Hey everyone! It's Harri here. It’s been busy, busy since I’ve returned from the UK but I still want to let you all know what I got up to in Cambridge. I’m still beyond grateful for all the support I received from everyone to get me there, so I feel the least I can do is share my experience. I can’t exactly recall the learning that we did each day but I can give an overview of all the topics we covered: cell biology, stem cells, tissue culture, genetic modification, evolution, infections and immunity and body systems + organs. We also worked individually towards our personal project which involved selecting a genetic trait and using statistics to investigate how it is inherited and environmental influences on the trait, which in my case was freckles. We also had practical activities that were super interesting like analysing our own DNA, doing blood tests, experimenting with electricity on our bodies and big dissections.
Day 14: I moved out of my room in the morning before leaving Queen’s with Mum again. We stuck around in Cambridge for a bit more of the day to explore Newnham and Selwyn College, more beautiful places in different ways. Then it was a drive to Sandwich in Kent for our overnight stay before flying back to New Zealand the next day and back to school. Here's the link to a Google photo album with my pics and videos from this day https://photos.app.goo.gl/pib2yU6Y3cdRms9v6
Here's the Immerse Programme Summary as written by my tutor:
During this two-week course we covered aspects of medicine from the cell to the whole system, with the aim of giving an understanding of not only disease but the molecular and cellular causes behind them. We explored topics that include the fundamentals of cell biology, genetics and epigenetics, and how these play an essential role in understanding and treatment development of human disease. We also examined the impact of the genome (including nuclear and mitochondrial DNA) and epigenome on inherited diseases and those that develop over time, and stem cells. We discussed medical ethics and debated the use of genetic modification which can be a controversial topic but was handled by all the students with maturity and respect. We also had a brief overview of infection and the immune response and spent time diagnosing a fictional patient in the PBL style that some medical schools offer. We explored the anatomy and function of the heart, blood and lungs. Among other tasks, students investigated the structure and discussed the function of different cell types using histology slides under a microscope. They were also able to perform an experiment on their DNA, to investigate the gene that enables you to taste a bitter compound, PTC. We performed a dissection on lamb hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys, and brains to aid the understanding of anatomy. To explore the process of evolution, we went to an exhibition on Darwin at the University Library and then the Zoology Museum to examine animal specimens. Finally, for their personal projects, the students conducted their own research projects on different aspects of genetic inheritance and environmental influences on physical features. Students produced their own questionnaires, found their own participants, generated their own graphs, and created and presented their own scientific poster on their results.
Here's my Participant Evaluation as written by my tutor:
Harri was a great student to teach. She was enthusiastic, engaged, intelligent and articulate. She participated in and contributed to every part of the course. During the week, students tested themselves for the gene that allows you to taste the bitter compound, PTC. Following this, they split into teams and created a way to explain how each of the experimental techniques worked. Harri was a great contributor to her team and worked well as part of a group. She and her teammates explained how PCR worked through the creation of a stage performance, which was informative, entertaining, and accessible. Being able to communicate effectively with people with limited scientific knowledge is an important aspect of research, veterinary medicine, and medicine, and Harri’s aptitude for it bodes well for her future.
Harri also contributed well as part of the larger group. In particular, she contributed with thoughtful, considered, and mature opinions and answers to the questions we explored during our discussions about the establishment of the first human cell line, HeLa, and the medical ethics surrounding it. She also posed thought-provoking questions. We went on to debate the use of genetic modification in plants and humans. Harri engaged well with preparing her team’s argument and contributed substantially to the group debate.
We carried out a dissection of various lamb organs and practiced suturing. Harri showed an aptitude for suturing and clearly enjoyed her time dissecting. She had a good knowledge of the organs and their structures and competently explored them throughout.
Harri’s personal project focussed on the inheritance of freckles and their relation to skin tone. She had an impressive number of participants who gave her a great set of data. However, she quickly noted the biological and technical implications for drawing conclusions from the data referring to skin tone, as she had few participants with dark skin, when compared to paler skin tones. Differences in participant numbers is each category can make conclusions less reliable and would warrant further study; something that Harri identified. She produced a clear and accessible poster with some nice figures and a comprehensive amount of background information. She was a confident and excellent presenter who came across as well informed and was able to handle the questions at the end very well.
Overall, I found Harri to be a passionate, bright and inquisitive student. I am sure that she will succeed in whatever she chooses to pursue and wish her the best of luck in her exams, university applications and future training.
