through three activities: a university panel, a career discussion, and a lab tour at the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research. The goal was to demystify what it’s like to study science at university and pursue a career in biochemistry.
At the university panel, students heard from biochemistry graduate students Nick Chan and Amrita Dhindsa, along with undergraduates Michelle Wong, Tiffany Feng, and Christina Xie. The panellists shared valuable insights about their academic journeys, ranging from navigating the university application process and seeking undergraduate research opportunities to finding a sense of belonging at a large university like U of T. The audience eagerly asked questions about choosing university majors and managing life as a graduate student.
During the career talk, students met Dr. Nana Lee, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry. Dr. Lee gave an inspiring talk about her journey through science and academia, sharing how she combined her passions for mentorship and biochemistry. She emphasized that success in science isn’t always linear and that abilities like communication and networking are key.
Dr. Nana Lee speaking to students during the career talk.
Students also toured the Grant Brown Lab at the Donnelly Centre. Kate Jiang, a senior PhD student, guided them through the lab and its work on DNA replication and repair. Students were especially fascinated by the yeast strains expressing colourful pigments from carrots. They also got to see a live tissue culture demonstration! The tour left students excited for an afternoon of experiments in the teaching labs.
After lunch, hands-on lab experiments allowed the prospective scientists to put their skills to the test. Under the guidance of graduate student volunteers, students geared up in their lab coats and gloves and got to work. Following a safety demonstration, which included a memorable emergency eye wash demonstration by senior PhD student Nick Silver, students conducted two experiments.
The first experiment introduced students to protein purification. After learning the basics of protein structure and function, students used size exclusion chromatography to separate molecules by size. They collected fractions containing vitamin B12 in bright pink and hemoglobin in brown. Students were amazed by the colourful results!
PhD student Ben Beavington explains size exclusion chromatography to a student.
The second experiment simulated a disease outbreak using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Students learned how antibodies recognize and tag pathogens for destruction. These antibodies contribute to immunological memory for better fighting of the bug at the next exposure and can be harnessed by scientists to detect disease exposure. Each student began with a sample and shared it with two peers, mimicking potential disease transmission. Then, using ELISA, students tested their samples for a positive reaction. Working together, students put on their detective hats and successfully traced the origins of the outbreak!
The event was spearheaded by Rosie Irwin, the BGSU’s Vice-President of Outreach, who led a team of sixteen graduate and undergraduate student volunteers. Planning for the event began in January, with months of preparation culminating in an inspiring Biochemistry Day. The BGSU looks forward to hosting Biochemistry Day again next year and welcoming even more students!
The success of the event would not have been possible without the U of T biochemistry community. The enthusiasm from volunteers was exceptional, from answering students’ questions to guiding them through lab activities. Thank you to all the speakers and biochemistry undergraduate and graduate students who volunteered their Saturday to support the event! As the day came to a close, students left with minds full of fresh discoveries, plenty of leftover pizza, and excitement for the scientific journeys that lay ahead.